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ABSTRACT A new antlion species, Tyttholeon froehlichi Tavares, Marquez and Contreras sp. n., is described from the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico, an area biogeographically significant for its high number of endemic species. Previously monotypic, Tyttholeon Adams now comprises two Nearctic species. Three of the four genera within the formerly recognized tribe Gnopholeontini and their respective species, all present in the Peninsula of Baja California (Gnopholeon barberi Currie, G. delicatulus Currie, G. zapotecus Stange, Menkeleon bellulus Banks, and Tyttholeon puerilis Adams), are herein diagnosed, illustrated, and have their distribution updated and analyzed. A taxonomic key is provided for Tyttholeon.
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ABSTRACT The XIV International Symposium of Neuropterology (ISN) was held online, between May 23rd and 27th of 2022, with the Universidade Federal de Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil as responsible for the event. This event was carried out for and by researchers with interest in any aspects of biology, systematics, taxonomy, natural history, evolution, and applied studies on the insects of the superorder Neuropterida (Neuroptera, Megaloptera and Raphidioptera). This was the first meeting organized by a South American country, and the first one held online. A total of 141 participants from 24 countries attended the meeting, which was considered the largest number of registered participants among all the versions of the ISN and resulted in 10 keynote lectures (including the Opening Lecture), 21 oral presentations, and 17 poster presentations. The papers in this volume are representative of the lectures, oral presentations, and posters presented at the meeting. We dedicate these proceedings to the memory of the Professor and entomologist Dr. César Carvalho, who was directly responsible for bringing this meeting to Brazil, but unfortunately passed away in September 2018.
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ABSTRACT The tribe Ululodini is one of the most remarkable taxa of Neotropical Neuroptera, mainly due to its great flight ability, eyes divided into two lobes, and production of abortive eggs that act as a chemical barrier against predators. Nonetheless, Ululodini remains little studied. One genus of this tribe, Ascalorphne Banks 1915, currently comprises four valid species: A. macrocerca (Burmeister, 1839), A. impavida (Walker, 1853), A. umbrina (Gerstaecker, 1884), and A. leisewitzi (Navás, 1911). This study reviews the taxonomy of Ascalorphne, redescribing the external morphology and, for the first time, the male and female genitalia. Furthermore, A. leisewitzi is proposed as a new synonym of A. umbrina, an identification key is presented, and the geographic distribution of the genus is updated based on collected specimens and data available in the citizen science project iNaturalist. Also, the body and genital morphology of Ululodini were comparatively studied and analyzed in a phylogenetic context with all other Ascalaphinae tribes that occur in the Neotropics, allowing a better understanding of the evolution and biology of these insects. As a result, new synapomorphies for Ululodini are presented, Albardia furcata Oswald, 1903 is recovered as the sister taxon to the rest of the tribe, Ameropterus Esben-Petersen, 1922 was recovered as paraphyletic, and Ascalorphne was recovered as monophyletic in all analyses.
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ABSTRACT The currently-known extinct Neuropterida fauna of Brazil comprises 18 families, 55 genera and 99 species (Neuroptera: 15 families, 49 genera, 89 species; Raphidioptera: 1 family, 2 genera, 5 species, + 1 genus incertae sedis with 2 species; Megaloptera: 1 family, 2 genera, 2 species; Order incertae sedis: 1 family, 1 genus, 1 species). All of these species have been described since 1980 and they collectively constitute the overwhelming majority of extinct Neuropterida presently known from South America. Other than one species of Permithonidae (Neuropterida incertae sedis) described from the Late Permian Irati Formation (Paraná Basin) of Rio Grande do Sul state, all extinct Brazilian Neuropterida taxa are known only from the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation (Araripe Basin) in Ceará and Pernambuco states. Of the 35 authors who have contributed to the descriptive literature of this fauna over the past 42 years, the work of Brazilian paleontologists Rafael Gioia Martins-Neto [1954-2010] and Maria Aparecida Vulcano-d'Andretta [1921-2018] - who together contributed to the description of 67 species - is especially notable. However, since their deaths, extinct Neuropterida have received little attention from Brazilian scientists and most later work on this fauna has been undertaken by workers outside Brazil. We provide this updated synthesis of the extinct Neuropterida of Brazil in order to centralize baseline knowledge for this fauna, to support efforts to document and conserve Brazilian fossil sites, and to encourage future work on the fauna, particularly by the next generation of Brazilian paleoentomologists.
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ABSTRACT An extensive review of primary and secondary occurrence data, including several new records, of the South American native antlion Dimares elegans (Perty) revealed that this species is endemic to regions of stressful water regime (Caatinga, Cerrado, Chaco and temperate fields) and adjacent areas in Amazon rainforest, Atlantic forest and Pampas. Its known distribution is from Santarém, Pará state, northern Brazil to Río Negro, Chimpay, northwestern Argentina. The known distribution of the species in Brazil has been extended, registering several areas above the São Francisco River (former possible northeastern limit). New limits further east were established from new primary records. For the first time the species is registered from the Brazillian states of Maranhão, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Bahia, Goiáis, Tocantins, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul, São Paulo and Paraná, Brazil. Historical data of occurrence in Goiás (Cerrado) have been geopolitically rectified (Tocantins) and, present occurrence in Goiás is reported by primary data in two new localities. Antlions are mostly xerofilous species, however with recent data this species might present much wider distribution than restricted to seasonally dry forests.
