Research Article |
Corresponding author: Davide Badano ( davide.badano@uniroma1.it ) Academic editor: Ben Price
© 2017 Davide Badano, Shaun Winterton.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Badano D, Winterton SL (2017) New Philippine species of Spilosmylus Kolbe (Neuroptera, Osmylidae). ZooKeys 712: 29-42. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.712.19883
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New species of lance lacewings, Spilosmylus spilopteryx sp. n. and Spilosmylus tephrodestigma sp. n., are described from the Philippines and compared with congeners. Both species are characterised by a distinctive wing pattern, which in the case of Spilosmylus spilopteryx sp. n. is relatively spectacular among lacewings. An identification key to the species of Spilosmylus Kolbe known from the Philippines is also provided.
Osmylidae , Spilosmylinae , lance lacewings, Oriental region, Malesia, taxonomy
Osmylidae, or lance lacewings, are a small (ca. 225 extant species) family of Neuroptera whose oldest fossil crown group members are known from various Jurassic to Tertiary deposits (
Malesia is a centre for diversification for Spilosmylus, with at least 54 species known from this region (
Herein, we describe two new species of Spilosmylus, S. spilopteryx sp. n. and S. tephrodestigma sp. n., from Luzon and compare them with the other species of Spilosmylus known from the Philippines. Both species are easily recognizable due to the distinctive wing pattern, easily setting apart them from all other congeners.
During the last few decades, two different terminology systems were applied to the genital sclerites of Osmylidae.
Wing terminology follows
Specimens were studied with a Leica MZ 9.5 stereomicroscope and measured with an optical micrometre. Photographs were taken with a Canon EOS 600D digital camera equipped with Canon lens MP-E 65 mm. The obtained images were stacked with the software Zerene Stacker and later post-processed with Adobe Photoshop. Specimens were measured using the following protocol: body length was taken from vertex to tip of the abdomen; wing length was measured longitudinally from base to apex, and wing width was taken as the maximum width perpendicular to the length measurement line. Genitalia were macerated in 10% KOH (potassium hydroxide) at room temperature, later rinsed in acetic acid and water and finally stained in Chlorazol Black. The genitalia were preserved in glycerol in a small vial put beneath the specimen.
Holotype. Pinned, genitalia in glycerol, preserved beneath the specimen. PHILIPPINES, South Luzon, Tigaon, Camerines sur, February 2015, 1 ♂, local collector, (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien).
Medium sized osmylid with uniformly brown body; both wings with intermittent dark dashes on Sc and R; forewing membrane with a distinct pattern composed by three large light brown markings; hind wing membrane hyaline (Fig.
Dimensions. Body length: 10.48 mm; forewing length 17.46 mm, width 6.03 mm; hind wing length: 16.35 mm, width: 5.08 mm.
Head. Mostly brown. Vertex light brown. Frons and clypeus reddish brown with a central rounded darker marking. Labrum and gena light reddish brown. Maxillary and labial palpi pale. Scape reddish brown, flagellomeres yellowish, slightly darker apically.
Thorax. Predominantly brown. Pronotum distinctly longer than wide, with undefined paler stripes running longitudinally to it (Fig.
Wings. Forewing relatively broad with a slightly pointed apex, membrane hyaline with conspicuous markings and shades (Fig.
Abdomen. Tergites and sternites uniformly brown. Apex of the abdomen slightly lighter.
Male genitalia. Tergite 9 relatively narrow, extending slightly beyond the ectoproct. Sternite 9 subrectangular. Ectoproct rounded, with a prominent and relatively large callus cercus. Between the two halves of the ectoproct there is a narrow dorsal sclerotization curved downward (Fig.
Etymology. The specific name is a Latinized composite noun of Greek derivation, from σπίλος, spilos, meaning “marking” and the noun πτέρυξ, pteryx, meaning “wing”, thus spilopteryx, “marked wing”, in reference to the large cloud-like markings on the forewing.
Spilosmylus spilopteryx sp. n. is a highly distinctive species that cannot be easily confused with any other lance lacewing. This new species of Spilosmylus is characterized by a strongly marked wing and the absence of embossed spot on the hind margin of forewing, resembling the condition observed in the closely related genus Thyridosmylus. Nevertheless, overall wing shape and venation, the intermittently dashed markings along the Sc–R space, and male genitalic morphology allows us to confidently allocate this species to Spilosmylus. The presence of a narrow, dorsal sclerotization between the two halves of the ectoproct is characteristic of many species of Spilosmylus, and it might be of systematic relevance within this large genus. Despite several Spilosmylus species being characterized by pigmented wings with markings, bands and suffusions (e.g., S. monticolus (Banks, 1937), S. formosus Banks, 1924, S. inquinatus (McLachlan, 1870)), none of them display the extensive and conspicuous markings of this new taxon. Following New (1986,
Holotype. Pinned, abdomen damaged by booklice, genitalia missing. PHILIPPINES, North Luzon, Barlig, Mountain Province, July 2014, 1 ex, local collector, [gender indeterminate] (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien).
Medium sized osmylid with pale body; meso- and metathorax with large brown markings; both wings with small intermittent dark dashes on Sc and R; forewing membrane with well contrasted dark grey spots in the radial and medial area; base of the anal area with a well distinct dark marking; embossed spot present; hind wing membrane hyaline (Fig.
Dimensions. Forewing length: 21.43 mm, width: 7.14; hind wing length: 19.05 mm, width: 5.87 mm.
Head. Uniformly pale ochre. Vertex, frons and clypeus pale. Labrum, gena and palpi pale. Antenna uniformly pale ochre (Fig.
Thorax. Predominantly pale ochre. Pronotum distinctly longer than wide, with brown lateral margins; mesonotum with dark brown dots on the posterior portion of the mesoscutum; metanotum with dark brown markings on the metascutum converging apically on the prescutum (Fig.
Wings. Forewing relatively broad with a slightly pointed apex, membrane hyaline with isolated markings and shades (Fig.
Abdomen. Tergites and sternites uniformly pale ochre. Tip of the abdomen not preserved.
The specific epithet is a compound Latinized noun of Greek derivation from τεφρῶδες, tephrodes, meaning “coal” and στίγμα, stigma, meaning “spot”, thus “ashy spot” referring to the grey spots on the forewing.
Spilosmylus tephrodestigma sp. n. is a more typical species of Spilosmylus, displaying a conspicuous embossed spot on the posterior margin of the forewing, which is an autapomorphic character of many species in the genus (
1 | Forewing with embossed spot (Fig. |
2 |
– | Forewing without embossed spot (Fig. |
8 |
2 | Forewing radial and medial area with dark grey spots in the medial area (Fig. |
S. tephrodestigma sp. n. |
Forewing radial and medial area without such markings | 3 | |
3 | Forewing with diffuse amber shadings (Fig. |
4 |
– | Forewing without amber shadings | 5 |
4 | Forewing veins Sc and R with 5 dark dashes, subcostal area unmarked | S. inquinatus (McLachlan) |
– | Forewing veins Sc and R with 2 dark dashes, subcostal area with two distinct, large dark brown markings covering the dark dashes; embossed spot very large (Fig. |
S. formosus Banks |
5 | Forewing subcostal area with several markings paralleling the dark dashes on Sc and R (Fig. |
6 |
– | Forewing subcostal area mostly unmarked (Fig. |
7 |
6 | Forewing with an isolated dark spot in the medial area (Fig. |
S. apoanus Banks |
– | Forewing without such a spot (Fig. |
S. alticolus Banks |
7 | Forewing veins Sc and R with 2 dark dashes; medial fork basal to the origin of the first branch of Rs (Fig. |
S. proximus Banks |
– | Forewing veins Sc and R with 5 dark dashes; medial fork in proximity or slightly distal to the origin of the first branch of Rs | S. modestus (Gerstaecker) |
8 | Forewing veins Sc and R with 7 dark dashes, subcostal area yellow and unmarked; forewing membrane with 3 large and well distinct light brown markings (Fig. |
S. spilopteryx sp. n. |
– | Forewing subcostal area with dark streaks also covering Sc and R; forewing membrane shaded with dark brown along the outer gradates, rhegma and in proximity of the crossveins of the cubital and medial area but without distinct markings (Fig. |
S. monticolus (Banks) |
Note:
Detail of wings of the holotypes of Spilosmylus species described by Nathan Banks from the Philippines. Photographs by Philip D. Perkins, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University; original photography © President and Fellows of Harvard College. A Spilosmylus alticolus Banks, 1937 B Spilosmylus formosus Banks, 1924 C Spilosmylus apoanus Banks, 1937 D Spilosmylus proximus Banks, 1937 E Spilosmylus monticolus (Banks, 1937).
Special thanks to Philip Perkins (Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University) for providing photos of the type specimens in his care. Grateful thanks to Susanne Randolf and Harald Bruckner (Natural History Museum Vienna, Vienna) for providing images of the types of Krüger and for assisting DB during his visit. A special acknowledgment to Rinaldo Nicoli Aldini (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza) for sharing his knowledge of Classical languages.