1
|
Ardila-Camacho A, Machado RJP, Ohl M, Contreras-Ramos A. A camouflaged diversity: taxonomic revision of the thorny lacewing subfamily Symphrasinae (Neuroptera, Rhachiberothidae). Zookeys 2024; 1199:1-409. [PMID: 38725711 PMCID: PMC11077268 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1199.115442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Species of the thorny lacewing subfamily Symphrasinae (Neuroptera: Rhachiberothidae) are revised. Prior to this work, 42 species were known in the genera Anchieta Navás, 1909, Plega Navás, 1928, and Trichoscelia Westwood, 1852. Herein, the number of species is increased to 60, 23 of which are newly described. Species previously known are redescribed, and their taxonomic status is revised. Keys, diagnoses, and high-resolution images for all species are presented. The distribution range of Anchieta is now known from Costa Rica to southern Brazil with a total of 11 species, of which three are newly described. The genus Plega is known from southwestern United States to southern Brazil and includes 28 species of which 14 are described as new. Moreover, the genus Trichoscelia occurs from central and southern Mexico to Argentina, with a total of 21 species, of which six are herein newly described. A phylogenetic analysis of Symphrasinae based on morphological characters recovered the three symphrasine genera as monophyletic, with Anchieta sister to Plega + Trichoscelia. The three genera are newly diagnosed based on a cladistic framework. Within the genus Anchieta, bee-mimicking species comprise a monophyletic group, while wasp-mimicking species form a laddered sequence to that lineage. Within Plega, three lineages are recovered, the first mostly composed of South and Mesoamerican species, the second with species predominantly from Central America and central and southern Mexico, and a third clade encompassing species mostly from central and northern Mexico and southwestern United States. By contrast, relationships between species of Trichoscelia were poorly resolved because of a simplified and conserved morphology of this group.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Ardila-Camacho
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto de Biología, UNAM, Depto. de Zoología, Apdo. Postal 70-153, 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico
- Universidad Distrital “Francisco José de Caldas”, Facultad de Ciencias Matemáticas y Naturales, Carrera 4 # 26D-31, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Michael Ohl
- Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Atilano Contreras-Ramos
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto de Biología, UNAM, Depto. de Zoología, Apdo. Postal 70-153, 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Li D, Jandausch K, Pohl H, Yavorskaya MI, Liu X, Beutel RG. Cephalic anatomy highlights morphological adaptation to underground habitats in a minute lacewing larva of Dilar (Dilaridae) and conflicting phylogenetic signal in Neuroptera. INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 30:1445-1463. [PMID: 36692245 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Dilaridae are a distinctive and phylogenetically ambiguous neuropteran family. So far, the anatomy of the immature stages remains largely unknown. We examined the 1st instar larvae of Dilar montanus in detail and present results of live observations for the first time. The minute, cryptic larvae display features correlated with their underground lifestyle: for instance, a strongly flattened head, stout antennae, eyelessness, and burrowing forelegs. In contrast to molecular data, several characters suggest a 'dilarid clade' combining Dilaridae with Mantispoidea, for instance a very thin and curved or reduced tentorial bridge, and an elongated postmentum. We found intrinsic antennal muscles and Johnston's organ, the first record of these structures in holometabolous larvae. This proves that the first 2 larval antennomeres are homologous with the scapus and pedicellus. The described characters are discussed and analyzed with an updated matrix of neuropteran larval characters. Alternative scenarios of character evolution are presented. Additionally, we show how the 1st-instar larvae move and feed in the substrate, and also provide a high-resolution video recording of the function of the elongate tubular ovipositor and the egg-laying behavior in an adult female under natural conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Di Li
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Institut für Zoologie und Evolutionsforschung, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Kenny Jandausch
- Institut für Zoologie und Evolutionsforschung, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Albert Ludwig University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Hans Pohl
- Institut für Zoologie und Evolutionsforschung, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Xingyue Liu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Rolf G Beutel
- Institut für Zoologie und Evolutionsforschung, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li M, Oswald JD, Liu Z. Comparative Morphology of Wax Gland Heads in Adult Dustywings (Insecta: Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae). INSECTS 2023; 14:650. [PMID: 37504656 PMCID: PMC10380582 DOI: 10.3390/insects14070650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
In the largest comparative study of coniopterygid wax gland head morphology to date, we used scanning electron microscopy to illustrate the ultrastructure of gland heads found in 2 subfamilies (Aleuropteryginae and Coniopteryginae), 5 tribes (Aleuropterygini, Coniocompsini, Coniopterygini, Conwentziini, and Fontenelleini), 9 genera (Aleuropteryx, Coniopteryx, Coniocompsa, Conwentzia, Cryptoscenea, Heteroconis, Semidalis, Spiloconis, and Thecosemidalis), and 28 species of Palearctic and Oriental dustywings collected from a variety of sites across China. We propose a new descriptive terminology to concisely characterize the major elements of gland head ultrastructure and then identify similarities and differences among them and provide detailed descriptions of the wax gland heads found in each of the nine genera examined. Based on the range of taxa examined, we propose hypotheses about the functional morphology of some of the ultrastructural elements examined and relate them to wax ring formation in dustywings. An identification key for the examined genera based on gland head morphology is also presented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - John D Oswald
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Zhiqi Liu
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
A New Cretaceous Dustywing Genus (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae) with Peculiar Wing Venation. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13070654. [PMID: 35886829 PMCID: PMC9318248 DOI: 10.3390/insects13070654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
The species and morphological diversity of dustywings (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae) from the Cretaceous, of which the knowledge is rapidly increasing by recent studies on the species from the mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, provide valuable evidence for understanding the phylogeny and early evolution of this highly specialized lacewing lineage. Here we describe a new genus and two new species of this genus in Coniopterygidae from the mid-Cretaceous (lowermost Cenomanian) of northern Myanmar, namely Paradoxoconis szirakii gen. et sp. nov. and Paradoxoconis longipalpa gen. et sp. nov. The new genus possesses a peculiar combination of wing characters, e.g., the terminal fusion or connection between ScP and RA, the terminal connection of RA to RP, the presence of forewing A3, and the presence of a distal gradate series of crossveins. Despite uncertain subfamilial placement, this new genus morphologically resembles the extant genus Coniocompsa Enderlein, 1905 of the subfamily Aleuropteryginae and the extant genus Flintoconis Sziráki, 2007 of the subfamily Brucheiserinae. Our finding highlights the palaeodiversity of dustywings from the Cretaceous.
Collapse
|
5
|
Perez-Martinez CA, Leal M. Lizards as models to explore the ecological and neuroanatomical correlates of miniaturization. BEHAVIOUR 2021. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Extreme body size reductions bring about unorthodox anatomical arrangements and novel ways in which animals interact with the environment. Drawing from studies of vertebrates and invertebrates, we provide a theoretical framework for miniaturization to inform hypotheses using lizards as a study system. Through this approach, we demonstrate the repeated evolution of miniaturization across 11 families and a tendency for miniaturized species to occupy terrestrial microhabitats, possibly driven by physiological constraints. Differences in gross brain morphology between two gecko species demonstrate a proportionally larger telencephalon and smaller olfactory bulbs in the miniaturized species, though more data are needed to generalize this trend. Our study brings into light the potential contributions of miniaturized lizards to explain patterns of body size evolution and its impact on ecology and neuroanatomy. In addition, our findings reveal the need to study the natural history of miniaturized species, particularly in relation to their sensory and physiological ecology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Manuel Leal
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhao Y, Badano D, Liu Z. Two new species of Coniopteryx Curtis from China (Neuroptera, Coniopterygidae). Zookeys 2021; 1015:129-144. [PMID: 33623473 PMCID: PMC7889568 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1015.57451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Two new species of Coniopterygidae, Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) tenuisetosasp. nov., and Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) serratasp. nov., are described from China. Both species differ from congeners in characters of the male genitalia. Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) alticola Sziráki, 2002, is recorded from China for the first time. A key to species of the genus Coniopteryx from China is presented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yaru Zhao
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, ChinaChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Davide Badano
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies ‘Charles Darwin’, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 500185, Rome, ItalySapienza University of RomeRomeItaly
| | - Zhiqi Liu
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, ChinaChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Handschuh S, Aspöck U. First description of male genital sclerites and associated musculature for two members of Coniopterygidae (Insecta: Neuropterida: Neuroptera) based on X-ray microCT imaging. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2020; 57:100951. [PMID: 32512526 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2020.100951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Coniopterygidae are the dwarfs among the Neuroptera. Despite their miniaturisation, the males are equipped with genital sclerites that are excessively heterogeneous. They function in copulation and sperm transfer and have been widely utilized for species identification, as well being considered of high phylogenetic relevance. The present study is the first to describe the musculature associated with the genital sclerites of two species of Coniopterygidae, Helicoconis lutea (Wallengren, 1871) (Aleuropteryginae), and Coniopteryx pygmaea (Enderlein, 1906) (Coniopteryginae) based on X-ray microCT imaging. We found six pairs of muscles associated with the genital sclerites in H. lutea and seven in C. pygmaea. The images depict other internal organs of the posterior abdominal segments, such as gonads and alimentary canal. In both investigated species, the internal sclerites support the ductus ejaculatorius, which - surprisingly - turned out to be a landmark for the identification of closely adjacent internal sclerites and associated musculature. The interpretation of these sclerites as gonocoxites and gonapophyses of the tenth segment (traditionally denoted as parameres and penis) could be corroborated. Thus it is no longer tenable to assert that possession of a "penis" is exclusive to Coniopterygidae, since this sclerite is part of the ground pattern in Neuroptera. Interactions of genital sclerites and corresponding musculature during copulation are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Handschuh
- VetCore Facility for Research, Imaging Unit, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, A-1210, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Ulrike Aspöck
- Natural History Museum, 2nd Zoological Department, Burgring 7, A-1010, Vienna, Austria; Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|