Research Article |
Corresponding author: Catherine A. Tauber ( cat6@cornell.edu ) Academic editor: Atilano Contreras-Ramos
© 2023 Francisco José Sosa-Duque, Catherine A. Tauber.
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:
Sosa-Duque FJ, Tauber CA (2023) Discovery and redescription of the true Nuvol umbrosus Navás and naming of a new Nuvol species (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae, Leucochrysini). ZooKeys 1158: 179-193. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1158.98572
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Examination of a newly discovered specimen of Nuvol showed that our earlier species determination of Nuvol umbrosus Navás had been incorrect and that our “redescription” of the species actually applied to an undescribed species. Here, we redescribe the true N. umbrosus, based on a newly discovered male specimen. This specimen closely resembles Navás’ description, and it was collected from the Atlantic Forest as was the original type specimen. In addition, we assign the previously misidentified Nuvol specimens from the Amazonian region to a separate species, Nuvol satur Sosa & Tauber, sp. nov. As a result of these actions, the genus Nuvol now contains two morphologically and geographically distinct species. In addition, the abdomens and genitalia of both sexes of Nuvol are now described (although each from a separate species).
Chrysopinae, lacewing, misidentification, new species, taxonomy
The Neotropical green lacewing tribe Leucochrysini, a diverse and largely unstudied group in the neuropteran family Chrysopidae, currently contains ~190 described species uncomfortably classified into seven genera (
Approximately one hundred years after the species description, we discovered two female specimens from the Amazonian region that we tentatively identified as N. umbrosus Navás (
Recently, we discovered an additional specimen of Nuvol – a male in the collection at the Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. This specimen clearly fits Navás’ original description and drawing closely – much more closely than the specimens we had studied earlier. Its discovery indicated that Navás’ description and drawing were quite accurate, and that our hesitancy to firmly identify the Amazonian specimens as N. umbrosus was well founded. The specimen also indicated that our description and images of the Amazonian specimens depict a new, unnamed species in the genus.
Here, based on the newly found specimen, we first redescribe the true N. umbrosus Navás and provide information on the terminalia of a Nuvol male. Second, we correct the misidentification of our earlier specimens from the Amazonian region and recognize them as representing a new species. Finally, with the addition of male abdominal characteristics, we update the available diagnostic information for the genus Nuvol and briefly discuss the relationship of Nuvol with other leucochrysine genera.
The procedures used here were identical to those used in our previously published work, specifically:
Our abbreviations for museums are as follows:
Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil;
Nuvol umbrosus
Brotéria (Zoológica) 14: 25; “Rio de Janeiro, Febrero de 1912” (only one specimen).
One male specimen preserved in alcohol, examined by FS: “MG, São Gonzalo Rio Abaixo, EA [Estação Ambiental, 19°53'2.86"S, 43°22'26.14"W, 751m] Peti, 30.iv.2012, A. F. Kumagai” (deposited in the collection of the Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (ICB – UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil).
Body
(Fig.
Thorax
(Fig.
Note: Navás’ figure illustrated only the dorsal marks on the pronotum, not the lateral stripes; however, he explicitly mentioned the lateral stripes in his description. Thus, the specimen we describe here matches Navás’ type specimen in having five distinct dark red longitudinal stripes on the pronotum and two thin, somewhat diffuse, lateral stripes on the mesonotum and metanotum.
Wings
(Fig.
Nuvol umbrosus wings (Brazil, Minas Gerais) A right forewing and hindwing B left forewing with cells and veins identified. Note presence of apical veinlets with and without forks, markings, radius turning downward at tip of wing, forewing with four intracubital cells. Abbreviations: b1 first upper Banksian cell; b’2 second lower Banksian cell; C costa; icu3, icu4 third and fourth intracubital cells; im1, im2 first and second intramedian cells; i.g. inner gradate series; m3 third median cell; Psm pseudomedia; R radius; Rs radial sector; rf origin of radial sector; rx1 first radial crossvein; Sc subcosta.
Hindwing 15.8 mm long, 5.1 mm wide. Nine discrete inner gradates, basal one not reaching Psm. Six outer gradates ascending in relatively straight to slightly zigzag trajectory adjacent to wing margin. Thirteen radial cells (counted from origin of radius, not false origin). Two large b cells (no small “t” cell); seven b’ cells beyond im2. Membrane with yellowish-brown diffused marks, similar to those on forewing; veins generally dark, but light in areas of diffused markings; stigma with single, weak brown spot basally, brown veins.
Abdomen, male
(Figs
Nuvol umbrosus male abdomen (Brazil, Minas Gerais) A–C uncleared abdomen, lateral. Note apical lobe on distoventral corner of T9+ect with dense field of long, robust setae. Setae surrounding dorsal apodeme below T8, lateral spot on S9 D callus cerci and trichobothria (setae obscured) E S8+9, ventral. Note exposed gonocornua at apex of S9; dashed line showing possible suture scar between S8 and S9. Abbreviations: cc callus cerci; d.ap. dorsal apodeme; gc gonocornu; S8, S9 eighth and ninth sternites; T2–T8 second to eighth abdominal tergites; T9+ect fused ninth tergite and ectoproct.
Nuvol umbrosus male terminalia cleared, with genitalia removed (Brazil, Minas Gerais) A abdomen, lateral B abdominal tip, posterolateral C abdominal tip, caudal D callus cerci E terminal segments, ventral [Note for (E): S6–S8 densely covered by microtrichiae; dashed line between S8 and S9 indicating a possible suture scar; S9 bearing long, robust setae and lacking microtrichiae.] Abbreviations: c.c. callus cerci; d.ap. dorsal apodeme; lobe setose lobe at distal apex of dorsal apodeme; S7, S8, S9 seventh, eighth and ninth abdominal sternites; T2, T3, T6, T7 second, third, sixth, seventh abdominal tergites; T9+ect fused ninth abdominal tergite and ectoproct; v.ap. ventral apodeme.
