# Contribution to the knowledge of the Neuroptera of the Oriental region of Morocco

Bruno Michel, Alexandre François

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Bruno Michel, Alexandre François. Contribution to the knowledge of the Neuroptera of the Oriental region of Morocco. International Symposium of Neuropterology, Jun 2018, Laufen, Germany. pp.181-186, 10.5281/zenodo.3569399. hal-05174593

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# Contribution to the knowledge of the Neuroptera of the Oriental region of Morocco

Bruno Michel<fnref n="1" /> & Alexandre François<fnref n="2" />

*Received 3rd October 2018; revised and accepted 13th August 2019*

**Abstract.** Captures of Neuroptera were performed in the Oriental region of Morocco, carried out mainly in August using a light trap to inventory the neuropterous insects of the region. During this survey, we recorded 38 species of Myrmeleontidae, four species of Ascalaphidae, three species of Chrysopidae, and one species of Mantispidae, of Hemerobiidae and of Nemopteridae, respectively.

## Introduction

In Morocco, the Emirate Centre for Wildlife Propagation (ECWP) designs and implements an overall conservation strategy aiming to restore and preserve the native populations of the Houbara Bustard, *Chlamydotis undulata* (Jacquin, 1784), of North Africa. To achieve this goal, the ECWP has implemented multi-disciplinary research in areas varied as physiology, nutrition, veterinary medicine and ecology in the Oriental (northeastern) region of Morocco where the bustard's populations are found. The Oriental region is delimited to the East by the border with Algeria, to the West by the Middle Atlas and to the South by the High Atlas (Fig. 1). It consists of a high plateau located at an average altitude of 1000 to 1200 m above sea level [a.s.l.]. Temperatures can fall to between -4°C and -9°C in winter (January–February), and rise to 44°C in summer (July–August). The annual rainfall is about 160 mm with a peak drought in July and especially August.

At the ECWP located close to the town of Missour, an investigation project has been in place for several years to determine precisely the diet of the Houbara Bustard, which is known to be omnivorous and feed on plants, small vertebrates such as lizards and invertebrates. Regarding insects, several surveys were performed to know better the entomological fauna of the Oriental region in order to determine the species preyed on by the bustard. The purpose of the survey of Neuroptera was to complete the data that had earlier focussed on other insect groups such as Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae, Hymenoptera: Formicidae or Orthoptera found in this region of Morocco.

The first list of the Neuroptera of Morocco was published by MONSERRAT et al. (1990). Subsequently, several authors provided additional information (ASPÖCK & ASPÖCK 2009; ASPÖCK et al. 2001; BADANO & PANTALEONI 2012; FAUCHEUX et al. 2012; MICHEL

<footnote n="1">¹ Cirad, CBGP (INRA, Cirad, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ. Montpellier), Montpellier, France; bruno.michel@cirad.fr</footnote>

<footnote n="2">² Emirates Centre for Wildlife Propagation (ECWP), Missour, Morocco; afrancois@ecwp-ma.org</footnote>
2013, 2014; PANTALEONI et al. 2012) and recently ABRAHAM (2017) published an updated inventory of Myrmeleontiformia including descriptions of new species. Currently, 29 species of Coniopterygidae, one species of Sisyridae, two species of Mantispidae, three species of Berothidae, nine species of Hemerobiidae, 33 species of Chrysopidae, seven species of Nemopteridae, 66 species of Myrmeleontidae and 12 species of Ascalaphidae have been recorded in Morocco (Annex 1).

**Material and methods**

The survey was performed during two collecting missions carried out during the month of August. The first mission (15–22.viii.2012) took place in the south of the region and the second mission (03–12.viii.2015) followed a south-north transect from Missour to the north region and the Moulouya River delta. Independently of these two missions, the second author (AF) carried out additional prospectings between April and October.

Neuroptera collections were mainly performed during the night using a light trap. Additional prospection and captures were carried out during the day, in particular in the search for larval stages. The larvae collected were reared at the laboratory of entomology of the ECWP.

