Notes on the green lacewing subgenus Ankylopteryx Brauer, 1864 (s. str.) (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae) from China, with description of a new species

Abstract A taxonomic study of the green lacewing subgenus Ankylopteryx Brauer, 1864, from China is presented. Eight species of this subgenus are recorded from China. A new species, namely Ankylopteryx (A.) yangisp. nov., is described. Ankylopteryx (A.) delicatula Banks, 1937, and Ankylopteryx (A.) ferruginea Tsukaguchi, 1995 are recorded from China for the first time. Four new junior synonyms are proposed for Ankylopteryx (A.) octopunctata candida Fabricius, 1798: i.e. Ankylopteryx (A.) fraterna Banks, 1939, Ankylopteryx (A.) laticosta Banks, 1939, Ankylopteryx (A.) lii Yang, 1987, and Ankylopteryx (A.) tibetana Yang, 1987. A revised key to the Chinese species of the subgenus Ankylopteryx is provided.


Introduction
The green lacewing genus Ankylopteryx (Chrysopidae, Chrysopinae, Ankylopterygini) was established by Brauer (1864), with Chrysopa venusta Hagen, 1864 as its type species by subsequent designation by Tjeder (1966). This genus is characterized by the strongly
Measurement of head width was made across the widest part of the dorsum of head including the compound eyes; the ratio of head width : eye width used the distance between middle of vertex and the maximum width of the compound eye; prothoracic length and width was respectively measured along the dorsal midline and at the widest position (straight line distance across the posterior margin) of prothorax; the wing length and width was respectively measured at the longest and widest portion of wing. Hagen, 1853, by subsequent designation by Tjeder (1966).
Supplemental description. Female: Sternum 8 distinctly convex at median part of posterior margin, with setae apically. Subgenitale stubby, bilobed apically; spermatheca round, as wide as long; spermaduct coiled, about three times as long as spermatheca.
Distribution. China (Yunnan, Hong Kong); Japan (Okinawa). Remarks. The frontal spots between antennae and vittae on both wings in our examined specimens from Yunnan are same with that in the type of A. delicatula, as originally described. Accordingly, we identified the above two specimens from Yunnan to be A. delicatula, which is newly recorded from China.  Indonesia, Amboina, 1950 (NHMV). Paratype 1 ♂, same data as holotype (NHMV). Diagnosis. Stripes below toruli absent; frontal markings not curved posteriorly, anteriorly contiguous with clypeal markings and genal markings. Protibia and mesotibia with median markings. Both wings with brownish marking patterns. First intramedian cell very long and narrow.
Remarks. This species was recorded from Hainan by Banks (1937). Unfortunately, we have not examined any specimen of this species from Hainan. Considering the greatly disjunct distribution records of this species (i.e. Ambonia and Hainan), there is a possibility that A. doleschalii, from Hainan was a misidentification of A. gracilis (a morphologically similar species widely distributed in eastern and southeastern Asia). Tsukaguchi, 1995 Figs 3, 30-32, 33-35, 106, 110, 112 Ankylopteryx (A.) ferruginea: Distribution. China (Guangxi, Yunnan); Japan (Okinawa).

Ankylopteryx (A.) ferruginea
Remarks. This species is newly recorded from China. Tsukaguchi (1995) stated that two forewing m-cu crossveins are present before first intramedian cell. However, this char-acter is variable among individuals of this species based on the specimens we examined. Other external diagnostic characters and genital characters in the Chinese specimens fit well with the original description, which confirms our identification of this species.
This species is similar to A. gracilis, based on the long and narrow first intramedian cell, but differs from the latter two species by the absence of markings on frons between antennae (present in A. doleschalii, and A. gracilis), the yellowish wing marking pattern (wing marking pattern much darker in A. doleschalii, and A. gracilis) and the narrow general width of gonarcus (strongly broad in A. gracilis). Nakahara, 1955 Figs 4, 36-40, 41-43, 44-47, 107, 111, 113 Ankylopteryx (A.) gracilis : Nakahara 1955: 143, pl. 21 fig. 1  Diagnosis. Frons with three spots between antennae, stripes below toruli absent; frontal markings not curved posteriorly contiguous with clypeal markings anteriorly; gena with long brownish stripe. First intramedian cell very long and narrow, general width of gonarcus very broad; entoprocessus attached at about median part of gonarcus, about half as long as gonarcus; pseudopenis long and straight, about twice as long as entoprocessus.
Remarks. The frontal spots between antennae, the long and narrow intramedian cell, and the genital characters assigned the specimens examined to A. gracilis.
In the original description of A. gracilis, Nakahara (1955) stated that the legs of this species are immaculate, and this feature was followed by Tsukaguchi (1995) as a diagnostic character of this species. However, among the specimens examined here, we found that the markings on foretibia and mesotibia are either absent or present. After examination of the male genitalia of these specimens, no significant differences among them could be found, indicating that they belong to a same species. Therefore, we consider the presence/absence of markings on tibia to be intraspecific variation, which is common in some other species of this subgenus. Yang, 1987 Figs 6, 58-63, 64-66, 102, 112 Ankylopteryx ( Diagnosis. Two brownish vittae on frons, clypeus, and labrum; gena with long brownish stripes contiguous with above vitta. Protibia and mesotibia with median markings. Forewing with pterostigma brown, extending over four crossveins; large brownish vittae present along posterior margins at basal third, enclosing over five veins on wing margin; first intramedian cell short and wide. General width of gonarcus narrow; entoprocessus attached near base of gonarcus, slightly longer than gonarcus; pseudopenis short and curved, about 1.5 times as long as entoprocessus.
Remarks. Seven subspecies hitherto are placed under the species A. octopunctata, which are separately distributed. According to the known distribution of A. octopunctata candida and the character mentioned above, we assigned the materials examined to this subspecies.

