Ganguilus rex, Michel, Bruno & Mansell, Mervyn W., 2010

Michel, Bruno & Mansell, Mervyn W., 2010, Revision of the genus Ganguilus Navás (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae) with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 2386, pp. 1-24 : 14-17

Ganguilus rex sp. n.

( Figs 29–36 )

Diagnosis

Yellow species with black markings on thorax and abdomen. Wings narrow, sub-acute, maculated with black and light brown markings ( Fig. 29 ). This species is very close to G. imperator . It can be distinguished from the latter by the 5 crossveins between R and MP in forewings before origin of RS, the wings being narrower and the different coloration pattern of the forewings. Moreover, the two species have very distinct distribution areas ( Fig. 51 ).

Description

Size (mm). Forewing: 3 30–36, Ƥ 31–37; hind wing: 3 29–33, Ƥ 28–34; length of body: 3 26–30, Ƥ 25–30; length of abdomen: 3 19–22, Ƥ 19–22.

Head. Frons yellowish, a brown marking of variable extent present below antennal toruli. Vertex yellow with transverse row of yellow ochre markings vaguely discernible and more or less coalescent; two parallel median markings reaching occiput. Antennae yellow with ventral surface of flagellomeres brownish except apically. Maxillary and labial palps yellow.

Thorax. Pronotum yellow with small brown dots at bases of white setae along anterior and posterior margins, on lateral margins and on each side of discal area. Mesoprescutum with large anterior black mark; mesonotum with anterior margin bordered with brown and brown marking behind base of forewing; mesoscutellum yellow; mesopostnotum brown to black. Metaprescutum with two anterior black marks; metascutum with brown mark behind base of hind wing; metascutellum yellow. Pleurites yellow with anterior surface of meso- and metanepisternum black, bearing white setae, longer on mesothorax. Sternites yellow.

Legs. Foreleg: posterior surface of coxa with brown dots at bases of long white setae, the aligned dots at anterior limit of this area larger than others; trochanter yellow with short black setae and smaller white setae posteriorly that may be absent; femur with brown dots at bases of setae; setae on lateral and dorsal surfaces of basal area white; a conspicuous long white seta in apical part of femur at level of basal limit of articular membrane; tibia with main setae black, with brown dots; tibial spurs curved apically, pale brown, as long as T 1 + 2; claws pale brown. Middle leg: coxa yellow with white setae and sometimes some minute black setae; trochanter yellow with white setae and sometimes minute basal black setae; anterior surface of femur with brown dots that may be coalescent, sometimes resulting in covering the whole anterior surface, sometimes a second shorter stripe below, posterior surface with brown dots; tibia with brown dots on the anterior surface; tibial spurs pale brown as long as T 1 + 2; claws pale brown. Hind leg: coxa and trochanter as in middle leg; femur with anterior surface with brown dots and apical third brown; femoral brush of male with 24 to 26 setae; tibia yellow with a more or less distinct brown stripe on ventral surface sometimes reduced to an apical spot; tibial spurs pale brown reaching middle of T 2.

Wings. Fore- and hind wings narrow, acute; veins pale yellow darker within markings. Forewing with 5 to 6 black spots and several brown markings more or less coalescent. Only two black markings and a vertical alignment of light brown dots more or less coalescent before origin of RS. Five crossveins between R and MP before origin of RS; RS arising at same level as CuA fork. Hind wing with dark brown and other sparse brown markings in apical area. Stigma small slightly marked with brown ( Figs 29 & 30 ).

Abdomen. Tergite I black; tergite II yellow occasionally with two lateral brown markings; tergites III to VII broadly bordered with black along anterior margin with a second brown marking in posterior fourth that may be absent or reduced to two lateral spots; tergites VIII, IX and ectoprocts yellow. Sternites I to III yellow; sternites IV to VII with anterior brown marking not clearly delimited and variably extended backwards. Apex of abdomen yellow; sub-genital plate of male yellow, V-shaped; male ectoprocts rounded, not extended backwards ( Fig. 31 ). Parameres evenly curved ( Figs 32 & 33 ). Female with well developed gonapophyseal plates ( Figs 34 to 36).

