Macronemurus appendiculatus (Latreille, 1807)

Badano, Davide & Pantaleoni, Roberto Antonio, 2014, The larvae of European Myrmeleontidae (Neuroptera), Zootaxa 3762 (1), pp. 1-71 : 22-24

Macronemurus appendiculatus (Latreille, 1807)

( Figs. 1C , 3F , 4F , 11 )

The 1 st instar larva of this species was concisely described and illustrated by Insom et al. (1985), not providing any diagnostic character.

Examined specimens. France. Gard, Pompignan , scrubland, VII.2011 (B. Michel & D. Badano), 1 L3 . Italy. Liguria, 1 L3 laboratory-reared from a female collected at Pompeiana (Imperia), scrubland, VII.2010 (D. Badano). Liguria, Cipressa (Imperia), Colla Caravella , at the base of a pine tree, 1 L1 laboratory-reared to adult (D. Badano). Sardinia, Sassari (Sassari), Li Punti , VII.2010 (D. Badano), 1 L2 and 1 L3 laboratory-reared to adult. Sardinia, Alghero (Sassari), the base of arenaceous escarpment, VIII.2010 (D. Badano), 1 L3. Sardinia, Alghero (Sassari), Capocaccia , coastal juniper thicket, IX.2011 (D. Badano), 1 L3; same locality, IV.2011, 1 L3; same locality, V.2012, 4 L3 and 2 L3 laboratory-reared to adults. Sardinia Alghero (Sassari), Carabuffas, 3 L3 laboratory-reared from a female collected in the field ( R. A. Pantaleoni) .

Description of 3 rd instar larva. Size (based on 13 specimens): BL 8.06 mm; HL 1.93 mm (1.79–2.11), HW 1.72 mm (1.60–1.94), ML 1.67 mm (1.43–2.00), HW/HL 0.89, ML/HL 0.86. General colouring yellowish brown with a dark brown pattern, markings of the dorsal side regularly disposed creating three lines, ventral side very pale, yellowish or whitish; head capsule brown, darker than the body with dark markings on the sides, ventral side of the head very pale except a dark area at the base of the mandibles; antennae black; jaws dark brown; legs pale; setae of the body black. Head a little longer than wide; mandibles shorter than the head capsule and relatively robust ( Fig. 11a ); interdental mandibular setae: (~4)(1)(1)(0). Pronotum covered by 4 parallel rows of setae with only very small setae interspersed between them ( Fig. 4F ); mesothoracic spiracles conical, reddish brown ( Fig. 11b ). Abdominal spiracles slightly raised; IX abdominal sternite covered by long digging setae; rastra prominent, bearing 4 subequal digging setae of which the internal seta is the shortest ( Figs. 3F , 11c ).

Bio-ecology. M. appendiculatus is a very common species in south-western Europe, associated with arid grasslands and low scrublands. The larvae live in the soil in exposed conditions, among herbaceous plants and rocks; they also colonize rock crevices filled with fine substratum. Occasionally they are buried at the base of escarpments or isolated trees.

Distribution. Typical western Mediterranean faunal element, widely distributed in south-western Europe and North Africa.

Remarks. The larval stages of the other members of the genus Macronemurus , including the east Mediterranean vicariant species M. bilineatus Brauer, 1868 , still need to be discovered. The larvae of M. appendiculatus closely resemble the yellowish species of Neuroleon , often sharing the same habitat, although they are easily distinguishable due to the proportionally stouter mandibles, the chaetotaxy of the pronotum and the digging setae of the IX sternite.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Taxonomic characters of larvae of Myrmeleontidae. A, Euroleon nostras dorsal and ventral views; B, head of Myrmeleon inconspicuus; C, head of Macronemurus appendiculatus; D, IX and VIII sternite of Myrmecaelurus trigrammus; E, IX and VIII sternite of Creoleon lugdunensis.

FIGURE 3. IX and VIII abdominal sternite of 3rd instar larva of Dendroleontini and Nemoleontini. A, Dendroleon pantherinus; B, Nemoleon notatus; C, Distoleon tetragrammicus; D, Creoleon lugdunensis; E, Neuroleon assimilis; F, Macronemurus appendiculatus; G, Megistopus lucasi; H, Gymnocnemia variegata. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 4. Pronotum of 3rd instar larvae of Dendroleontini and Nemoleontini; A, Dendroleon pantherinus; B, Nemoleon notatus; C, Distoleon tetragrammicus; D, Creoleon lugdunensis; E, Neuroleon nemausiensis; F, Macronemurus appendiculatus; G, Megistopus lucasi; H, Gymnocnemia variegata. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 11. Macronemurus appendiculatus (Latreille, 1807), 3rd instar larva (Italy: Sardinia, Alghero, Capo Caccia). Dorsal (above), ventral (middle) and lateral (below) view; a–c: diagnostic characters, see species description.