Plesiochrysa bonbona, Wang & Lai & Zhang & Liu, 2025

Wang, Maozhi, Lai, Yan, Zhang, Dong & Liu, Xingyue, 2025, The green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) from the Tuha Basin, Xinjiang, northwestern China, with two new species and new record to China, Zootaxa 5722 (4), pp. 509-526 : 516-519

Plesiochrysa bonbona sp. nov.

( Figs. 1E , 4–5 )

Diagnosis. Medium-sized. Body mostly greenish. Head with three pairs of markings respectively on gena, lateral clypeus, and inter-antennal (sometimes invisible). Male mediuncus curved and acute apically; a pair of large gonocornua present; entoprocessus very large, with a broadly ovoid basal part and a slender apex.

There are only two species of Plesiochrysa from the Palaearctic region, P. depressa from Mongolia and the new species herein described. Both species show a high degree of resemblance in the structures of gonarcus, particularly the large entoprocessus, but the new species can be distinguished by the three pairs of markings on frons, and the absence of markings on vertex, while P. depressa has four brownish spots on occiput ( Hölzel 1971), and lacks the elongate lateral flank of gonarcus.

Chrysopa nigricostata Brauer, 1850 , a widespread species from Europe and Central Asia, is possibly affiliated with Plesiochrysa , and highly resemble P. bonbona sp. nov. and P. depressa in male genitalia. However, C. nigricostata can be distinguished from P. depressa by the unmarked occiput and from P. bonbona sp. nov. by the absence of the elongate lateral flank of gonarcus. The molecular data, a single barcode sequence of C. nigricostata from BOLD SYSTEMS, also suggests that it differs from the above two Plesiochrysa species ( Fig. 2 ). The average intraspecific genetic divergence (2.23%) was observed in P. bonbona sp. nov. The interspecific divergence between P. bonbona sp. nov. and C. nigricostata is 12.08%, being about 5.4 times of the average intraspecific genetic divergence for P. bonbona sp. nov.

Description. Body mostly pale green, 10.01–12.00 mm long ( Fig. 4A ).

Head. 1.50–1.90 mm wide (including compound eyes). Mostly greenish, with brown genal markings, brown lateral clypeus markings, a pair of brownish markings on anterior tentorial pit ( Fig. 4B–C, F–I ), sometimes invisible ( Fig. 4D–E ), and a brownish marking on inter-antennal frons ( Fig.4F ),sometimes invisible ( Fig.4B, D,H ). Mandibles asymmetrical, broad; labial palpomeres yellowish brown and slightly flattened apically; maxillary palpus brownish black ventrally, pale at joints. Antenna nearly as long as forewing, yellowish, gradually darkened distally; scape and pedicel greenish, unmarked, flagellar setae arranged in four rings, flagellum yellowish, setae brown ( Fig. 4 ).

Thorax. Greenish, pronotum about 1.2 times as long as wide; setae robust and dark; transverse sulci present. Meso- and metanotum with a pair of brownish markings on metanotum ( Fig. 4 ).

Legs. Greenish, unmarked, covered with short black setae; claws curved, brown.

Forewing. 12.10–15.00 mm long. Wing membrane transparent, rounded apically; tegula unmarked; longitudinal veins mostly greenish; basal anal veins greenish; crossveins mostly brown basally, gradually pale distally. Costal crossveins simple, 20 costal crossveins present; crossveins posteriad pterostigma absent; basal sc-r crossvein present; 10 radial crossveins present; intramedian cell ( im) triangular, subdistally connected by 1rp-m crossvein to R; two series of gradate crossveins present, number of gradates crossveins (inner/outer): 5/6; basal crossveins of first gradate series not meeting PsM; dcc (distal cubital cell) open, CuP not forked ( Fig. 4A ).

Hindwing. 11.20–13.60 mm long. Pterostigma yellowish; veins greenish but costal crossveins and outer gradate crossveins brown; 17 costal crossveins present; basal sc-r crossveins brown; two gradate series of crossveins present, number of gradates crossveins (inner/outer): 3/5 ( Fig. 4A ).

Abdomen. Greenish, two pairs of brownish stripes present on terga, sterna greenish; spiracles small, round, not enlarged ( Fig. 5A–B ).

Male genitalia. Tergum 9 and ectoprocts fused; ectoproct rounded; dorsal invagination shallow; thick setae present on entoproct; sterna 8 and 9 fused, sternum 9 elongate, with apical setae; gonarcus medially fused, median arch with two forward projecting gonacorna medially, lateral arm flat and expanded, median arch with expansion; entoprocessus large, basal part oval, with a small lateral flank, apical part slender, slightly curved; mediuncus asymmetrical, curved and acute apically; gonosetae numerous, long; microtholi present ( Fig. 5A, C–H ).

Female genitalia. Tergum 9 and ectoprocts fused; sternum 7 simple, apically rounded; small sclerotized plate between subgenitale and sternum 7 absent; subgenitale broader than long, attached on a broad membranous structure; spermatheca round; vela smaller than spermatheca; spermatheca duct curved, expanded distally ( Fig. 5B, I–J ).

Type material. Holotype ♂, CHINA, Xinjiang, Altay, Habahe, Kolbay ( NJ勒ñ), 48.0745°N, 86.3378°E, 533.4 m, 9.VII.2017 (L), Jinlong Ren ( CAU) . Paratypes: 6♂ 3♀, same data as holotype ; 2♂, Xinjiang, Hami, Yiwu, Weizixia , Hudiegu ( DZüē), 43.4786°N, 94.8687°E, 1217.0 m, 26.VII.2023 (L), Zhichao Zhou, Zijun Liu, Huaiyu Liu ( CAU) .

Etymology. The specific name derived from the Latin word bonus means goodness and the France word bonbon, means candies, for the prosperous land and kindness people in Xinjiang.

Distribution. China ( Xinjiang).

Remarks. P. bonbona sp. nov. was discovered from the northwestern Xinjiang ( Altay) and the eastern margin (Hami, Tuha Basin). This distribution pattern suggests that the species may be widespread throughout Xinjiang, although further surveys are needed to confirm its actual range.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Green lacewings from Tuha Basin, habitus. A. Chrysopa formosa, female; B. Chrysopa phyllochroma, male; C. Chrysopa viridana, male; D. Chrysoperla nipponensis, male; E. Plesiochrysa bonbona sp. nov., male; F. Suarius fangwengi sp. nov., male; G. Suarius trilineatus, female. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 2. The Maximum-Likelihood tree of green lacewing species from Tuha Basin, based on the COI barsodes. Bootstrap support values are shown on the tree.

FIGURE 4. Plesiochrysa bonbona sp. nov. A. habitus, holotype, dorsal view; B. head, holotype, frontal view; C. head and prothorax, holotype, lateral view; D. head, paratype, with very vague markings on anterior tentorial pit and inter-antennal frons, frontal view; E. head and prothorax, same paratype as Fig. D, lateral view; F.head, paratype, with very vague markings on anterior tentorial pit, frontal view; G. head and prothorax, same paratype as Fig. F, lateral view; H. head, paratype, with very vague markings on inter-antennal frons, frontal view; I. head and prothorax, same paratype as Fig. H, lateral view. Abbreviations: A, anal veins; C, costa; CuA, cubitus anterior; CuP, cubitus posterior; MA, media anterior; MP, media posterior; PsC, pesudocubitus; PsM, pesudomedia; RA, radius anterior; RP, radius posterior; Sc, subcosta; ig, inner gradate; im, intramedian cell; og, outer gradate. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 5. Plesiochrysa bonbona sp. nov. A. male terminalia, holotype, lateral view; B. female terminalia, paratype, lateral view; C. gonarcus complex holotype, lateral view; D. gonarcus complex, holotype, vental view; E. pesudopenis, holotype, lateral view; F. gonarcus, holotype, lateral view; G. gonarcus holotype, ventral view; H. gonarcus, holotype, frontal view; I. spermatheca, paratype, lateral view; J. subgenitale, paratype, ventral view. Abbreviations: cc, callus cerci; ent, entoprocessus; gl, gonapophysis lateralis; g.ap., gonarcal apodeme; g.br., gonarcal gridge; gcn, gonocornua; gst, gonosetae; lf, lateral flank of gonarcus; mu, mediuncus sd.d., spermathecal duct; sg, subgenitale; sp, spermatheca; S8+9, sterna 8+9; T7 and T8, terga 7 and 8; T9+e, tergite 9+ectoprocts. Scale bar = 5 μm.