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ABSTRACT This survey presents an overall view of the order Neuroptera from Brazil. A total of 432 valid extant species of Neuroptera divided into ten families, are recorded from the country. Among the Brazilian fauna, 211 species are endemic (48.8%), with the majority belonging to two families: Chrysopidae with 182 species in 19 genera, and Myrmeleontidae with 88 species in 25 genera. The first species discovered from Brazil was Climaciella semihyalina (Le Peletier & Audinet-Serville), in 1825, by European authors. In fact, European authors entirely dominated the description of Brazilian Neuroptera during the 19th century. Father Longinos Navás from Spain authored the highest number of species described from Brazil, 98, followed by US-American Norman Penny, with 83 species. Sérgio de Freitas, a Brazilian researcher, ranks third, with a total of 50 species described. It was not until the 21st century that the study of neuropterans from Brazil was primarily led by Brazilian-born authors. Primary type specimens of species described from Brazil are predominantly deposited in non-Brazilian institutions (65.7%). The order Neuroptera is distributed across all Brazilian states, except for Alagoas. The two states with the highest neuropteran biodiversity are Amazonas and São Paulo, with 132 and 124 species, respectively. Among the Brazilian biomes, the Mata Atlântica is the most diverse region with 227 known species, followed by the Amazônia with 192 species. Data on immature stages of Neuroptera are scarce and known for only 47 species recorded from Brazil (10.9%).
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ABSTRACT The complex taxonomy of Albardia furcata van der Weele is totally related to the unique characters of the adults, which hinder a morphological comparison with other owlfly genera. The behavior and life history of the immature stages of A. furcata are known, but the larval morphology remains undescribed. Herein, we present a morphological description of the A. furcata larva, the most iconic Neotropical owlfly (Myrmeleontidae: Ascalaphinae), a Brazilian species endemic to Cerrado, Caatinga, and Atlantic Forest biomes. The morphological description of the larva was based on three third instar larvae collected in areas of Cerrado and reared at laboratory conditions. We provide high-resolution images from the life cycle, including immature and adults, as well as an updated distributional map. Comments are done on the similarities and differences of the larva regarding other owlflies species and also on biogeography in Neotropical region.
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ABSTRACT Hexapods, commonly known as insects, are a neglected taxonomic group in the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, with unanswered questions about their species richness and the ecological processes in which they are involved (e.g., colonization, introduction, establishment, and extinction). Herein, we provide an updated Hexapod checklist with current nomenclatural combinations. The entomofauna of the Fernando de Noronha archipelago is currently composed of 453 species in 21 orders. The orders, and their respective number of species, are: Blattaria (9), Coleoptera (118), Collembola (29), Dermaptera (3), Diplura (1), Diptera (134), Embioptera (1), Hemiptera (29), Hymenoptera (59), Isoptera (2), Lepidoptera (25), Mantodea (1), Neuroptera (3), Odonata (5), Orthoptera (11), Phasmatodea (1), Phthiraptera (6), Psocoptera (3), Siphonaptera (1), Thysanoptera (10), and Zygentoma (2). The archipelago has 263 new taxon records (family + genera + species). Thirty-eight species (3.39%) were described from local specimens and most of them are likely endemic species. This study more than doubles our knowledge (from the previous 190 records) of the entomofauna in this large Brazilian archipelago. This study also provides a baseline for studies on its conservation status and for implementing future environmental management programs.
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Coletas recentes no estado do Maranhão indicaram que os mecópteros parecem ser abundantes neste estado. Foram estudadas 55 espécimes de quatro espécies: Bittacus diversinervis Souza Lopes & Mangabeira, 1942, B. femoralis Klug, 1836, B. latreillei (Collucci & Amorim, 2000) e Issikiella araguaiensis Penny & Arias, 1983. A maioria dos indivíduos foi coletada entre os meses de outubro e fevereiro, período chuvoso no Maranhão. Uma chave de identificação para essas espécies e a descrição da fêmea de B. latreillei são apresentadas.
Recent field collections in Maranhão state, Brazil, indicate that the mecopterans seem to be abundant in this state. 55 specimens of four species were studied: Bittacus diversinervis Souza Lopes & Mangabeira, 1942, B. femoralis Klug, 1836, B. latreillei (Collucci & Amorim, 2000) and Issikiella araguaiensis Penny & Arias, 1983. Most of the specimens were collected between October and February, the rainy season in Maranhão. An identification key for these species and the description of the female of B. latreillei are presented.