Abstract
Nemopteridae (spoon-winged or thread-winged lacewings) is a rare group in China, with significant value of conservation. Here, we report a new species of spoon-winged lacewing species, and the third known from China, namely Brevistoma raksasiae Zheng, Ni & Liu sp. nov. (Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from the Turpan Basin in Xinjiang. We also revise the genus Brevistoma Tjeder, 1967, providing redescription of three species: B. bardii (Navás, 1914), B. gallagheri Hölzel, 1999, and B. hackeri Hölzel, 1999. Additionally, we restore the validity of B. bourboni (Navás, 1931) stat. rev. The distribution of the new Brevistoma species is remarkable, as the species of this genus had been recorded in the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa. Our new finding highlights the uniqueness of the insect fauna of the Turpan Basin and its biogeographical connection with the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa.
References
- Abdalla, I.H., Mansell, M.W. & Sole, C.L. (2019) Revision of the southern African genera Nemopterella Banks and Nemia Navás (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae), with descriptions of new genera and species. Zootaxa, 4635 (1), 1–89. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4635.1.1
- Abdalla, I.H., Mansell, M.W., Sole, C.L. & Daniel, G.M. (2024) Phylogeny and historical biogeography of the southern African lacewing genus Afroptera (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae). Systematic Entomology. [online version] https://doi.org/10.1111/syen.12648
- Ábrahám, L. (2014) Contribution to the knowledge of the genus Halter (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae). Natura Somogyiensis, 25, 167–186. https://doi.org/10.24394/NatSom.2014.25.167
- Ábrahám, L. (2017) New data to the Moroccan Myrmeleontiformia (Nemopteridae, Myrmeleontidae, Ascalaphidae) fauna. Natura Somogyiensis, 30, 129–149. https://doi.org/10.24394/NatSom.2017.30.75
- Ábrahám, L. (2020) The Börzsöny lacewing collection I. (Neuroptera: Osmylidae, Mantispidae, Hemerobiidae, Chrysopidae, Nemopteridae, Myrmeleontidae: Ascalaphinae). A Kaposvári Rippl-Rónai Múzeum Közleményei, 7, 35–54. https://doi.org/10.26080/krrmkozl.2020.7.35
- Aspöck, H., Aspöck, U. & Hölzel, H. (1984) Neue Spezies der Genera Kirbynia Navás und Lertha Navás aus Vorderasien und Bemerkungen über Olivierina extensa (Olivier) (Neuropteroidea: Planipennia: Nemopteridae). Entomologische Zeitschrift mit Insektenbörse, 94, 113–121
- Aspöck, H. & Hölzel, H. (1996) The Neuropteroidea of North Africa, Mediterranean Asia and of Europe: a comparative review (Insecta). In: Canard, M., Aspöck, H. & Mansell, M.W. (Eds.), Pure and Applied Research in Neuropterology. Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on Neuropterology. Meeting: 2–6 May 1994, Cairo, Egypt. Privately printed, Toulouse, pp. 31–86.
- Aspöck, H., Hölzel, H. & Aspöck, U. (2001) Kommentierter Katalog der Neuropterida (Insecta: Raphidioptera, Megaloptera, Neuroptera) der Westpaläarktis. Denisia, 2, 1–606.
- Aspöck, U. & Aspöck, H. (2008) Phylogenetic relevance of the genital sclerites of Neuropterida (Insecta: Holometabola). Systematic Entomology, 33, 97–127. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3113.2007.00396.x
- Breitkreuz, L.C.V., Winterton, S.L. & Engel, M.S. (2017) Wing tracheation in Chrysopidae and other Neuropterida (Insecta): a resolution of the confusion about vein fusion. American Museum Novitates, 3890, 13–44. https://doi.org/10.1206/3890.1
- Burmeister, H.C.C. (1839) Handbuch der Entomologie. Zweiter Band [=Vol. 2 (of 2)], Besondere Entomologie. Zweite Abtheilung [=Part 2], Kaukerfe. Gymnognatha. (Zweite [=2nd] Hälfte; vulgo Neuroptera). Theod. Chr. Friedr. Enslin, Berlin, xii + 294 pp. [pp. i–xii + pp. 757–1050]
- Carpenter, F.M. (1960) Fossil Nemopteridae (Neuroptera). Psyche, 66, 20–24. https://doi.org/10.1155/1959/25421
- Domrös, M., Peng, G. & Zhang, S. (1992) The characteristics of the desert climate at Turpan, China. Erdkunde, 46, 217–233. https://doi.org/10.3112/erdkunde.1992.03.04
- Hölzel, H. (1999) Die Nemopteriden (Fadenhafte) Arabiens: ein Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Neuropterida der Arabischen Halbinsel (Neuropterida: Neuroptera: Nemopteridae). Stapfia, 60, 129–146.
- Hölzel, H. (2002) Neuroptera collected by the German Yemen expeditions 1996, 1998 und 2000 (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae, Hemerobiidae, Berothidae, Mantispidae, Nemopteridae, Myrmeleontidae, Ascalaphidae). Esperiana, 9, 129–146.
