Revision of the southern African genera Nemopterella Banks and Nemia Navás (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae), with descriptions of new genera and species
Author
Abdalla, Ishtiag H.
Author
Mansell, Mervyn W.
Author
Sole, Catherine L.
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-07-12
4635
1
1
89
journal article
26219
10.11646/zootaxa.4635.1.1
de5c3cc9-9773-4e79-aaaf-0e964d7262f8
1175-5326
3335102
E1AC3BD4-6FCB-49F9-8069-624760C2CAF7
Nemopterella africana
(Leach, 1815)
(
Figs 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
,
8, 9, 10
,
11
,
14
,
17
,
31
)
Synonymy
Nemopteryx africana
Leach, 1815: 74
.
Nemoptera africana
(Leach)
:
Westwood 1836: 75
.
Nemoptera bacillaris
Klug, 1836: 95
;
Walker 1853: 474
.
Nematoptera bacillaris
(Klug)
:
Burmeister 1839: 986
.
Nematoptera latipennis
Burmeister, 1839: 986
;
Westwood 1841: 12
.
Nematoptera africana
(Leach)
:
Westwood 1841: 12
.
Halter africanus
(Leach)
:
Kirby 1900: 458
.
Eretmoptera africana
(Leach)
:
Navás 1910: 359
.
Nemopterella africana
(Leach)
:
Navás 1912: 9
.
Nemeva africana
(Leach)
:
Navás 1915: 35
.
Type
locality.
South Africa
,
Western Cape Province
.
Worcester
,
33°38’23’’S
19°26’41’’E
.
Type
depository.
BMNH
.
Etymology.
Unknown, most likely from the word Africa because the species originates from Africa.
Diagnosis.
Nemopterella africana
is externally similar to
N. kabas
sp. nov
.
It resembles
N. kabas
by having the same body patterns (
Fig. 11
). However,
N. africana
can easily be distinguished from
N. kabas
by a combination of the following characteristics:
N. africana
is characterised by slender forewings with short rounded tip (
Figs 11
,
17
) while in
N. kabas
the forewings are broader and taper towards acute apex (
Figs 13
,
18
). Also,
N. africana
has shaded costal cells beyond pterostigma (
Fig. 17
) while in
N. kabas
the costal cells are not shaded (
Fig. 18
). Moreover,
N. africana
has brown-tinged subcostal and radial areas (
Fig. 17
) while in
N. kabas
the subcostal and radial areas are not tinged (
Fig. 18
). Vertex in
N. africana
bears two dark transverse sub-triangular spots along the postfrontal suture (
Fig. 5
) while the transverse spots in
N. kabas
are yellow (
Fig. 13
). In addition, the male antennae in
N. africana
are long, extending beyond pterostigma and are approximately same length as forewing while in
N. kabas
the antennae are very long, longer than forewing.
Size
(mm). Male: body length 9.7 (7–12.7); forewing 24.7 (20.5–27.6); hind wing 54.0 (42.4–61.8); antenna 17.6 (15.5–25.1). Female: body length 11.2 (8.7–15.1); forewing 25.3 (17.5–25.8); hind wing 50.1 (34.5–58.8); antenna 13.4 (14.5–19.8). (N = 143)
Type material.
Holotype
♀
(not examined).
Material examined.
SOUTH AFRICA
,
Western Cape Province
,
22♀
,
NEUR09680
,
Doornfontein Farm
, Tan- qua
Karoo
,
32°35’S
19°33’E
,
20–21.x.
2006
, 432 m,
A.K.Brinkman
;
1♂
,
NEUR09681
,
Dwarsrivier Farm
, Clan- william
Dist.
,
32°13’S
18°59’E
,
26–27.x.
2006
, 337 m,
A.K.Brinkman
;
1♂
1♀
,
NEUR02145
,
Sanddrift Farm
,
Cedarberg Mts.
,
32°29’S
19°16’E
,
19–24.xii.1994
,
E.Grobbelaar
, Collected at light
;
2♂
4♀
,
NEUR00419
,
Cit- rusdal, [
32°35’24’’S
19°00’4’’E
], M.v.d.
Berg
,
12.xi.1981
,
ACH1184
,
Gevang
by ligval /
Nemopterella africana (Leach)
, det.
M.W.Mansell
;
1♂
5♀
,
NEUR00701
,
Biedouw Farm
,
Biedouw Valley
,
32°08’S
19°14’E
,
29.ix.1986
,
M.W.Mansell
,
J.H.Hoffmann
/ Collected at light
;
1♂
,
NEUR11193
,
Clanwilliam
,
Owls Hoot
B&B,
32°10’12’’S
18°53’52’’E
,
87 m
,
18.xi.2001
,
M.W.Mansell
,
J.B.Ball
;
1♂
,
NEUR11809
,
Kelkiewyn Farm
,
Calvinia District
,
31°12’01’’S
19°41’33’’E
,
25.x.
2011
, 681 m,
C.H.Scholtz
;
1♂
7♀
,
NEUR09922
,
same locality and collector, but
1–3.xii.2008
/
At
light
;
2♀
,
NEUR12305
,
Sarisam Farm
,
30°34’50’’S
17°32’15’’E
,
3–6.xii.2013
,
R.D.Stephen
(
All
SANC
)
.