Gonarcus well sclerotized, widely arcuate (maximum span 0.31 mm; minimum span between posterior apices of the lateral apodemes 0.28 mm); gonarcal bridge broad, curved, bearing two long, flat, quadrate gonocornua dorsally (~0.28 mm long, 0.14 mm wide), pair of broad oval-shaped gonarcal apodemes basally (0.46 mm tall, 0.22 wide); gonarcal bridge strongly fused with base of gonocornua (Fig.
Nuvol umbrosus male gonarcal complex A dorsal B lateral slightly tilted to left C lateral slightly tilted to right D, E frontal F lateral (field of chalazate setae in box] G enlarged frontal section of gonosaccus, lateral. Note: F, G illustrate the placement and structure of the acute tip of the gonarcal ventral projection and the frontal section of the gonosaccus bearing a group of three heavily sclerotized chalazae with fine setae. Abbreviations: g.ap. gonarcal apodeme; g.br. gonarcal bridge; gc gonocornu; gsac gonosaccus; gst gonosetae; l.f. lateral flank of mediuncus; mu mediuncus; tip of v.pr. beaklike apex of gonarcal ventral projection; v.pr. ventral projection of gonarcus. Scale bar applies to A–F.
Note: The hypandrium internum can often be difficult to find. One was not found in this specimen. Either the specimen did not have one, it was not well developed, or it was lost.
Abdomen, female : Undescribed.
Unknown.
Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais (new record).
Holotype
: Female,
The genus name “Nuvol” is a masculine noun meaning “cloud” in Catalan; the species name “satur” is a Latin adjective (masculine form) meaning “deep or full”, as applied to color (R. A. Pantaleoni, pers. comm.). The species name refers to the more intense coloration of the diffuse markings on the wings of the species, as compared with N. umbrosus.
The most notable features that distinguish N. satur from N. umbrosus are the head and pronotal markings, markings on the abdomen, wing size, and wing markings, as follows: (1) The head and prothoracic markings of N. satur are red and diffuse, whereas those of N. umbrosus are brown and longitudinally striped; (2) The wings of N. satur are 14.8–15.8 mm long, slightly shorter than those of N. umbrosus (17.0 mm); and (3) Although both Nuvol species express some degree of suppressed forking in the terminal veinlets of the forewings and hindwings, N. satur has a much greater degree of suppression than N. umbrosus. Almost none of the terminal veinlets of the N. satur wings are forked, whereas only a small proportion of the veinlets on the posterior margin of the N. umbrosus wings are unforked. Finally, (4) the wing markings of N. satur are considerably more pronounced and in a different pattern than those of N. umbrosus (Fig.
Cartoon showing pattern of wing markings of two Nuvol species A N. umbrosus type specimen (Brazil, Rio de Janeiro), from original drawing by
Provided by
Unknown.
Brazil: Amazonas, Rondônia.
Nuvol umbrosus Navás, 1916.
South America: Brazil (Amazonas, Rondônia, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro).
Based on a small number of specimens from two species:
N. umbrosus – one specimen of unknown sex described by
N. satur – two females described by
Medium to large lacewings, forewing length 14.8–17.0 mm. Head, pronotum with longitudinal black stripes or diffuse reddish marks; setae long. Legs unmarked; claws basally dilated. Forewing marked with faint to dark yellowish-brown transverse streaks through center and margins of wing; costal area narrow throughout; costal setae short, inclined; stigma marked with one to two small dark spots; Sc and R well separated throughout; R extended apically, curving posteriorly around wing apex; terminal subcostal and radial veinlets at apex of wing largely unforked, darkly marked; im short, broadly ovate; Rs almost straight, parallel to R; radial cells short, height relatively uniform from base to below stigma; gradate veins arranged in two roughly parallel series; outer gradates closely aligned, flowing smoothly from PsM; inner gradates extending basally, not meeting PsM; four intracubital cells, with icu1, icu2, icu3 closed, icu4 (dcc) open. Hindwing venation, markings similar to forewing.
Possible additional generic features, with supporting evidence from only one species and/or one specimen: Antennae very long (over twice length of forewing). Female: T9+ect separated dorsally by longitudinal groove. Spermatheca doughnut shaped, with elongate narrow spermathecal duct, substantial, sail-like velum opening directly to bursa copulatrix via dorsal slit. Bursa copulatrix with delicate membrane, elongate bursal glands. Subgenitale substantial, with bilobed knob protruding from broad triangular base. Male: T9+ect with prominent, heavily sclerotized, bifurcated dorsal apodeme: with dorsal spur extending upward behind and well above callus cerci, with ventral branch extending distally, protruding as lobe well beyond distal margin of ectoproct. T9+ect fused dorsally; callus cerci round to very slightly oval, dark against pale background. Sternites S8, S9 weakly fused, with conspicuous cleft or suture scars. Gonarcus well sclerotized, widely arcuate; bridge broad, curved, with pair of elongate ventral projections extending ventrally; gonocornua long, broad. Mediuncus bulbous basally, with slender terminus, membranous dorsal attachment to gonarcal bridge, lateral attachments to inner sides of ventral projections of gonarcus.
The largely Neotropical green lacewing tribe Leucochrysini currently contains ~190 species classified into seven genera. One very large genus (Leucochrysa), with its two subgenera, accounts for the vast majority of leucochrysine species. Other species are distributed among a midsized genus of eight described species and five genera with only one or two species each (
Thanks to Marcio Luiz de Oliveira, Curator of Invertebrates at the Coleção de Invertebrados do Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil (