Afroptera parva Abdalla & Mansell & Sole 2019, comb. nov.
Creators: name: Abdalla, Ishtiag H.
name: Mansell, Mervyn W.
name: Sole, Catherine L.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Neuroptera
Nemopteridae
Afroptera
Afroptera parva

description: Afroptera parva (Tjeder, 1967) comb. nov.
(Figs 69, 100, 125, 148, 151)
Synonymy
Nemopterella parva Tjeder, 1967: 489.
Etymology. Probably from the Latin word parva (small) for its small size.
Type locality. South Africa, Western Cape Province. Waterval, Tanqua Karoo, 32°13’S 19°24’E.
Type depository. SAMC.
Diagnosis. A small species, antennae short, not reaching pterostigma, with short membranous antennal apex and rounded wing apices with no pre-apical emargination. Afroptera parva is closely related to A. exigua. Similarity and differences between these two species are provided in the diagnosis of A. exigua.
Size (mm). Male: body length 7.7 (6.1–9.2); forewing 18.7 (15.9–21.8); hind wing 39.6 (31.7–45.2); antenna 12.9 (11.2–14.6); Female: body length 9.9 (7.2–10.7); forewing 20.2 (17.4–21.2); hind wing 41.9 (35.2–47.9); antenna 12.8 (10.5–12.9). (N = 45).
Type material examined. SOUTH AFRICA, Western Cape Province. Holotype ♂ (Fig. 125), SAM–NEU– A001256 / Tankwa Karoo, Waterval [32°13S 19°24E], C.P. [Nov. 1952], [Museum Staff] (white printed label) / Holotypus ♂ Nemopterella parva Tjed., Bo Tjeder 1966 (red printed label). Paratypes: 2♂, SAM–NEU–A001256 and 1♀, SAM–NEU–A001255, same data as holotype. (SAMC).
Other material examined. SOUTH AFRICA, Western Cape Province. 2♂, NEUR 00706, Mierkraal Farm, Bie- douw Valley, 32°04S 19°24E, 29.ix.1986, M.W.Mansell, J.H.Hoffmann / Handnetted / Nemopterella parva Tjeder, 1967, Det. M.W. Mansell 1986; 4♀, NEUR 09683, Doornfontein Farm, Tanqua Karoo, 32°35’S 19°33’E, 20–21.x. 2006, 432m, A.K.Brinkman; 1♂ 2♀, NEUR 10228, Koup Siding, Laingsburg District, 33°07’40’’S 21°16’36’’E, 741m, At light, 17.x.2009,A.P.Marais; 1♂ 4♀, NEUR 09930, Wamakerskraal Farm, Laingsburg Dist., 33°02’03’’S 21°35’36’’E, 350m, 11.x.2008, J.B.Ball, A.P.Marais. Northern Cape Province. 1♂, NEUR 09620, Richtersveld, 50 km NE Groot- derm, 3.ix.1989, 29°19’00’’S 16°55’00’’E, J.G.H.Londt, B.R.Stuckenberg / Sandy valley below a rocky hillside, 350m; 4♂ 4♀, NEUR 08907, Richtersveld, Cornells Kop, 145m, 28°25’S 16°53’E, 2816Bd, 9.x.1974, M.W.Mansell, H.D.Brown / Collected at mercury vapour light, arid rocky terrain; 2♂ 2♀, NEUR 09770, Kabas Farm, 10 Km NE Pofadder, 29°02S 19°26E, 800m, 27.x.1996, M.W.Mansell, C.H.Scholtz / Collected at light; 1♂ 1♀, NEUR 09784, same locality, 1.xi.1996, M.W.Mansell / Collected at light; 2♀, NEUR 08924, Augrabies Falls Nat. Park, 28°35’S 20°21’E, x.1984, L.E.O.Braack / Collected at light; 3♂, NEUR 08909, Richtersveld, Top of Hellskloof Pass, Para- dysberg, 880m, 28°19’S 16°50’E (2816 Bd), 10.x.1974, M.W.Mansell, H.D.Brown; 1♀, NEUR 12197, Koms Farm, Keimoes, 28°44’08’’S 20°56’15’’E, 730m, 24.x.2013, P.de Vos, House light; 1♂ 1♀, NEUR 12535, same locality 12–13.viii.2013, P.de Vos, Handnetted; 4♀, NEUR 12584, same locality, 23.ix.2013, P.de Vos, Light. (All SANC).
Distribution and habitat. In South Africa, N. parva is known from the Northern and Western Cape provinces from localities mainly centred in the Succulent Karoo and Desert Biomes (Fig. 151). In the former biome, the collection sites fall mainly within the Rainshadow Valley Karoo, Namaqualand Sandveld and Richtersveld Bioregions (Mucina & Rutherford 2006). In the Rainshadow Valley Karoo Bioregion, one population is confined to the Agter- Sederberg Shrubland vegetation unit; where the vegetation mainly comprises succulent and non-succulent elements. Winter rains are predominant with an average of 250 mm per year. Another population occurs in the Tankwa Karoo vegetation unit where the habitat is typified by low winter rainfall (≤ 112 mm) and poor vegetation cover dominated by scattered low succulent shrubs, herbaceous climbers and annual flora (Mucina & Rutherford 2006). It has also been reported from the Koedoesberge-Moordenaars Karoo vegetation unit (see description of the habitat under the distribution of N. obtusa). Distribution in the Namaqualand Sandveld Bioregion is chiefly in Richtersveld Coastal Duneveld vegetation where there are sand dunes, large hills, extreme wind, frequent fog, winter rains, with succulent shrubs, woody succulent climber parasitic and herbs being important features of the habitat (Mucina & Rutherford 2006). In the Richtersveld Bioregion the collection site is on a wide plain of alluvial, loamy, sandy gravel soils dominated by the Upper Annisvlakte Succulent Shrubland vegetation type, where the main components are dwarf leaf succulent shrubs and geophytic herbs. The species has also been found in the Bushmanland Inselberg Shrubland vegetation unit (see description of the habitat in the unit under distribution of A. dyscrita). Afroptera parva is also known from the Namib Desert Bioregion in the Desert Biome. This range falls within the Western Gariep Hills Desert vegetation unit north of the Richtersveld where the species was collected in a hilly and open habitat, covered by leaf-succulent shrubs, low shrub, succulent and geophytic herbs. The area receives winter rains with an average of 45–60 mm per year (Mucina & Rutherford 2006).
description: Published as part of Abdalla, Ishtiag H., Mansell, Mervyn W. & Sole, Catherine L., 2019, Revision of the southern African genera Nemopterella Banks and Nemia Navás (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae), with descriptions of new genera and species, pp. 1-89 in Zootaxa 4635 (1) on pages 59-62, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4635.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3335102