Protohermes sinuolatus, Liu, Xingyue, Hayashi, Fumio & Yang, Ding, 2009

Liu, Xingyue, Hayashi, Fumio & Yang, Ding, 2009, Notes on the genus Protohermes van der Weele (Megaloptera: Corydalidae) from Vietnam, with description of two new species, Zootaxa 2146, pp. 22-34 : 29-31

Protohermes sinuolatus sp. nov.

( Figs. 2 , 10–16 )

Diagnosis. This species is characterized by pale grayish wings with darker stripes proximally and several yellowish markings and by one and two pairs of spots on the vertex and pronotum, respectively. Males have a long ninth sternum with a deep, V–shaped posterior incision. Females are characterized by a near triangular eight sternum that is truncate to emarginate posteriorly.

Male. Body length 32–38 mm; forewing length 38–45 mm, hindwing length 34–40 mm.

Head ( Fig. 10 ) pale yellowish brown, vertex with a pair of black stripes on posterolateral margins; postocular spine absent. Compound eyes grayish brown; ocelli yellow, medially margined black, lateral ocelli close to median ocellus. Antenna black, with scape and pedicel yellowish brown. Mouthparts yellowish brown, mandibles with distal half black.

Prothorax yellowish brown; pronotum with two pairs of broad black markings near lateral margins and a pair of black transverse markings on posterior margins. Meso– and meta thorax pale yellow, each notum with a pair of brownish markings laterally. Thoracic pilosity pale yellow, much longer on meso– and meta thorax. Legs yellow, with short dense yellowish setae; tips of tarsi pale brown; tarsal claws pale reddish brown. Wings ( Fig. 2 ) hyaline, with several yellowish markings. Forewing greyish; proximally with a subtriangular marking, medially with five or six irregular markings, and with a round marking at distal 1/3; membrane between proximal and median markings darkened, forming a transverse pigmented band. Hindwing almost hyaline, with an indistinct distal round marking. Veins blackish brown, except for veins in yellowish markings and proximal half of hindwings yellow. Rs 9 to10–branched, last branch bifurcate; 8–10 crossveins between R1 and Rs; M1+2 5 to 6–branched, M3+4 2–branched.

Abdomen yellowish brown. Ninth tergum ( Fig. 11 ) subtrapezoidal, with subtrapezoidal anterior incision and truncate posterior margin. Ninth sternum ( Fig. 12 ) elongated, about twice as long as ninth tergum; posterior margin with deeply V–shaped incision, forming a pair of long posterior processes with tips narrowed and sinuately curved dorsad. Ninth gonostylus ( Fig. 12 ) slender, unguiform, with curved tip. Tenth tergum ( Figs 11, 12 ) elongated, about 1.5 times as long as ninth tergum, proximally with a subtriangular process produced medially, distal half flattened and slightly curved medially. Tenth sternum ( Fig. 13 ) nearly straight; dorsomedial process small, subtriangular; lateral lobes strongly sclerotized, digitiform, with tips acutely pointed and slightly curved medially.

Female. Body length 41–45 mm; forewing length 48–50 mm, hindwing length 42–47 mm.

Eighth sternum ( Figs 14, 15 ) subtriangular in lateral and ventral view, slightly incised posteriorly. Ninth gonocoxite ( Fig. 14 ) short and broad, posterior portion rounded and ventrally incised, with a small gonostylus. Tenth tergum ( Fig. 14 ) short with posterior margin incised, leaving subtriangular dorsal and ventral lobes.

Materials examined. Holotype ɗ, VIETNAM: Thua Thien–Hue Prov., Bach Ma, 16°12'N, 107°52'E, 7.V.2003, H. Karube ( CAU). Paratypes: 4ɗ, 2Ψ, same data as holotype, but 5/ 9.V.2003, H. Karube (HC).

Distribution. Vietnam (Thua Thien–Hue Prov.).

Etymology. The specific epithet ‘ sinuolatus ’ refers to the sinuately posterior processes of the male ninth sternum of the new species.

Remarks. The new species may be related to Protohermes xanthodes Navás, 1913 in that it too has sclerotized lateral lobes of the male tenth sternum. However, it may be distinguished from P. xanthodes by the closeness of the ocelli, the elongated male ninth sternum, and by the male tenth tergum without tuft. In P. xanthodes , the lateral ocelli are widely separated to the median ocellus, the male ninth sternum is short, and the male tenth tergum bears a small tuft. Although the elongation of the male tenth tergum can be found in many Protohermes species, the elongated male ninth sternum with a deep posterior incision is only possessed by this new species.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. Habitus images of new Protohermes species from Vietnam. 1. P. i s h i z u k a i sp. nov. (holotype), male; 2. P. sinuolatus sp. nov. (holotype), male.

FIGURES 10 – 15. Protohermes sinuolatus sp. nov. 10. Male head and prothorax, dorsal view; 11. Male genitalia, dorsal view; 12. Male genitalia, ventral view; 13. Male tenth sternum, ventral view; 14. Female genitalia, lateral view; 15. Female eighth sternum, ventral view. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 16. Distribution map of the Protohermes species from Vietnam. P. assamensis Kimmins (●); P. axillatus Navás (); P. differentialis (Yang & Yang) (□); P. fruhstorferi (van der Weele) (˔); P. i s h i z u ka i sp. nov. (); P. l i i Liu, Hayashi & Yang (); P. piaoacanus Liu, Hayashi & Yang (); P. owadai Liu, Hayashi & Yang (); P. sinuolatus sp. nov. (); P. striatulus Navás (․); P. triangulatus Liu, Hayashi & Yang (); P. v i t a l i s i Navás (?); P. y a n g i Liu, Hayashi & Yang (+).