Material examined

MALI: HOLOTYPE 3 / 21 mars 98 [p]*Farako [p] [11 ° 12 ’N 05° 29 W]*forêt MALI [p]*B. MICHEL[p]/ ( CIRAD). Male and female PARATYPES: same locality as holotype: 13, 17.iii. 1997, 17: 30; 13, 18.iii. 1998, 17:00; 1 Ƥ, 19.iii. 1997, light trap 20: 30; 13, 20.iii. 1997, 17: 30; 1 Ƥ, 20.iii. 1997, light trap 20: 30; 1 Ƥ, 22.iii. 1998, light trap 20:00; 13, 23.iii. 1997, light trap 21:00; 1 Ƥ, 24.iii. 1997, light trap 19: 30; 1 Ƥ, 31.iii. 1997, light trap 19: 30. Finkolo [11 ° 16 ’N 05° 31 ’W], 1 Ƥ, 5.iv. 1997, light trap 21:00. Mamouroubougou [near Finkolo], 13, 11.iii. 1996, on graminaceous stem in forested area. Sibiribougou [near Finkolo], 1 Ƥ, 13.v. 1997, forested area, light trap 20:00. Sikasso area (11 km North of city direction Longorola), 1 Ƥ, 24.ii. 1996; 13, 1.iv. 1996; 13, 2.v. 1997; 13, 3.v. 1997; 1 Ƥ, 10.v. 1997; 1 Ƥ, 15.v. 1997. Pégnasso [11 ° 28 N 05° 38 W], 1 Ƥ, 25.iii. 1998; 13 1 Ƥ, 10.v. 1998; 1 Ƥ, 11.v. 1997; 13, 14.v. 1997; 1 Ƥ, 25.v. 1998. Natiékoura [11 ° 20 ’N 05° 51 W] 13, 11.ii. 1997; 13, 25.ii. 1997, 16: 30; 13, 16.iii. 1996; 1 Ƥ, 18.iii. 1996; 1 Ƥ, 3.v. 1997, 11: 30; 1 Ƥ, 10.v. 1997; 13, 17.v. 1998. Dandéresso [11 ° 29 ’N 05° 29 ’W], 13, 31.iii. 1996, 18: 40. Kadiolo [10 ° 32 ’N 05° 44 ’W], 13, 6.iv. 1996. Katana (region of Yanfolila) [11 ° 10 ’N 08°09’W], 1 Ƥ, 21.v. 1998, all B. Michel ( BMCF). NIGERIA: Zaria, Samaru [11 ° 10 ’N 07° 37 ’E or 09° 45 ’N 08° 22 ’E], 1 Ƥ (non-paratype), 22.ii. 1972, J.C. Deeming ( BMNH).

Distribution

Southern Mali and central Nigeria ( Fig. 51 ).

Etymology

Named rex because it is similar to imperator .

Comment s

A female from Nigeria in BMNH is identified as Barreja imperator (nomen nudum). The genus Barreja Navás, 1915 the type species of which is B. persica Navás, 1915 , was created by monotypy. It was synonymised with the genus Macronemurus Costa, 1855 by Hölzel (1987). This species must be distinguished from G. imperator by the characters indicated in the key, in particular the shape of the wings which is distinctively narrower. To date its area of distribution is restricted to the Sudanian region when G. i m p e r a t o r is recorded from Central and South-eastern Africa.

Figures

FIGURE 51. Distribution of Ganguilus species.

FIGURES 29 – 30. Ganguilus rex male. 29 — Habitus; 30 — Base of right fore wing.

FIGURES 31 – 33. Ganguilus rex male. 31 — Right ectoproct; 32 — Genitalia, right view; 33 — id., ventral view.

FIGURES 34 – 36. Ganguilus rex female. 34 — Abdomen extremity, dorsal view; 35 — id., left view. 36 — id., ventral view.