Neopanorpa exaggerata, Wang, 2023
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https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5264.1.7 |
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lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CB24573C-6C32-4157-BCEB-57DE0EF62BB1 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7838247 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03E987F9-360A-FFE9-B2AD-4323EE3C97B4 |
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Plazi |
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scientific name |
Neopanorpa exaggerata |
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sp. nov. |
Neopanorpa exaggerata sp. n.
Chinese vernacular name: KDḿffiẘ
( Figs 1 View FIGURE 1 , 2 View FIGURE 2 )
Etymology. The specific epithet, “ exaggerata ” (exaggerate) pertains to the EEAS of the male. Participle.
Diagnosis. This new species superficially resembles Leptopanorpa spp. by the EEAS. However, it can be readily differentiated from the latter by the following characters: in males, 1) epandrium lacking a median projection at apex ( Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 , cf. present); 2) epandrial lobe greatly developed ( Fig. 2J View FIGURE 2 , cf. small); 3) parameres slender ( Fig. 2K View FIGURE 2 , cf. usually enlarged and thick); 4) ventral aedeagal valves conspicuous ( Fig. 2K View FIGURE 2 , cf. greatly reduced); 5) lateral processes of piston of sperm pump short, not reaching lateral processes ( Fig. 2L View FIGURE 2 , cf. elongated and reaching lateral processes); and in females, 6) axis of medigynium straight ( Fig. 2N View FIGURE 2 , cf. usually curved dorsad). This new species also closely resembles some congeners in the Neopanorpa pielina group sensu Wang & Hua 2021, e.g., N. diancangshanensis Wang & Hua, 2018 , N. tenuis Zhou, 2000 , and N. tibetensis Hua & Chou, 1999 , etc., but can be readily differentiated by the unmatched length of the male abdomen. The female superficially resembles that of N. diancangshanensis and N. tibetensis in the general appearance, especially the branched pterostigmal band in fore- and hindwings, but can be differentiated from the latter by the axis of medigynium longer than posterior arms ( Fig. 2N View FIGURE 2 , cf. shorter).
Type series. CHINA: Yunnan Province: Holotype ♁ ( DALU-CN22 Pa 00800), riverbank of Bajiang River , 24.666°N, 103.1950°E, 1600 m, Shilin Yi Autonomous County, Kunming Prefecture , 30.vi.2022, leg. Zhi-Wei Dong, Yan-Dong Chen. GoogleMaps Paratypes 2♁♁ ( DALU-CN22 Pa 00801, -802) 1♀ ( DALU-CN22 Pa 00803), same data ; 2♀♀ ( DALU-CN22 Pa 00804, -805), same data except 1.vii.2022, leg. Ji-Shen Wang, Zhi-Wei Dong, Yan-Dong Chen.
Measurements (mm). Male: Holotype (DALU-CN22Pa00800): FL 15.5, FW 3.2, HL 14.3, HW 3.1; BL 65.0, AbL 59.8, A1–5L 6.8, A6L 6.0, A7L 18.5, A8L 18.2, A9L 11.0; Paratype (DALU-CN22Pa00801): FL 15.0, FW 3.0, HL 14.0, HW 2.9, BL 60.0, AbL 54.5, A1–A5L 6.2, A6L 5.5, A7L 16.5, A8L 16.0, A9L 9.0; Paratype (DALUCN22Pa00802): FL 14.8, FW 3.0, HL 13.7, HW 2.9, BL 39.0, AbL 34.8, A1–A5L 5.0, A6L 3.5, A7L 10.5, A8L 9.8, A9L 6.0. Female: Paratypes (DALU-CN22Pa00803–805, three individuals): FL 14.5–15.0, FW 2.9–3.1, HL 13.2–14.0, HW 2.8–3.0, BL 13.0–15.5, AbL 9.0–11.0.
Description-male. Head ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 ). Head yellowish brown with black pattern elongated from hind border of antennal sockets through ocellar triangle to occiput. Rostrum yellowish brown without any conspicuous stripes. Antennae with 46–49 blackish flagellomeres.
Thorax ( Fig. 2A, C View FIGURE 2 ). Pronotum black with nominally eight stout setae along anterior margin. Meso- and metanotum yellowish brown without conspicuous stripes. Legs yellowish brown and darkening toward apex, with second preapical tooth of pretarsal claws distinctly enlarged ( Fig. 2C View FIGURE 2 , red arrow denoted).
Wings ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 ). Wing membrane hyaline and slightly tinged with yellowish brown, markings dark brown. Pterostigma brown and inconspicuous. Apical band broad with concaved inner margin; pterostigmal band broad with well-developed apical and basal branches; other markings absent. R six-branched, R 2 bifurcated. 1A ending basal to ORs.