- Güsten, R. (2003) A checklist and new species records of Neuropterida (Insecta) for Tunisia. Kaupia: Darmstädter Beiträge zur Naturgeschichte, 12, 129–149.
- Kimmins, D.E. (1950) The 3rd Danish Expedition to Central Asia. Zoological Results 4. Odonata, Ephemeroptera and Neuroptera (Insecta) from Afghanistan. Videnskabelige Meddelelser fra Dansk Naturhistorisk Forening, Kobenhaven, 112, 235–241.
- Liu, J.L., Guo, X.G., Chen, D.L., Li, J., Yue, B.S. & Zeng, X.M. (2019) Diversification and historical demography of the rapid racerunner (Eremias velox) in relation to geological history and Pleistocene climatic oscillations in arid Central Asia. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 130, 244–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2018.10.029
- Machado, R.J.P. & Oswald, J.D. (2020) Morphological phylogeny and taxonomic revision of the former antlion subtribe Periclystina (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Dendroleontinae). Zootaxai, 4796 (1), 1–322. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4796.1.1
- Monserrat, V.J. (1985) Lista de los tipos de Mecoptera y Neuroptera (Insecta) de la colección L. Navás, depositados en el Museo de Zoología de Barcelona. Miscellània Zoològica, 9, 233–243.
- Monserrat, V.J. (1988) Revision de las especies de Lertha del mediterraneo occidental (Neuropteroidea, Planipennia: Nemopteridae). Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria. Genova, 87, 85–113.
- Navás, L. (1914) Neurópteros de la Tripolitania. II serie. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria, 46, 202–209. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.14785
- Navás, L. (1924) Algunos insectos del Museo de París. 2.a serie [IIa]. Brotéria, Zoológica, 21, 99–114.
- Navás, L. (1929) Comunicaciones entomológicas. 11. Insectos de la Cirenaica. Revista de la [Real] Academia de Ciencias Exactas Fisico-Quimicas y Naturales de Zaragoza, 13, 13–28.
- Navás, L. (1931) Insectos del Museo de París. 8.a série. Brotéria, Zoológica, 27, 114–136.
- Nel, A. (1991) Nouveaux insectes neuroptéroïdes fossiles de l'Oligocène de France (Neuroptera et Megaloptera). Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, Série 4, Section C (Sciences de la Terre Paléontologie, Géologie, Minéralogie), 12, 327–349.
- Oswald, J.D. (2024) Neuropterida Species of the World. Lacewing Digital Library, Research No. 1. Publication. Available from: http://lacewing.tamu.edu/SpeciesCatalog/Main (accessed 3 December 2024)
- Poggi, R. (1993) Catalogo dei tipi di Neurotteroidei del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale “G. Doria” di Genova (Insecta) [=Catalogue of the Neuropteroidea types in the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale “G. Doria”, Genoa (Insecta)]. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria, 89, 415–444.
- Prost, A. (2016) Les Nemopteridae de Mauritanie (Neuroptera). Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France, 121, 409–412. https://doi.org/10.3406/bsef.2016.2777
- Rambur, [J.]P. (1842) Histoire naturelle des insectes, névroptères. Librairie encyclopédique de Roret. Fain et Thunot, Paris, [xviii] + 534 pp.
- Sole, C.L., Scholtz, C.H., Ball, J.B. & Mansell, M.W. (2013) Phylogeny and biogeography of Southern African spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 66, 360–368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2012.10.005
- Spicer, R.A. (2017) Tibet, the Himalaya, Asian monsoons and biodiversity—in what ways are they related? Plant Diversity, 39, 233–244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pld.2017.09.001
- Sziráki, G. (2011) Order Neuroptera, family Nemopteridae. Arthropod fauna of the United Arab Emirates, 4, 66–71.
- Tillyard, R.J. (1925) A new species of spoon-winged lacewing (family Nemopteridae, order Neuroptera planipennia) from Western Australia. Journal of The Royal Society of Western Australia, 12, 1–4.
- Tjeder, B. (1967) Neuroptera-Planipennia. The Lace-wings of Southern Africa. 6. Family Nemopteridae. South African Animal Life, 13, 290–501.
- Wan, S., Li, A., Clift, P.D. & Stuut, J.B.W. (2007) Development of the East Asian monsoon: mineralogical and sedimentologic records in the northern South China Sea since 20 Ma. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 254, 561–582. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2007.07.009
- Yang, C.K. (1986) Thirty new species and four new genera of Neuroptera from Yunnan, and the family Nemopteridae new to China. Acta Agriculturae Universitatis Pekinensis, 12, 153–166, 423–434.
- Zhang, Z., Ramstein, G., Schuster, M., Li, C., Contoux, C. & Yan, Q. (2014) Aridification of the Sahara desert caused by Tethys Sea shrinkage during the Late Miocene. Nature, 513, 401–404. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature13705
- Zheng, Y.C. & Liu, X.Y. (2024) A mysterious treasure originated from Africa: evolutionary history of the endangered spoon-winged lacewings (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) from China. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, zlae026. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae026