Myrmeleontidae unidentifed
Workbook
Unidentified Myrmeleontidae species
Found this lacewing on the western wall of the house. It is clearly a myrmeleontid but to date I’ve been unable to identify the genus or species after trawling through the 1985 New papers. Very few myrmeleiontids I have found in those species descriptions have antennae without clubs, a feature of this insect.
8/2/19
Size of Bandidus rydalmerensis according to New 1985: FW 22mm, HW 22mm, A 6mm, Body 18mm.
Update 11/2/19:
I have corresponded with Ken Harris, who has suggested my photos are a good match for Bandidus rydalmerensis. Assuming it is a Bandidus sp., the key in New, T.R. Aust. J. Zool., Suppl. Ser., 1985, 106, 1-159 does indeed lead to this species, as detailed below.
1. FW Rs arising distinctly beyond (as apposed to opposite or very slightly basal to) cubital fork ………2
tracing of forewing of insect from 8/2/19 showing that Rs (yellow text and line) arises distinctly beyond cubital fork (cyan blue text and line)
2. Wing markings more diffuse, usually including FW cubital streak or spot and/or shading of gradate veins (as apposed to no, or only trace of marking at apex of FW CuA2………14
14. FW with (as opposed to without) conspicuous thick dark streak extending anteriorly from rhegma…...rydalmerensis
forewing of insect from 8/2/19 with a) cubital spot indicated by black arrow and b) site of phregma indicated by white arrow, showing “thick dark streak extending anteriorly”.
tracing of forewing venation.
from New 1985 Pt.1
However, there are two characters that conflict with this possible identity.
There is no sign of tibial spurs
The antennae are unclubbed
I am unsure as to whether this rules out Bandidus as a likely genus. At this stage, I have left this insect on NatureMapr as Myrmeleontidae.
The only species I have been able to find from reading of the New 1985 papers that show this pair of characters (no tibial spurs, unclubbed antennae) is Stenogymnocnemia angusta. However the wing morphology and other characters rule out this as a possible match to my insect. In addition, this species is known only from one collection on the Nullarbor Plain.
venation of Stenogymnocnemia angusta
Species description of Bandidus rydalmerensis from New 1985 Pt. III
I have noted in bold after the description of each character whether my insect matches that description.
Overall, I conclude that the differences between my insect and the description in New 1985 Pt. III are great enough to prevent a confident identification as B. rydalmerensis.
Note also that a photo of an insect identified by Donald Hobern as B. rydalmerensis appears in ALA.
from ALA, identified by Donald Hobern as Bandidas rydalmerensis
This photo matches the description in New 1985 of this species well and differs from the appearance of my insect. This is another reason why I am reluctant at this stage to identify my insect as B. rydalmerensis.
Colouration.
Black. Eyes Black. - matches
Palpi dark. Labrum dark tawny yellow. Clypeus and frons broadly black; clypeus with c.20 fine white hairs - can’t be seen in my photos
Vertex with narrow pale band above frontal band, and small pale median posterior spot; otherwise black - matches although pattern is more complex than described
insect from 8/2/19 showing narrow pale band above frontal band (white arrow) and small pale median posterior spot (black arrow)
Antennae: flagellar segments with pale apex, club black - partly matches. apex of flagellar segments are pale, but there is no apparent club.
Antennae of insect from 8/2/19 - antennae slender but club is not well defined nor black.
Pronotum with incomplete pale median streak and slight pale streak extending posteriorly from pale anterior angles; setae mainly black, few laterals white. - only partially matches appearance of my insect
pronotum of insect from 8/2/19
Pterothorax predominantly black; posterior and midline of metascutellum pale. - doesn’t match my insect, perhaps because it has only just eclosed and is yet to darken up fully?
thoracic tergites of insect from 8/2/19 are white, with yellowish lateral patches
Abdomen black. - partially matches. background colour is black, but anterior region of T3-T6 is white, there is a medial white dorsal stripe in T7 and medial and lateral white stripes in T8.
Abdomen of insect from 8/2/19
Wings: mostly longitudinal veins with alternating dark and pale lengths; many crossveins black; pterostigma white; shading in FW greyish brown. - matches
Pleura with white hairs.
Legs: femora dark, femur III paler except dorsally and at apex; tibiae with basal and apical dark bands, many setae from dark spots; apex of tarsus 1, most of rest of tarsi black. Partially matches - see annotations on images below
white hairs on pleura evident
femora I and II are black, although with white longitudinal stripes on anterior face; legs long and slender; tibiae slightly longer than tarsi;
Pronotum slightly longer than wide
tibiae with dark bands apical and basal (although most basal region is white), setae not only from dark spots but everywhere; tarsus 1 is white, not black; tarsus 2 apex and rest of tarsal segments are black. No sign of tibial spurs. New 1985 states that spurs are long, very slender, extend about to apex of t4. Claws short, slender, about 2/5 length of spurs.
Female genitalia
Ectoproct small and rounded; lateral gonapophyses long, with dense brush of black setae; posterior gonapophyses very long and slender; pregenital plate small, transverse.
1350 female, apex of abdomen; 1351 sternite VII and genital plate, ventral
Male genitalia
Abdominal apex as in Fig. 1353: ectoproct broad, with pale fringe; sternite IX shallow. Shape of apex shown in images below.
Genitalia; gonarcus arms anteriorly divergent; parameres parallel, angled dorsally at anterior.
Male genitalia, lateral.
References
T.R. New (1985) “A Revision of the Australian Myrmeleontidae (Insecta : Neuroptera). I. Introduction, Myrmeleontini, Protoplectrini” Aust. J. Zool., Suppl. Ser., 104, 1-90
T.R. New (1985) “A Revision of the Australian Myrmeleontidae (Insecta : Neuroptera). 11. Dendroleontini” Aust. J. Zool., Suppl. Ser., 105, 1-170
T.R. New (1985) “A Revision of the Australian Myrmeleontidae (Insecta : Neuroptera). 111. Distoleontini and Acanthaclisinae”. Aust. J. Zool., Suppl. Ser., 106, 1-159
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