Afroptera pilosa 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 pilosa

description: Afroptera pilosa (Tjeder, 1967) comb. nov.
(Figs 71, 98, 132, 140, 156)
Synonymy
Nemopterella pilosa Tjeder, 1967: 478.
Etymology. Unknown, but probably from the Latin word pilosa (hairy) for its hirsute thorax and abdomen.
Type locality. South Africa, Western Cape Province. Dikbome, 32°53’S 21°22’E.
Type depository. SAMC.
Diagnosis. Large species with striped thorax. Morphologically resembles A. obtusa. A comparison of these two species is provided in the diagnosis of A. obtusa.
Size (mm). Male: body length 9.7 (8.3–12.6); forewing 23.8 (21.5–27.4); hind wing 53.7 (48.1–62.1); antenna 19.8 (16.5–24.3); Female: body length 10.8 (8.7–12.1); forewing 22.8 (18.7–25); hind wing 46.8 (35.3–56.1); antenna 13.5 (10.8–16.2). (N = 48).
Type material examined. SOUTH AFRICA, Western Cape Province. Holotype ♂ (Fig. 132), SAM–NEU– A001273, Dikbome, Merweville Koup [32°53’S 21°22’E] C.P (white printed label) / Holotypus ♂, Nemopterella pilosa, Bo Tjeder 1966 (red handwritten label). (SAMC).
Other material examined. SOUTH AFRICA, Western Cape Province. 4♂ 2♀, NEUR12538, Wamakerskraal Farm, Laingsburg Dist, 33°01’24’’S 21°36’43’’E, 350m, 11.x.2008, J.B.Ball, A.P.Marais, At light / Nemopterella pilosa Tjeder, 1967, Det. M.W.Mansell 2017; 11♂ 8♀, NEUR10048, Oorlogskloof Farm, Klaarstroom District, 33°21’48’’S 22°43’34’’E, 897m, 21.xi.2008, At light, A.P.Marais; 4♂ 2♀, NEUR10229, Koup Siding, Laingsburg District, 33°07’40’’S 21°16’36’’E, 741m, At light, 17.x.2009, A.P.Marais; 3♀, NEUR10121, Miertjieskraal Farm, Ladysmith District, 33°49’09’’S 21°08’01’’E, 299m, 26.xi.2008, At light, A.P.Marais; 2♂ 5♀, NEUR12585, Mid- deldrif Farm, Laingsburg District, 33°03’13’’S 21°16’14’’E, 708m, At light, 18.x.2009, A.P.Marias. Northern Cape Province. 5♂ 2♀, NEUR09742, Williston Farm, 30°51’S 21°26’E, 20.x.2001, H.S.Staude. (All SANC).
Distribution and habitat. Afroptera pilosa has been recorded from the Northern and Western Cape Provinces (Fig. 156). In the former province, it is confined to the Bushmanland Bioregion in the Nama Karoo Biome where the habitat comprises salty, mud-stone soils and receives predominantly late summer / early autumn rains with an average of 100–200 mm per year. Dwarf succulent and spiny shrubs are dominant. While in the latter province, the distribution is in the Rainshadow Valley Karoo, Lower Karoo and Renosterveld Bioregions of the Succulent Karoo, Nama Karoo and Fynbos Biomes, respectively. Two populations have been reported from the Rainshadow Valley Karoo; one seems to be associated with the Koedoesberge-Moordenaars Karoo vegetation type (see description of the vegetation type under distribution of A. obtusa). Another population has been recorded from Prince Albert Succulent Karoo vegetation unit to the west of Prince Albert (see description of the unit under distribution of N. remifera). In the Lower Karoo Bioregion the species has been found in association with Gamka Karoo vegetation type (see description of the vegetation type under distribution of A. exigua). In the Renosterveld Bioregion the vegetation cover is mostly comprises Montagu Shale Renosterveld type and includes Acacia karoo, succulent shrubs.
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 66-68, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4635.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3335102