1♂
1♀
, SAM–NEU–A001248,
Bulhoek
, CLW. [Clanwilliam], [
32°00’03’’S
18°46’43’’E
],
S.A.
M., 12.56 /
Nemopterella africana
(Leach)
, det.
Bo Tjeder
, 1965
;
1♀
, SAM–NEU–A001247 /
Upper Source Olifants River
,
Ceres
, [
33°22’00’’S
19°19’00’’E
] /
Nemopterella africana
(Leach)
, det.
Bo Tjeder
, 1965 (
All
SAMC
)
.
2♂
1♀
,
TMSA00736
and
5♀
,
TMSA00764
,
Diepkloof Farm
near
Clanwilliam
, [
32°01’32’’S
18°51’20’’E
],
12.xii.03
, to M.V. light,
Farm
staff /
Nemopterella africana
(Leach, 1815)
♀
,
Det. M.W.Mansell
2013 (
All
TMSA
)
.
Northern Cape Province
,
1♀
,
TMSA02059
,
Lekkersing
[
29°00’06’’S
17°05’58’’E
],
17.xi.1933
,
G.van Son
/
Nemopterella africana
(Leach)
, det.
Bo Tjeder
, 1965 (
TMSA
)
;
19♂
24♀
,
NEUR01471
,
Concordia
,
29°32’41’’S
17°56’04’’E
,
1000 m
,
9–10.xi.1990
,
M.W.Mansell
,
R.B.Miller
,
L.A.Stange
/ Collected at light (
SANC
)
.
2♀
, SAM–NEU–A001246 /
Aggeneys
,
Bushmanland
,
Btw Springbok
and
Pella
[
29°11’S
18°50’E
] /
Nemopterella africana
(Leach)
, det.
Bo Tjeder
, 1966 (
SAMC
)
.
4♂
1♀
,
NEUR02142
,
Kliprand
40 km
S.,
30°58’S
18°40’E
,
400 m
,
3.xii.1988
,
M.D.Picker
(
SANC
)
.
NAMIBIA
,
Karas Region
.
16♂
16♀
,
NEUR08900
,
Diamond Area
no. 1,
Klinghardtberge
,
27°19’S
15°46’E
, (2715
Bd
), 20 /
21.x.1974
,
M.W.Mansell
/ Collected at mercury vapour light, arid rock terrain (
SANC
)
.
FIGURES 3–7.
Nemopterella africana
(Leach)
. 3, Abdomen male, lateral view; 4, Apex of male abdomen. 5, Parameres and gonarcus; 6, Gonarcus dorsal view showing bases of parameres. 7(a), Pterostigma in forewing; 7(b), Anal area. Abbreviations: 1–9 = Abdominal tergites, An = Anal area, Epr = Ectoproct, Cc = Callus cerci, Mu = Mediuncus, Pa = Parameres, Pt = Pterostigma, Gs = Gonarcus, Gss = Gonosetae.
Distribution and habitat.
This species has a wide distribution but is endemic to
South Africa
and
Namibia
(
Fig. 31
). In
South Africa
, the species is known from the Northern and
Western Cape
Provinces in localities mainly centred in the Succulent Karoo, Nama Karoo and Fynbos Biomes. In the Succulent Karoo, the species has been reported from the Rainshadow Valley Karoo Bioregion occurring in the Tankwa Karoo and Agter-Sederberg Shrubland vegetation units (
Mucina & Rutherford 2006
). Both regions are dry, characterised by winter rains. The former unit is dominated by scattered dwarf succulent shrubs while the latter is vegetated mostly with tall shrubs of a mixture of succulent and non-succulent elements. The species has also been recorded from the Namaqualand Hardeveld and Strandveld Bioregions, where it seems to be associated with two different vegetation units: Namaqualand Blomveld and Namaqualand Strandveld. The habitat in the former unit is represented by sparse dwarf shrubs with succulent or ericoid leaves, while in the latter it is dominated by low shrubs of creeping succulents, and perennial plants when there is rain.
Nemopterella africana
has also been recorded from the Richtersveld Bioregion where the species has been found associated with Lekkersing Succulent shrubs. (The description of the habitat in this unit is given under the distribution of
A. sabuleti
). Within the Fynbos Biome, the range of distribution is centred in the Olifants Sandstone Fynbos and the Sandstone Fynbos Bioregions. In the former bioregion, the species is associated with the Sandstone Fynbos vegetation unit where the habitat is predominated by proteoid and restioid fynbos with mixtures of
Cape
thicket, asteraceous fynbos and tall shrubs. In the latter bioregion, the species seems to be associated with the Cederberg Sandstone Fynbos vegetation unit. The habitat in this unit is represented by asteraceous, restioid and proteoid fynbos (
Mucina & Rutherford 2006
). Another population has been collected from the Shale Renosterveld and Sand Fynbos Bioregions where the species is associated with Ceres Shale Renosterveld and Leipoldtville Sand Fynbos vegetation
types
(
Mucina & Rutherford 2006
). In the Nama Karoo, the collection localities fall mainly within the Bushmanland Sandy Grassland in the Bushmanland Bioregion. (See the description of the habitat in this vegetation unit under the distribution of
A. munroi
). In
Namibia
, the distribution is known only from the extension of the Succulent Karoo Biome in southern
Namibia
. It is a dry region represented by succulent vegetation and predominantly receives winter rains.