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A new species of Meropeidae (Mecoptera) from Brazil, Austromerope brasiliensis sp. n., is described, representing only the 3rd extant species described in this family and the 1st record of the family from the Neotropical region. The distribution and biogeography of the family are discussed and we propose that Meropeidae originated before continental drift and then divided into two branches, northern and southern, with the breakup of Pangea. Identification keys for the Neotropical families of Mecoptera and for the species of Meropeidae are provided.
Earwigflies, Merope, Neotropical, scorpionflies
Meropeidae is one of the smallest and least known families of Mecoptera. Until now, only 2 extant species were known, Merope tuber Newman, 1838 from eastern North America, and Austromerope poultoni Killington, 1933 from southwestern Australia (
Little is known about the biology of Meropeidae. The adults, which are nocturnal, seem to live on the ground, are capable of stridulation (
The specimen described in this work was collected in Rancho Sonho Meu, in the southeastern Brazilian state of Espírito Santo, Domingos Martins municipality. In addition, specimens of Merope tuber were examined in this study. Specimens were transferred from 70 to 98.5% ethanol through an ethanol dehydration series and critical point dried using a BAL-TEC 030 critical point drying apparatus. The left wings of Merope tuber were removed and attached with glue to a triangular paper card and placed on the same pin with the rest of the body. A Leica M205C stereomicroscope with an attached magnifying lens and Leica DFC 295 video camera were used to examine and photograph specimens. Leica Application Suite V3.6.0 installed on a desktop computer (Windows 7 Professional, Intel Xeon) was used to combine images. Images were subsequently edited in Adobe Photoshop® using various adjustments (e.g., levels, shadows/highlights), tools (e.g., healing brush, clone stamp) and filters (e.g., unsharp mask). Photographs were assembled into plates using Adobe Illustrator®. The specimens of Merope tuber and the new species are deposited in the collection of Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES). The identification key for Neotropical families of Mecoptera was adapted from
1 | Wings large, semi-elliptical, with more than 50 crossveins | 2 |
1’ | Wings long, elongated, with less than 30 crossveins | 3 |
2 | Forewing Cu1 forked; ocelli present; legs spinose | Eomeropidae |
2’ | Forewing Cu1 not forked; ocelli absent; legs not spinose | Meropeidae |
3 | Legs raptorial, tarsus with 1 apical claw | Bittacidae |
3’ | Legs unmodified, tarsus with 2 apical claws | 4 |
4 | Forewing with less than 15 crossveins; Rs with 3 branches. Argentina and Chile | Nannochoristidae |
4’ | Forewing with more than 20 crossveins; Rs with 4 branches. North America | Panorpidae* |
[*Panorpidae distribution is basically Nearctic, but recent records from Southern Mexico (
1 | Antennal flagellomeres 2.0× wider than long (Figs 3e, 5a); wing membrane fuscous; costal crossveins slightly parallel to Costa (Figs 2b, 5b); Rs with 10 or more branches (Figs 2b, 5b), tarsal claws with small teeth (Fig. 3f); abdominal tergite IX longer than tergite VIII in dorsal view (Fig. 3b); terminalia with basal segment of forceps subparallel (Fig. 1, 3c) | 2 |
1’ | Antennal flagellomeres almost as wide as long (Fig. 7b); wing membrane hyaline; costal crossveins not parallel to Costa (Fig. 9); Rs with 5 branches (Fig. 9); tarsal claws without teeth; abdominal tergite IX as long as tergite VIII in dorsal view (Fig. 7c); terminalia with basal segment of forceps divergent (Figs 7a, 8b). USA | Merope tuber (Fig. 6a, lateral habitus) |
2 | Terminalia with basal segment of forceps with truncated expansion apically (Fig. 3d); forewing Cu1 not connected with M (Fig. 2b). Brazil | Austromerope brasiliensis sp. n. (Fig. 2a, lateral habitus) |
2’ | Terminalia with basal segment of forceps with large spine apically (Fig. 5a); forewing Cu1 connected with M by short distance basally (Fig. 5b). Australia | Austromerope poultoni (Fig. 5a, ventral habitus) |
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:452F3F6F-BE98-4352-82AC-AE2681DE7D0F
Holotype, BRAZIL: Espírito Santo: Domingos Martins: Pico Eldorado, 20°22'27.19"S, 40°39'33.35"W, 05-12.vii.2003, Malaise trap, R. Kawada col. - 1 male (UFES). Condition is good, but with left antennae broken and apex of right hind leg missing.
This species is characterized by the semi-elliptical wings with many crossveins (Fig. 2b), the large genital forceps (Fig. 1), and by the truncate expansion of the apex of the basal segment of the forceps (Fig. 3d).
