Coniopteryx (Scotoconiopteryx) burmeisteri Gruppe & U. Aspöck, 2020

Gruppe, Axel & Aspöck, Ulrike, 2020, The giant “ penis ” of a newly described species in the subgenus Scotoconiopteryx from Peru (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae: Coniopteryginae: Coniopteryx), Zootaxa 4748 (2), pp. 396-400 : 397

Coniopteryx (Scotoconiopteryx) burmeisteri Gruppe & U. Aspöck n. sp.

( Figs. 1a – f )

Holotype, male: Label “ Peru, Prov. Huanuco b. Yuyapichis, Stat. Panguana 9°37’S, 74°36’W. Estanque lux 20.9.- 7.10.2013, leg Burmeister” (Label printed, ‘lux’ handwritten).

Holotype condition. Stored in alcohol (80%, with water and glycerin), lacking parts of antennae and legs, male genitalia dissected and cleared, stored in a genital vial in glycerin.

Distribution. Peru, locus typicus.

Diagnosis. Scotoconiopteryx burmeisteri n. sp. is differentiated from all other species of the subgenus by its huge tube-like fused gonapophyses 10.

Head ( Fig. 1a ). Head capsule light brown, darker compared to thorax and abdomen; vertical height: 320 µm, width 365 µm. Eyes large, 162 µm long, drop-like with wider part ventrally. Frons light drown with dark central stripe, separated from darker vertex. Antennae broken, left 9 segments, right 7 segments, darker compared to head capsule. Scape as long as wide, length 68 µm. Pedicel wider than long (length 51 µm, width 55 µm) conically with basal end narrow. Basal flagellomere wider than long (length 26 µm, width 56 µm) 8th Segment (left antenna) length 33 µm, width 47 µm. Flagellomeres with ring of scale-like hairs apically in addition to sparse long hairs. Palps light brown, outer side slightly darker.

Thorax ( Fig. 1a ): Thorax light brown with dark brown sutures and trochantines. Prothorax lighter than meso– and metathorax, later two with dark brown spots on tergites. Thorax with sparse bright hairs. Legs brown, darker than thorax. Coxae and or trochantines dark brown.

Wings ( Figs. 1b–c): Membrane and veins of both wings greyish-brown. Forewing: length 1.72 mm, width 0.77 mm. Membrane between Rs and M, between Cu2 and A1 and around Sc–R and R 1 in apical part hyaline. Veins and membrane densely covered with short hairs. Cross–veins R1-Rs2+3 and Rs4+5-M1+2 distant to Rs–fork. Sc, R, Cu1, A1 and A2 dark brown and thick. Several longitudinal veins with verruciform thickenings. Hindwing: length 1.43 mm, width 0.51 mm. Membrane between RS3+4 and M, below Cu, around Sc–R1, and around R 1 in apical part hyaline. Veins and membrane densely covered with short hairs. Cross-vein R1–Rs2+3 distant to Rs–fork. No cross–vein Rs4+5-M1+2. A1 and A2 absent. Anal area well developed, distinctly sulcated and with long fringes along margine. Sc, R1 and Cu dark brown and thick.

Abdomen. Light brown. Male

Male genitalia ( Figs 1 d–f). Sternite 9 with two apically acute and strongly sclerotized processus. Gonocoxites 9 with a ventral apodeme. Gonapophyses 9 originating from caudal end of gonocoxites 9, bent down and fused to an arch below the gonocoxites 10. Paired gonocoxites 10 rod–like, strongly sclerotized, basally (proximally) rounded, apically bent downwards. Gonapophyses 10 fused to a tube-like huge sclerite, only basally paired. A structure in Fig. 4 near to the basal parts of gonapophyses 10 seems to resemble the hypandrium internum of other Neuroptera . However, a hypandrium internum has not yet been found in Coniopterygidae . To corroborate this condition, additional specimens need to be examined.

Etymology. The species is named after Dr. Ernst-Gerhard Burmeister, former curator at the Entomological Department of the Bavarian Zoological States Collection, Munich and Professor for Zoology at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich. He amassed a sizable collection of Neuropterida while at the ACP Panguana over several years, among his findings was this unique coniopterygid.

Female. unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 1a—f. C. (Scotoconiopteryx) burmeisteri n. sp. (Holotype male). 1a. Habitus. 1b. Right wings. 1c. Detail of basal part of right wings. Thickenings on Cu 1 and A 1 are indicated by arrows. 1d. Genitalia (caudo-lateral view). 1e. Genitalia (lateral view). 1f. Drawing of genitalia (left - caudal view; right - lateral view). gp 9 (ninth gonapophysis), gp 10 (fused tenth gonapophyses), gx 9 (ninth gonocoxite), gx 10 (tenth gonocoxite), hi (possibly hypandrium internum), S9 (ninth sternum).