Dorsomitus tjederi Michel & Mansell 2018, gen. et sp. nov.
Creators: name: Michel, Bruno
name: Mansell, Mervyn W.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Neuroptera
Ascalaphidae
Dorsomitus
Dorsomitus tjederi

description: Dorsomitus tjederi Michel gen. et sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:666BFC9D-4117-426E-880C-B0 CAD 5E9E600
Fig. 2
Diagnosis
Male
Prongs of the forked projection of first abdominal segment twice as long as wide (Fig. 2D–E). Lateral surface of abdominal tergites 2 and 3 covered with short black spines (Fig. 2C–D).
Etymology
The first author dedicates this species to the late Dr. Bo Tjeder in gratitude for his huge contribution to the knowledge of Neuroptera.
Material examined
Holotype ZIMBABWE: ♂, Marondera (“Rhodesia, Marandellas ”), -18.19, 31.55, alt. 1640 m, Nov. 1961, “ Disparomitus neavei det. D.E Kimmins 1963” (NHMUK 1963-439) (Fig. 2A).
Other specimens
MALAWI: 1 ♂, Chisasira Forest Reserve, -11.85, 34.08, 25 Dec. 2001, R.J. Murphy leg. (SANC NEUR05937).
SOUTH AFRICA: 1 ♂, Ben Lavin Nature Reserve, 9 km South of Louis Trichardt, -23.04, 29.91, alt. 950 m, 8–14 Dec. 2000, M. Krüger leg. (SANC NEUR09310); 1 ♂, same but 8 Dec. 2000 (SANC NEUR09310); 1 ♂, Bluegums Poort Farm, -22.97, 29.88, alt. 1445 m, 15 Oct. 1999, J. Joannou leg. (SANC NEUR05778); 1 ♂, D’Nyala Nature Reserve, -23.75, 27.83, alt. 893 m, 17 Dec. 1987, E. Van der Linde leg. (SANC NEUR00775); 1 ♂, Manoutsa Resort, -24.4, 30.62, alt. 504 m, 24 Nov. 1981, R.G. Oberprieler leg. (SANC NEUR00080); 1 ♂, same but 24 Nov. 1981, M.W. Mansell leg. (SANC NEUR00083); 1 ♂, Pafuri, -22.43, 31.21, alt. 216 m, 24 Dec. 1973, H. & A. Braack leg. (SANC NEUR09295); 1 ♂, same but 6 Dec. 1986, L.E.O. Braack leg. (SANC NEUR08750).
ZIMBABWE: 1 ♂, Arcturus, -17.78, 31.32, 7 Nov. 1999, A.J. Gardiner leg. (SANC NEUR09311); 1 ♂, Harare, Glenborne, -17.25, 31.03, 3 Dec. 1992, A.J. Gardiner leg. (SANC NEUR09312); 1 ♂, Lawrenceville, -19.03, 32.73, alt. 1500 m, 6 Dec. 1994, N.J.S. Duke leg. (SANC NEUR01985).
Description
Male
HEAD. Frons black with luteous margins to eyes. Labrum and clypeus yellowish. Tufts of hairs between bases of antennae brownish. Antennae brown with yellowish mark on external apical part of each antennomere. This mark (not clearly visible on all the specimens) is more visible on the last segments. Segments of the club yellowish, bordered with brown apically.
THORAX. Grey to yellowish-brown. Prescutum of mesothorax with dark oval marking divided medially by a narrow longitudinal clear line. Dorsal part of mesoscutum with an elongate dark marking (Fig. 2A). Lateral and ventral part of thorax testaceous, lighter than the dorsal part, covered with silky white hairs (Fig. 2B). Legs dark brown with apex of femora yellow and two yellow markings on the dorsal surface of tibiae (Fig. 2B). Tarsi dark brown.
ABDOMEN. Prongs of the forked projection of abdominal segment 1 of male twice as long as wide (Fig. 2D–E). Lateral surfaces of abdominal tergites 2 and 3 covered with short black erect spines (Fig. 2C–D). Dorsal area of same tergites glabrous (Fig. 2C). Second abdominal tergite with two basal black shiny areas and two longitudinal sinuate dark lines (Fig. 2F). Ectoprocts extended laterally with one apical stout black seta (Fig. 2G). Subgenital plate convex, yellowish laterally, bordered with brown, tapering to a sub-rounded apex. Gonarcus-parameres complex as in Fig. 2H–J. Parameres not extended downwards by a carina (Fig. 2H, J). Pulvini well developed, lacking setimere (Fig. 2G).
Distribution
Known from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Malawi (Fig. 4).
Remarks
Considering the shape of the prongs of the forked projection of segment 1 of male, and the spine-like setae on the lateral surface of abdominal tergites 2 and 3, and pending the observation of additional specimens, we consider that the species briefly described and illustrated by Tjeder (1992) is D. tjederi gen. et sp. nov.
description: Published as part of Michel, Bruno & Mansell, Mervyn W., 2018, A new genus and species of owlfly from eastern and southern Africa (Neuroptera: Ascalaphidae), pp. 1-12 in European Journal of Taxonomy 413 on pages 4-8, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2018.413, http://zenodo.org/record/1200280