(male holotype). Body length: 20 mm; wing length: 13.8 mm. Head: Eyes black, encircling antennae and almost touching each other dorsally (Fig. 4a); cuticle between and around eyes dark-brown (Fig. 4a). Ocelli absent. Frons, clypeus, labrum, and gena brown. Mandible dark-brown, palps pale (Fig. 4a). Antennae pale, scape broader than pedicel, which has the same width as basal flagellomeres in frontal view; 47 flagellomeres (each wider than long), the basal and apical ones thinner in lateral view (Fig. 3e). Head and body completely covered by small pale setae. Thorax: Pronotum brown, except for 2 black lines, 1 medial longitudinal, the other transverse, sub-apical (Fig. 4b); anterior border pale and folded dorsally. Pronotum as wide as head. Meso- and metanotum dark brown, both broader than pronotum, metanotum with anterolateral region serrated and modified into stridulatory organ (Fig. 4b). Thoracic pleura brown to dark brown. Legs: All pale and of same length (Fig. 2a). Tibia with 2 apical spurs. Tarsi 5 segmented. Pretarsal claws with small teeth (Fig. 3f). Wings: (Fig. 2) Semi-elliptical, membrane fuscous but hyaline around crossveins, slightly darker in inferior area of the wing. Membrane under first branch of M (until the 1st fork) hyaline in hind wing. Veins pale. Costal vein with many transverse rows of small, pale setae. Sc with many branches parallel to C. Rs and M divided into 11 and 9 branches respectively in the forewing, and 12 and 11 in the hind wing. Cu2 ending close to Cu1 in apical half of forewing. Cu2 bifurcated in hindwing. Jugal lobe modified into stridulatory organ in forewing. Abdomen: Segments I-IV slightly darker than others (Fig. 3a) and with sparse pillosity medially. Segments V-IX brown with denser pillosity medially (Fig. 4c) [glabrous in Merope tuber, Fig. 8c]. Tergite I longitudinaly divided medially. Tergite IX with posterior margin truncated and longer than tergite VIII (Fig. 3b). Terminalia: Anal dorsal plate curving down in lateral view, apex truncated with acute projection medially in dorsal view (Fig. 3b). Cercus small, rounded, with small pale setae (Fig. 3b). Genital forceps pale, long, slightly longer than abdomen (Fig. 1). Basal segments of forceps subparallel, with proximal region covered by long pale setae and with inner margin expanded (Fig. 3b); distal extremity with small truncate expansion on inner margin (Fig. 3d). Apical segment curved, with apex truncate (Fig. 3d). Basal segment broader and more than 2x longer than apical segment (Fig. 3c).
The specific epithet was named for the country where the specimen was collected.
Austromerope brasiliensis can be separated from Austromerope poultoni by Cu1 not connected with M in Austromerope brasiliensis (Fig. 2b), but connected with M by a short distance basally in Austromerope poultoni (Fig. 5b); by the truncated apical margin of abdominal tergite IX (Fig. 3b), which is rounded in Austromerope poultoni (
This is the first record of Meropeidae in the Neotropical region, and together with Bittacidae, it is one of the only two families of Mecoptera existing in Brazil (
The most intensely studied and explored area for Mecoptera in Brazil is the Southeast region (
Austromerope brasiliensis sp. n. dorsal view.
A–B Austromerope brasiliensis sp. n. A lateral view B Left forewing.
A–F Austromerope brasiliensis sp. n. A Abdomen dorsal view B Abdomen tip, dorsal view C Terminalia, dorsal view D Terminalia tip, dorsal view E Antennae, lateral view F Pretarsal claw.
A–C Austromerope brasiliensis sp. n. A Head, frontal view B Thorax, dorsal view C Abdomen tip, ventral view.
A–B Austromerope poultoni. A Ventral view B Forewing. Abbreviations: A Anal Cu Cubitus h humeral jl jugal lobe M media R Radial Rs Radial sector Sc Subcosta.
Merope tuber lateral view..
A–C Merope tuber. A. Dorsal view B Antennae, lateral view C Abdomen tip, dorsal view.
A–C Merope tuber. A Thorax, dorsal view B Terminalia, dorsal view C Abdomen tip, dorsal view.
Merope tuber, forewing. Abbreviations: A Anal Cu Cubitus h humeral jl jugal lobe M media R Radial Rs Radial sector Sc S
We are very grateful to Daniel Izoton Santiago for permission to collect in his area of private forest. Dr. Oliver S. Flint, Jr (National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution), for the donation of Merope tuber specimens, Dr. Norman Penny (California Academy of Science) for essential suggestions and photographs of Austromerope poultoni, and Dr. Allan Wills (Department of Environment and Conservation of Western Australia) for additional photographs of Austromerope poultoni. We also thank Dr. Cecilia Simões for reviewing the English and 2 anonymous reviewers for useful suggestions.