<figure><img src="image_2.png" /><figcaption>**Figure 1.** Delimitation of the Oriental region of Morocco. Satellite image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Satellite_image_of_Morocco_in_January_2002.jpg; (Jacques Descloires, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC [Public domain])</figcaption></figure>
During the two missions in August, a total of 16 localities were surveyed covering a wide diversity of biotopes such as the hyper-arid areas of the southern part of the Oriental region, ungrazed meadow at the ECWP or sub-humid and humid zones in the valley and the delta of the Moulouya River.

## Results

The list below includes all the species collected during the missions in August and the additional records taken by the second author (AF).

### 1 - Myrmeleontidae

Palparini: *Palpares angustus* McLachlan, 1898, *P. hispanus* Hagen, 1860.

Dendroleontini: *Bankisus antiatlasiensis* Abraham, 2009.

Nemoleontini: *Creoleon* cf. *aegyptiacus* (Rambur, 1842), *C. cf. griseus* (Klug, 1834), *C. lugdunensis* (Villers, 1789), *Creoleon* spp. (6 unidentified species), *Delfimeus scriptus* Navás, 1912, *Delfimeus* sp., *Distoleon annulatus* (Klug, 1834), *D. divisus* (Navás, 1913), *Macronemurus appendiculatus* (Latreille, 1807), *M. elegantulus* McLachlan, 1898, *M. gallus* Hölzel, 1987, *Macronemurus* sp., *Mesonemurus harterti* Navás, 1919, *Neuroleon* cf. *leptaleus* (Navás, 1912), *N. cf. danieli* (Lacroix, 1922), *Neuroleon tenellus* (Klug, 1834), *Pseudoformicaleo gracilis* (Klug, 1834).

Myrmeleontini: *Myrmeleon fasciatus* (Navás, 1912), *M. gerlindae* Hölzel, 1974, *M. hyalinus* Olivier, 1811.

Nesoleontini: *Cueta lineosa* (Rambur, 1842).

Myrmecaелurini: *Gepus invisus* Navás, 1912, *Myrmecaелurus lachlani* Navás, 1912, *M. lepidus* (Klug, 1834), *Myrmecaелurus* spp. (2 unidentified species), *Nophis teillardi* Navás, 1912, *Solter liber* Navás, 1912, *S. francoisi* Michel, 2014, *S. leopardalis* Michel, 2014.

A total of 38 species of Myrmeleontidae were collected in the Oriental region. The most abundant species, represented by at least 20 specimens, were *Cueta lineosa* (83 specimens), *Distoleon annulatus* (59 specimens), *Neuroleon tenellus* (50 specimens), *Solter liber* (35 specimens), *Creoleon* cf. *aegyptiacus* (24 specimens) and *C. griseus* (20 specimens).

### 2 - Ascalaphidae, Ascalaphinae

*Ascalaphus barbarus* (Linnée, 1767), *Deleproctophylla blusei* Kimmins, 1949, *Libelloides ictericus* (Charpentier, 1825), *Puer algericus* van der Weele, 1908.

All the species are uncommon catches. *Ascalaphus barbarus* was collected in the humid environment of the Moulouya valley whereas the other species were collected in arid or hyper-arid areas.
### 3 – Chrysopidae

Chrysopinae: *Italochrysa stigmatica* (Rambur, 1842), *Suarius walsinghami* Navás, 1914, *Chrysoperla lucasina* (Lacroix, 1912).

The most abundant species was *S. walsinghami*, sometimes represented by very abundant population. The two other species collected during the prospectings were scarce.

### 4 – Hemerobiidae

*Wesmaelius* sp., one male.

### 5 – Mantispidae

*Mantispa aphavexelte* Aspöck & Aspöck, 1994. A single female collected at light.

### 6 – Nemopteridae

One unidentified species of Crocinae. Adults were obtained from larvae collected in rocky cavities with very fine sand on the ground.

## Conclusion

A total of 49 species of Neuroptera were collected in the Oriental region of Morocco, of which 38 belong to Myrmeleontidae and four to Ascalaphidae, representing respectively 58 % and 33 % of the species known from Morocco. Considering the other families, the ratio (number of species collected during the prospecting/number of species recorded in Morocco) is as follows: Chrysopidae 3/12, Mantispidae 1/2, Hemerobiidae 1/9 and Nemopteridae 1/7. These results indicate that the Oriental region, although located at high elevation and subject to harsh winters and very arid summers, harbours a rich and diverse Neuroptera fauna.

In August, most of the Neuroptera species collected with a light trap in the Oriental region of Morocco were Myrmeleontidae, representing 84 % of all the species found.

The study of the material collected showed that several genera are in need of revision, particularly *Creoleon*, *Myrmecaelurus* and *Neuroleon*. Regarding the Myrmecaelurini, the survey yielded two new species belonging to the genus *Solter* (MICHEL 2014).

*Bankisus antiatlasensis* was known only from the type locality in the Anti-Atlas at 1 533 m a.s.l. The capture of this species at Missour greatly extends its area of distribution to the north and shows that it is also present at lower altitude.

*Gymnocnemia editaerevayae* Michel, 2013, described from Oukaimeden, a locality in the High Atlas Mountains at around 2 500 m a.s.l. (MICHEL 2013), was collected again in August south-east of Midelt at 1 960 m a.s.l., close to the southern limit of the Oriental region. Unlike the previous species, it seems that *G. editaerevayae* lives at high elevations and does not reach the Oriental region.

The list of Neuroptera of the Oriental region of Morocco presented here is not likely to be exhaustive and intensive surveys during other periods of the year can be expected to provide new records.
## Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Mrs G. Levêque, Operation Manager of the ECWP Missour, for facilities made available during the stay at the Centre and for travel within the region.

## References

Abraham L. 2017. New data to the Moroccan Myrmeleontiformia (Nemopteridae, Myrmeleontidae, Ascalaphidae) fauna. *Natura somogyensis* 30: 75-138

Aspöck H. & Aspöck U. 2009. Wiederentdeckung des mysteriösen Genus *Pseudimares* Kimmins, 1933, und Beschreibung einer neuen Art aus Marokko, *Pseudimares aphrodite* n. sp. (Neuropteran, Myrmeleontidae). *Entomologische Nachrichten und Berichte* 53: 41-46

Aspöck H., Hölzel H. & Aspöck U. 2001. Komentierter Katalog der Neuropterida (Insecta: Raphidioptera, Megaloptera, Neuroptera) der Westpaläarktis. *Denisia* 2: 1-606

Badano D. & Pantaleoni R.A. 2012. *Agadirius trojani* gen. et sp. nov.: a new owlfly (Neuroptera: Ascalaphidae) from Morocco. *Zootaxa* 3270: 51-57

Faucheux M.J., Giacomino M. & Agnas M'B. 2012. Fourmilions et Ascalaphes (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae-Ascalaphidae) d'Essaouira et Quellidia (Maroc atlantique) - Prospections de 1999 à 2012. Découverte de deux espèces nouvelles pour la faune du Maroc : *Synclisis baetica* (Rambur, 1842) et *Creolon surcoufi* (Navás, 1912). *Bulletin de la Société des Sciences naturelles de l'Ouest de la France* (NS) 34: 159-173

Michel B. 2013. A new species of *Gymnocnemia* Schneider, 1845 from Morocco with additional diagnostic data for the genus (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae). *Zootaxa* 3710: 93-98

Michel B. 2014. A revision of the genus *Solter* Navás, 1912 for Maghreb and West Africa with descriptions of five new species (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae). *Zootaxa* 3887: 529-554

Monserrat V.J., Díaz-Aranda L.M. & Hölzel H. 1990. Contribución al conocimiento de los Neurópteros de Marruecos (Insecta, Neuropteroidea). *Eos* 66: 101-115

Pantaleoni R.A., del Marmol Marin G.M. & Viegara R.L. 2012. Second record of *Pseudimares aphrodite* H. Aspöck & U. Aspöck, 2009 (Neuropterida, Myrmeleontidae). *Biodiversity Journal* 3: 129-131

Stange L.A. 2004. A systematic catalog, bibliography and classification of the world antlions (Insecta: Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae). *Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute* 74: 1-565

## Annex 1

List of Neuroptera recorded from Morocco, excluding Myrmeleontiformia listed by ABRAHAM (2017).