Abdomen ( Fig. 2A, D, E View FIGURE 2 ). Yellowish brown except dark brown at posterior margins of T1–T5, and most of T6. Notal organ (no in Fig. 2D, E View FIGURE 2 ) on posterior margin of T3 well-developed, rod-like, extending approximately to basal 1/3 of T4, and bearing several long setae at ventral apex. Postnotal organ (pno in Fig. 2E View FIGURE 2 ) on T4 slightly protuberated and bearing dense setae. A6 long cylindrical, as long as or slightly longer than A1–A5; A7 slender, approximately three times as long as A6, and trumpet-shaped at apex; A8 similar to A7 with approximate length; A9 approximately 3/5 as long as A8 with greatly elongated basal stalk proximal to genital bulb. Cerci (ce in Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 ) long clavate.
Male genitalia ( Fig. 2F–L View FIGURE 2 ). Basal stalk of A9 greatly elongated and ranging from 1.1–1.3 times as long as genital bulb. Epandrium (ep in Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 ) oblong with slightly emarginated apex. Epandrial lobes (epl in Fig. 2J View FIGURE 2 ) well-developed, subtrapezoidal, with triangular projections along ventral and caudal margins. Hypovalves (hv in Fig. 2G, J View FIGURE 2 ) narrow, slightly exceeding apex of gonocoxites (gcx in Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 ), overlapped distally, and folded along outer margin. Subcircular window enclosed by constricted bases of two hypovalves ( Fig. 2G View FIGURE 2 ). Hypandrial processes inconspicuous. Gonocoxites slightly widened toward truncated apex. Gonostyli (gs in Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 ) slightly longer than gonocoxites, slender, with large basal process (bp in Fig. 2I View FIGURE 2 ) bearing long stout setae; each gonostylus sickleshaped in distal part; median tooth (mt in Fig. 2I View FIGURE 2 ) inconspicuous. Parameres (pm in Fig. 2K View FIGURE 2 ) slender, greatly curved inward and contacted mesally, and greatly divergent toward pointed apex. Each paramere attached to lateral process of aedeagus through slender dorsal bridge (dbr in Fig. 2K View FIGURE 2 ). Ventral and dorsal valves (vv and dv in Fig. 2K, L View FIGURE 2 , respectively) of aedeagus closely aligned, and slightly tapering toward apex; lateral processes (lpr in Fig. 2K View FIGURE 2 ) of aedeagus stout with subacute apex. Piston (pst in Fig. 2L View FIGURE 2 ) of sperm pump subtriangular with short lateral processes (lpp in Fig. 2L View FIGURE 2 ).
Description of female. Habitus ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ) similar to males but bearing much shorter abdominal segments.
Female genitalia. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 2M View FIGURE 2 ) broad, suboval, with V-shaped terminal emargination, and bearing long stout setae marginally. Medigynium ( Fig. 2N View FIGURE 2 ) slightly longer than subgenital plate; posterior arms (pa in Fig. 2N View FIGURE 2 ) slender; axis (ax) longer than posterior arms with divergent apodemes (ap).
Distribution. China: Yunnan Province ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ).
Biological Information. The new species was collected from a very limited spot (ca. 20 square meters, denoted by a red arrow in Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ) with dense ground covers along the riverbanks. Although the type locality is only a few kilometers away from densely populated villages and towns, it seemingly provides a relatively undisturbed and primordial sanctuary for this species to persist. However, this locality is surrounded by extensive infrastructure development ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 shows a road construction site approximately hundreds of meters away) and agriculture activities (left part of Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 shows a nearby forest of the Chinese mahogany, Toona sinensis , which is cultivated as a local vegetable). Attempts to search for additional specimens in several adjacent regions were failed, despite their similar microhabitats. The very limited distribution, the scarcity of individuals, and the preference for dense herbaceous vegetation, are the probable reasons why this eye-catching scorpionfly has never been discovered before.
On the site, individuals of N. exaggerata sp. n. often perch on the leaves of herbs or shrubs ( Fig. 1C View FIGURE 1 ). Bearing a very long abdomen, the males seem bulky, and can only fly one or two meters away when disturbed. When at rest, the males usually hold their A7–A9 backward, forming a distinct triangular posture ( Fig. 1C View FIGURE 1 ), superficially resembling that of Leptopanorpa spp. from Indonesia ( Wang & Hua 2020). The females, however, fly with more agility owing to a much shorter abdomen (measures ca. 1/3 of the smallest male and 1/6 of the largest).
The gonostyli of male N. exaggerata sp. n. appear to be a forceful weapon in the coercive mating, intrasexual disputes, and self-defense. Several wing membrane breakages were found in a female paratype (DALUCN22Pa00803, denoted by red arrows in Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ), suggesting that the female’s right wings may have been coercively grasped and damaged by a male’s gonostyli during copulation. In addition, three black spots (melanized wounds) have been photographed in a male (not in the type series, Fig. 1C View FIGURE 1 ), suggesting that the gonostyli can possibly be used as a combat weapon in the intra-sexual disputes. When a male scorpionfly is captured with fingers, it aggressively attacks the collector’s skin using its gonostyli, the same self-defensive action as other male scorpionflies ( Wang & Hua 2022).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
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