Synonyms.
Ankylopteryx fraterna and A. laticosta were first recorded by Banks (1939). In the original literature, he mentioned that the key difference between A. fraterna and A. octopunctata candida was the presence or absence of brownish stripe on scape (absence in A. fraterna versus presence in A. octopunctata candida); differences between A. laticosta and A. octopunctata candida are the coloration of the costal vein (black for a short distance in A. laticosta versus not black in A. octopunctata candida), costal area (unusually broad in A. laticosta versus normal in A. octopunctata candida), and the number of lower Banksian cells (two in A. laticosta versus three in A. octopunctata candida). We have studied the specimens of A. octopunctata candida from various localities and found the difference mentioned above is continuous in this species. We, therefore, synonymize A. fraterna and A. laticosta with A. octopunctata candida. We have also studied the holotypes of A. lii and A. tibetana. The external characters (frontal stripes and markings, and markings on both wings) of three nominal species are similar. We dissected specimens of each of the three species, found no significant difference among them, and therefore confirmed the synonymization of A. lii and A. tibetana with A. octopunctata candida.

Distribution. China.
Remarks. The original description of this species (Guérin-Méneville 1844) is too simple, and the only informative descriptions are the body length (= 12 mm), forewing span (= 36 mm), and the presence of stripes below toruli. Nevertheless, the stripes below toruli are also present in Ankylopteryx octopunctata (Fabricius, 1793), A. tesselata Needham, 1909, A. nonelli Navás, 1913, A. nepalensis Hölzel, 1973 nov. Thus, the validity of A. quadrimaculata is doubtful and this species may be a synonym of those species mentioned above except A. yangi sp. nov. (differences between A. yangi sp. nov., and A. quadrimaculata are outlined below in the Remarks for A. yangi sp. nov.). This species is not included in the present key, but still treated as a valid species until the type is examined. Diagnosis. Frons with three brownish small spots between antennae, and anteriorly with two arcuate markings, which are more or less connected with each other at posterior ends; gena with long brownish stripe; clypeal markings contiguous with frontal markings posteriorly and labial markings anteriorly; maxillary palp and labial palp pale green. Thorax with mesonotum entirely brown; protibia and mesotibia with median markings. Forewing with intramedian cell short and wide. Abdomen with brownish markings on terga 2-8.
Male. Head with vertex creamy yellow, immaculate; frons creamy yellow, with three small spots between antennae, brownish stripes below toruli, and a pair of median arcuate markings anteriorly, more or less connected with each other posteriorly; gena with long brownish stripe extending along inner ocular margin to posterolateral part of clypeus; tentorial pits with brownish margins; scape with brownish stripe; clypeus with brownish arcuate markings contiguous with frontal markings anteriorly and labial markings posteriorly; maxillary palp and labial palp pale green.
Prothorax almost pale green, with wide, brownish lateral stripe, and with white long setae. Mesothorax entirely brown dorsally, with sparse white long setae. Metathorax pale green, with sparse white long setae. Legs pale green, tarsomere 5 and pretarsal claws dark brown; protibia with a brownish median marking; mesotibia with a smaller median brownish marking.
Abdomen pale green, with brownish markings on terga 2-8, and tergal markings slightly wider than that on anteriorly neighbouring terga. Abdominal setae white, microsetae dense, and long setae sparse.
T9+ectoproct about half as long as tergum 8, with dorsal invagination shallow; ectoproct with rounded dorsal and posterior margins; callus cerci rounded, trichobothria densely ranged. S8+9 fused, as long as wide, with line of fusion not demarcated; lateral margin almost straight, posterior margin rounded. Only gonarcus, entoprocessus, and pseudopenis present. Gonarcus broadened at apex of lateral arms. Gonarcus with the general width normally broad; entoprocessus attached at about basal fourth of gonarcus, about half as long as gonarcus, medially fused forming an arch over pseudopenis; pseudopenis about twice as long as entoprocessus, broadened subapically, long and distinctly curved, and pointed apically; gonosaccus with sparse setae.
Distribution. China (Guizhou, Taiwan). Etymology. This new species is dedicated to Professor Yang Chikun, who made tremendous contributions to the taxonomy of Chrysopidae from China.
Remarks. This new species appears to be closely related to A. octopunctata candida in having similar frontal markings, but it differs from the latter species by the presence of median arcuate frontal markings (absent in A. octopunctata candida), the ratio of gonarcus/entoprocessus (2.0 in A. yangi versus 1.0 in A. octopunctata candida), and the distinctly curved pseudopenis (moderately curved in A. octopunctata candida). Frontal area between antennae with three black spots (Fig. 36); scape and pedicel with brownish stripes (Fig. 37)  Three spots present (Fig. 86); both wings without large brownish vittae along posterior margins (Fig. 90) (Fig. 10); both wings with large brownish vittae along posterior margins near base (Fig. 14)