* Coniopterygidae: Aleuropteryginae

Aleuropteryx iberica Monserrat, 1977

Aleuropteryx juniperi Ohm, 1968

Aleuropteryx maculata Meinander, 1963

Aleuropteryx minuta Meinander, 1965

Aleuropteryx wawrikae Rausch & Aspöck, 1978

Helicoconis hispanica Ohm, 1965

Helicoconis maroccana (Carpentier & Lestage, 1928)

Helicoconis pseudolutea Ohm, 1965

* Coniopterygidae: Coniopteryginae

Coniopteryx arcuata Kis, 1965

Coniopteryx atlantica Ohm, 1983

Coniopteryx atlasensis Meinander, 1963

Coniopteryx borealis Tjeder, 1930

Coniopteryx drammonti Rousset, 1964

Coniopteryx haematica McLachlan, 1868

Coniopteryx mucrogonarcuata Meinander, 1979

Coniopteryx perisi Monserrat, 1976

Coniopteryx pygmaea Enderlein, 1906
Coniopteryx tjederi Kimmins, 1934

Conwentzia pineticola Enderlein, 1905

Conwentzia psociformis (Curtis, 1834)

Hemisemidalis pallida (Withycombe, 1924)

Nimboa espanoli Ohm, 1973

Nimboa marroquina Monserrat, 1985

Parasemidalis fusca Meinander, 1963

Semidalis aleyrodiformis (Stephens, 1836)

Semidalis candida Navás, 1916

Semidalis pluriramosa (Karny, 1924)

Semidalis pseudouncinata Meinander, 1963

Semidalis vicina (Hagen, 1861)

Sisyridae

Sisyra iridipennis (Costa, 1884)

Mantispidae: Mantispinae

Mantispa aphavexelte (Aspöck & Aspöck, 1994)

Mantispa styriaca (Poda, 1761)

Berothidae: Berothinae

Isoscelipteron glaserellum (Aspöck, Aspöck & Hölzel, 1979)

Nodalla eatoni (McLachlan, 1898)

Nodalla saharica (Esben-Petersen, 1920)

Hemerobiidae: Hemerobiinae

Hemerobius stigma Stephens, 1836

Wesmaelius lindbergi (Esben-Petersen, 1931)

Wesmaelius navasi (Andréu, 1911)

Wesmaelius subnebulosus (Stephens, 1836)

Hemerobiidae: Sympherobiinae

Sympherobius pygmaeus (Rambur, 1842)

Sympherobius fallax Navás, 1908

Hemerobiidae: Megalomiinae

Megalomus atomarius Navás, 1935

Megalomus tineoides Rambur, 1842

Hemerobiidae: Microminae

Micromus angulatus (Stephens, 1836)

Chrysopidae: Chrysopinae

Brinckochrysa chlorosoma (Navás, 1914)

Chrysopa formosa Brauer, 1850

Chrysopa mimeuri Navás, 1935

Chrysopa nigricostata Brauer, 1850

Chrysopa pallens (Rambur, 1838)

Chrysopa punctata (Navás, 1935)

Chrysopa viridana Schneider, 1845

Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens, 1836)

Chrysoperla lucasina (Lacroix, 1912)

Chrysoperla mediterranea (Hölzel, 1972)

Chrysoperla mutata (McLachlan, 1898)

Cunctochrysa baetica (Hölzel, 1972)

Italochrysa stigmatica (Rambur, 1842)

Nineta guadarramensis (Pictet, 1865)

Peyerimhoffina gracilis (Schneider, 1851)

Pseudomallada alarconis (Navás, 1915)

Pseudomallada flavifrons (Brauer, 1850)

Pseudomallada genei (Rambur, 1842)

Pseudomallada granadensis (Pictet, 1865)

Pseudomallada ifraninus (Navás, 1935)

Pseudomallada irrellus (Navás, 1935)

Pseudomallada maghrebinus (Hölzel & Ohm, 1984)

Pseudomallada picteti (McLachlan, 1880)

Pseudomallada prasinus (Burmeister, 1839)

Pseudomallada subcubitalis (Navás, 1901)

Pseudomallada venosus (Rambur, 1842)

Pseudomallada viridifrons (Hölzel & Ohm, 1999)

Rexa lordina Navás, 1919

Suarius caviceps (McLachlan, 1898)

Suarius maroccanus Hölzel, 1965

Suarius tigridis (Morton, 1926)

Suarius walsinghami Navás, 1914