Ameromyia modesta (Banks, 1943)

Tavares, Leon Gustavo de Miranda, Machado, Renato Jose Pires & Calor, Adolfo Ricardo, 2023, The Neotropical antlion genus Ameromyia Banks, 1913 (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae), systematics and redefinition under a phylogenetic approach, Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 81, pp. 499-553 : 499

4.8. Ameromyia modesta (Banks, 1943)

Figs 1C , 2C , 28 , 29 , 30

Amazoleon modesta Banks 1943: 163. [Holotype female, Akuriman, Venezuela, X (Oct), Anduze (MCZ)]. - Stange 1967: 45 [new combination].

Ameromyia modesta (Banks). - Stange 1967:45 [new combination]. - Penny 1977: 38 [distribution]. - Stange 1994: 81 [species list, larvae diagnosis]. - Stange 2004: 228, 392 [species catalog, genera identification key (larvae)]. - Oswald 2021 [species catalog].

Distribution.

Brazil; Suriname; Venezuela (Fig. 13 ).

Diagnosis.

Prothorax dark brown with a single longitudinal white line in the middle. Dark brown streak in rhegmal area, formed by infuscation around rhegmal crossveins. External and internal face of legs with visible contrast between dark brown and light brown.

Description.

Adult. Head: Antennae with 31-35 flagellomeres. Flagellum pale brown, turning dark brown near the club. Vertex dark brown, slightly pale brown laterally. Vertex decumbent setae black, sometimes white on interantennal area. Interantennal area with a large brown spot. Frons pale brown with slight brown medial patches, and grayer near clypeus. Frons setae black. Interocular distance less than eye width. Clypeus and labrum light brown. Mandible light brown on basal half and black on distal half. Palpi light brown, and slightly darker on external face of palpomeres. Head without thread-like setae. - Thorax: Thorax mostly dark brown with a medial longitudinal white band, and light brown around thorax sutures. Thorax on lateral view dark brown, with an evident or faint longitudinal pale brown band under wings. Pronotum as broad as long. Pronotum dark brown, with a longitudinal medial white streak. Pronotum marginal setae white. Mesonotum dark brown, sometimes with pale brown on prescutum, and mesoscutellum with pale brown medially and on posterior margin. Mesonotum with scattered white setae and curved white setae pointing posteriorly on mesoscutellum posterior margin. Metanotum dark brown, with metascutellum with pale brown medially and on posterior margin. Metanotum with scattered white setae and curved white setae pointing posteriorly on metascutellum posterior margin. - Wings: Wing tip acute. Veins with dashed dark and pale brown pattern. Wing membrane hyaline, except on most vein junctures which have brown infuscation, along forewing CuA vein, and on rhegmal area which have dark brown infuscations. Forewing mediocubital area with dotted pattern, with dark infuscations around vertical crossveins. Forewing CuP and hind wing CuA veins extending before CuA and MP fork respectively, with at least four crossveins connecting them and posterior branch of fork. Pterostigma opaque, white, encompassing three to four crossveins. Cells delimited by transversal veins in hind wing posterior area longer than high. - Legs: Coxae dark brown. Femur and tibia with black bristles. Legs with external face of femur, tibiae and tarsomeres dark brown contrasting to internal face which is light brown. Femur decumbent setae black. Profemural sense hair longer than profemur and mesofemural sense hair much shorter than mesofemur. Tibial spurs slightly shorter than pretarsal claws. Five tarsomeres. Pretarsal claws at least 1.5 times longer than basitarsus. - Abdomen: Abdomen sclerites dark brown medially and slightly paler on basal and apical margins, with many dark setae. Male parameres plates on lateral view with a round dorsoposterior margin. Paramere tooth curved upwards on lateral view. Gonarcus arch positioned not above paramere plates on lateral view. Male genitalia clavate setae with sickled club. - Larva (third instar). Head: Head capsule slightly broader than long in dorsal view, slightly longer than broad in ventral view. Head capsule dorsally dark brown, with few light brown patches medially. Clypeolabrum dark, darker near mandibles. Head capsule ventrally light brown. Short dolichasters on head dorsal surface cone-like. Head capsule dolichasters mostly black, with a few white dolichasters near anterior and lateral margins. Row of dolichasters on labrum anterior margin black. Dorsal surface on posterolateral margins with dark thread-like setae. - Thorax: Thorax dorsally dark brown, with sparsed light brown patches, and ventrally light brown with small dark spots on setal insertion. Thorax dorsal surface with dark thread-like setae, and many short, black dolichasters. Mesothoracic spiracle borne on tubercle, which is about two times longer than broad. Metathoraxic surface with whitish prunescence medially. - Abdomen: Abdomen with dark thread-like setae dorsally. Abdomen with a whitish prunescence, dorsally light brown, with sparsed grey and dark brown patches, and ventrally light brown with small dark spots on setal insertion and near each basal abdominal margin. Abdominal setiferous processes with black and white setae.

Remarks.

Ameromyia modesta is recorded from Brazil and Suriname for the first time. The type locality known as “Akuriman” or “Acurima”, refers to a mountain near the border between Venezuela and Brazil (Roraima), on the municipality of Gran Sabana. Stange (1994) describes A. modesta larvae as bearing thread-like setae, but on the remarks for the Venezueleon larvae, states that in A. modesta , the thread-like setae are absent. Upon analysis of this larval specimen, it is evident that the larvae of this species indeed bear thread-like setae on head capsule, and thoraxic and abdominal dorsal surfaces (Fig. 30 ).

This species is very similar in coloration to A. guarica , but it bears profemoral and mesofemural sense hairs, larger pretarsal claws and a longer than broad pronotum. Regarding other species in the same group, A. modesta differs from A. pubiventris in the pronotal markings (in which the pronotum is mostly light brown with a longitudinal stripe) (Figs 1C , 2C , 28A ) and in leg coloration (Fig. 28B ), while A. protensa is much larger in size, and is restricted to southern South America.

Examined material.

(24♀ 8♂, 1 larva): BRAZIL - RORAIMA • 1♀; Beira do rio Uraricoera ; 25.iii.2016; 3°20′59″N 61°25′22.3″W; 83m; luz móvel; CC Gonçalves; INPA • 1♀ 1♂; Alto Alegre, ESEC Maracá; 10-12.xii.2015; 3°20′59″N 61°25′22.3″W; Arm. Luz; J.A. Rafael, R. Boldrini, F.F. Xavier; INPA • 1♀ 1♂; Alto Alegre, ESEC Maracá (base); 21-24.ii.2017; 03°21'42"N 61°26'08"W; Lençol iluminado; Aquino R., Rafael J., Mendes D., Agudelo A.; INPA • 2♀; Ilha de Maracá, Estação Ecológica de Maracá, Ponto 4, Lavrado ; 05-20.xii.2015; 03°23.413′N 61°26.036′W; 105m; Arm. Malaise; Bitfi, Falaschi, Mandulão, Marinho, Pinheiro e Riccardi col.; DZUP • 1♀; Ilha de Maraca , 19.xi.76, I.S. Gorayeb; INPA • 1♀; Ilha de Maraca ; 02.xi.78; Malaise trap; I.S. Gorayeb; INPA • 1♀; Alto Alegre, ESEC Maracá; 10-12.xii.2015; Arm. Luz; J.A. Rafael, D. Takiya, F.F. Xavier; INPA • 1♀; Ilha de Maracá, Rio Uraricoera ; 21-30.xi.1987; Inseticida (fogging); J.A. Rafael e equipe; INPA • 1♀; Alto Alegre, ESEC Maracá; 24.iii.2016; Arm. Luz; J.A. Rafael, D. Takiya, F.F. Xavier; INPA • 1♀; Ilha de Maraca ; 10.xi.1980; Eliana Fernandez; INPA . - SURINAME • 1♂ ; Zanderij 1; 26.ix.1963; Dr. D.C. Geijskes; FSCA • 1♀; Brokopondo ; 5.viii.1965; GF Mees; FSCA. - MOENGOTAPOE • 1♀; Wia wia, 3 º kamplÿn km 15.8; 13.x.1948; D.C. Cjeijskes; FSCA. - SARAMACA • 1♀; Gansee ; 09.ix.1957; J. Belle; BMNH . - VENEZUELA - ARAGUA • 2♀ ; El limon; 15.ii.1986; 450m; Miller and L.A. Stange; FSCA • 1♂; El limon; 18.xii.1982; L.J. Joly; FSCA . - BARINAS • 1♀ ; Rio Sto Domingo ; 17.ii.1976; C.M. and O.S. Flint Jr; FSCA . - BOLIVAR • 1♀ ; CD-Bolivar V-31, Bridge-Orinoco ; 3.iii.1984; R. Miller, L.A. Stange; FSCA • 1 Larvae; Ciudad Bolivar ; 3.iii.1987 (v.31 - Reared); Miller and L.A. Stange; FSCA • 1♀ Rio Paragua e Rio Chiguso; 3-7.viii.1983; Exp. Instituto de Zoologia Agricola ; FSCA • 1♀; Mantecal, Rio Cuchivero ; 23-27.iii.1970; 150m; F. Fernandez and C.J. Rosales; FSCA . - FALCÓN • 1♀ ; Guayacancito, 9km oeste del Cabo san Roman ; 28.xi.1980; J. Gonzalez; FSCA . - GUARICO • 1♂ ; 44km S. Calabozo; 28.ii.1986; 8°34′N 67°35′W; Hato Masaguaral, Miller and L.A. Stange; FSCA • 1♀; 44km S. Calabozo, Hato Masaguaral ; 9-11.xi.1986; 8°34′N 67°35′W; Miller and L.A. Stange; FSCA • 1♀; 44km S. Calabozo; 11.ii.1986; Blacklight Trap; Miller and L.A. Stange; FSCA • 1♀; Calabozo, La Encrucijada, Rd between El Sombrero ; 15.xii.1947; F. Fernandez; FSCA • 1♂; La Palmita orfiz; 14.iii.1982; J.L.Garcia; FSCA • 1♂; Sta maria de Ipire, Est. Exp La iguana; 16.xi.1982; J.L. Garcia; FSCA • 1♂; Rio Guariquito ; 20.vii.1958; Yepez and C. Rosalez; FSCA .

Figures

Figure 1. Live specimens of Ameromyia. A A. strigosa, Argentina, by Quentin Vandemoortele. B A. muralli, Brazil, by Eli Vieira Araujo-Jnr. C A. modesta, Surinam, by Tom Murray. D A. pubiventris, Brazil, by Carlos Jose Correia de Santana. E A. clepsydra sp. nov., Brazil. F A. explicata sp. nov., Brazil. Latter photographs by Leon Tavares.

Figure 2. Ameromyia specimen views: A A. strigosa, head and forelegs, frontal view. B A. guarica and C A. modesta, head and thorax, dorsal view.

Figure 13. South America map showing the current distributional records for Ameromyia species in the Ameromyia modesta species group.

Figure 28. Ameromyia modesta holotype: A dorsal view. B Lateral view. C Type labels. Photographs by Charles Farnum, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University.

Figure 29. Ameromyia modesta: A fore and hing wing, dorsal view. B Holotype head and foreleg, frontal view. C Holotype's hind wing, dorsal view. D Holotype terminalia, lateral view. E Illustration of male genitalia, lateral view. F Holotype abdomen. Holotype photographs by Charles Farnum, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University. - Abbreviations: cs, clavate setae; et, ectoproct; etl, ectoproct postventral lobe; go, gonarcus; hs, hinge setae; lg, lateral gonapophysis; pah, paramere hinge, pap, paramere plate; pat, paramere tooth; pg, posterior gonapophysis; st, sternite; tg, tergite.

Figure 30. Ameromyia modesta, third instar larva: A dorsal view. B Ventral view. C Lateral view.