Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) spinicauda, Sziráki, György, 2020

Sziráki, György, 2020, A Contribution To Knowledge Of The Genus Coniopteryx (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae) In Madagascar, With Descriptions Of 18 New Species, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 66 (3), pp. 203-246 : 234-236

Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) spinicauda sp. n.

( Figs 81–86)

Examined material – Holotype: male, Madagascar, Antsiranana Province, Montagne d’Ambre National Park , 12°30’52” S, 49°10’53” E, 960 m a.s.l., 19. III – 5. IV. 2001, Malaise trap, leg.: I, ES & HH; deposited in the collection of CAS; CASTYPE number: 20024. Paratypes: 2 males, same data as holotype ; 1 male, Madagascar, Antsiranana Province, 7 km N of Joffreville , 12°20’ S, 49°15’ E, 360 m a.s.l., 6–20. III. 2001, dry forest, Malaise trap, leg.: HH ; 1 male, Madagascar, Antsiranana Province, Montagne d’Ambre National Park , 12°30’52” S, 49°10’53” E, 960 m a.s.l., Malaise trap, leg.: I, ES & HH ; 1 male, Madagascar, Toamasina Province, 7 km SE of Andasibe National Park headquarters, 18°57’46” S, 48°27’10” E, 1050 m a.s.l., 9–23. IV. 2001, tropical forest, Malaise trap, leg.: HH ; 1 male, Madagascar, Toamasina Province, botanic garden near to entrance to Andasibe National Park , 18°55’35” S, 48°24’28” E, 1025 m a.s.l., 8–14. X. 2001, tropical forest, Malaise trap, leg.: I & HH. One of the paratypes deposited in HNHM , while the others in the collection of CAS.

Description: Length of the body 1.4–1.8 mm. Head capsule and palpi light brown. Anterior edge of vertex with a prominent, laterally flattened projection between the antennae. Eyes moderately large, black. Antennae ( Fig. 81) 0.9–1.1 mm, 27–28 segmented, dark brown, with exception of medium or light brown scape, which about as long as wide. Pedicel slightly longer than wide, basal antennal segments 2 times, median ones about 1.5 times as wide as long. Pedicel with a rather indistinct, the first flagellar segment with a moderately large apical projection. Setae of these projections moderately long. Ordinary hairs are arranged in two regular rings on pedicel and on flagellar segments as well. Scalelike hairs situated mostly in two thin whorls on pedicel and in a dense apical whorl on flagellar segments. Besides, there are also some spots of this type of hairs on other parts of the first flagellar segment.

Thorax pale ochreous, its sutures and apodemes medium or light brown, shoulder spots dark brown. Wing membrane light or medium brown. Length of the fore wing 1.7– 1.8 mm, of hind wing 1.3–1.6 mm. Pregenital part of abdomen pale ochreous.

Male terminalia ( Figs 82–86) well sclerotized, medium brown. Hypandrium slightly higher than long in lateral view. Processus terminalis narrow even at its base, and tapering evenly until its acute caudal ending, without any trace of median incision. A well sclerotized structure is connected to the dorsal surface of hypandrium. This structure consists of a prominent, sharp crest and a widened anterior part, with two small lateral lobes. Processus lateralis directed caudally, prominent, with moderately long setae. Anterior apodeme of hypandrium ventrally straight, with interrupted median part, laterally wide, with a hook. Ventral apodeme of gonarcus widened in its anterior third. Stylus forked; its slender and very long outer branch bent forwards, while the inner branch broad, with a hole near to the fork. No distinct ventral bridge between the two inner branches. Paramere long; its anterior part straight, with sharp ending in lateral view. Processus ventralis thin, but recognizable. Processus apicalis with an ending curved upwards and with a distinct subapical lobe. The caudal ending of processus apicalis pointed in lateral view, while gradually widened until its upper third in caudal view. Penis sclerite consists of two long, slender, pointed and curved rods. Between the two processes laterales there is a membraneous structure.

Remarks: Coniopteryx (C.) spinicauda sp. n. belongs to the Coniopteryx lobifrons group sensu SZIRÁKI (2005), and because of the narrow and caudally tapering processus terminalis, the similar structure of processus lateralis and stylus it is close to Coniopteryx (C.) angusticauda Sziráki, 2015 .

The main distinctive features of the new species are:

− acute processus terminalis of hypandrium, without median incision;

− different sclerotized structure connected to the dorsal surface of hypandrium;

− distinct subapical lobe of processus apicalis of paramere;

− the shape of processus apicalis, which is the most wide at its dorsal third in caudal view;

− the long rods of penis sclerite;

− absence of an additional sclerite above the penis.

Etymology: The new species named after the shape of the acute processus terminalis of the hypandrium.