Epacanthaclisis continentalis Esben-Petersen, 1935

Zheng, Yuchen, Badano, Davide, Aspöck, Ulrike, Aspöck, Horst, Hayashi, Fumio & Liu, Xingyue, 2025, Revision of the antlion genus Epacanthaclisis Okamoto, 1910 (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Dendroleontinae), Zootaxa 5657 (1), pp. 1-100 : 13-15

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5657.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:01A734E6-8A47-4856-A7C2-734CC78E51B6
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EB87D8-FFF4-9C7A-56FF-FBBCFDC4FBBE
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Epacanthaclisis continentalis Esben-Petersen, 1935
status

Treatment

Epacanthaclisis continentalis Esben-Petersen, 1935 View in CoL

( Figs. 2A View FIGURE 2 , 5–7 View FIGURE 5 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7 , 18A View FIGURE 18 )

Epacanthaclisis continetalis, Esben-Petersen, 1935: 233 (type locality: “Kataklik, Shyok Valley”; holotype in RMNH). Banks, 1942: 194 ( Epacanthaclisis View in CoL ). Hölzel, 1972: 10 ( Epacanthaclisis View in CoL ). Stange, 1976: 297 ( Epacanthaclisis View in CoL ). Yang, 1987: 212 (records without specimen evidence). Yang, 1988: 206 (records without specimen evidence). Yang, 1992: 447 (records without specimen evidence). Krivokhatsky, 1998: 43 ( Epacanthaclisis View in CoL ). Stange, 2004: 88 ( Epacanthaclisis View in CoL ). Ao et al., 2010: 49 (misidentification of E. ningshana View in CoL ). Chandra & Sharma 2010: 15 ( Epacanthaclisis View in CoL ). Liu & Yang, 2018: 259 (misidentification of E. ningshana View in CoL ). Wang et al., 2018: 49 (misidentification of E. ningshana View in CoL ). Yang et al., 2018: 62 (misidentification of E. ningshana View in CoL ). Yang et al., 2023: 778 (misidentification of E. ningshana View in CoL ).

Epacanthaclisis samarkandica Krivokhatsky, 1998: 51 View in CoL (type locality: Uzbekistan: Takhta-Karachar, western part of Zeravshan Mt.; holotype in ZISP). Stange, 2004: 89 ( Epacanthaclisis View in CoL ). Syn. nov.

Diagnosis. Adult: Vertex with suffused with some dark brown markings, anterior margin mostly pale yellowish-brown. Pronotum pale yellowish-brown, medially with a pair of adjacent longitudinal dark brown stripes; laterally with a pair of short dark lines; lateral margin black. Mesoprescutum dark brown, laterally pale yellowish-brown. Wings apically pointed. Forewing rhegma as an oblique slender pale brownish stripe; markings on cubital area indistinct. Male abdomen mostly dark brown; tergum 4 anterior and posterior margins generally pale yellow; tergum 5 anteriorly pale yellow. The thick part of male external gonocoxites 9 nearly as wide as the internal part; gonocoxites 9 protruded in lateral view; gonostyli 11 slender in caudal view. Male ectoproct barely expanded, rounded in lateral view. Female gonocoxites 9 covered with curved stout setae.

Re-description of adult. Size. Head width: 3.89–4.03 mm; forewing length: 38.56–39.12 mm; hindwing length: 36.75–37.02 mm.

Head. Vertex with suffused with some dark brown markings, anterior margin mostly pale yellowish-brown ( Figs. 6C View FIGURE 6 , 7 View FIGURE 7 ). Scape and pedicel generally yellowish-brown; non-swollen flagellomeres each basally with a brown circular marking; swollen flagellum with an irregular dark brown marking. Frons dark brown ( Fig. 6B View FIGURE 6 ). Clypeus yellowish-brown, covered with some dark and pale setae. Labrum yellowish-brown. Maxillary palpus generally pale yellow, each segments externally with a pale brownish marking. Labial palpus generally brown; distal segment fusiform and with an indistinct yellowish-brown marking. Mandibles yellowish-brown with distal half dark brown.

Thorax. Pronotum pale yellowish-brown, medially with a pair of adjacent longitudinal dark brown stripes; laterally with a pair of short dark lines; lateral margin black; lateral margin covered with many pale hairs. Mesoprescutum dark brown, laterally pale yellowish-brown; mesonotum generally black, medially with a pair of V-shaped pale yellowish-brown markings; markings of mesoscutellum various, generally pale yellowish-brown to dark brown. Metanotum generally black; metascutellum generally black ( Figs. 6C View FIGURE 6 , 7 View FIGURE 7 ). Pleurae dark brown and pale yellowish-brown.

Legs. Covered with many pale and dark setae. All coxae pale yellowish-brown each with a distinct dark spot; tibial spurs brown, barely curved; tarsomeres 1 and 5 generally pale with distally dark brown; tarsomeres 2–4 generally dark; tarsomere 5 as long as entire length of tarsomeres 1–4; pretarsal claws slightly curved, protruded basally. Foreleg: Femur pale yellowish-brown, dorsally dark brown; tibia dark brown, with two pale yellowish-brown markings; tibial spur reaching tip of tarsomere 3. Midleg: Similar to foreleg. Hind leg: Femur pale yellowish-brown, distally dark brown; tibia pale yellow, basally with a dark brown marking, distally dark brown; tibial spur reaching base of tarsomere 2; tarsomere 1 longer than that of fore- and midleg ( Fig. 6A View FIGURE 6 ).

Wings. Mostly hyaline, elongated. Forewing slightly longer than hindwing. Pterostigma pale. Forewing costal space with a brown spot proximad pterostigma; rhegma as an indistinct oblique slender pale brownish stripe; markings on cubital area indistinct; costal, distal half of prefork and basal half of posterior crossveins mostly connected by oblique veinlets; five to six presectoral crossveins present; RP with seven to nine branches; RP origin basal to MP fork, nearly align at CuA fork. Hindwing rhegma absent; two presectoral crossveins present ( Figs. 5 View FIGURE 5 , 6A View FIGURE 6 ).

Abdomen. Male abdomen mostly dark brown; tergum 4 anterior and posterior margins generally pale yellow, posteriorly with three short dark brown stripes, medially with a pair of short stout tufts of bristles, the tip of the pair bristles mixed up in a ball of brown wool ( Fig. 18A View FIGURE 18 ); tergum 5 slightly swollen (probably the condition of specimen), anteriorly pale yellow ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 ). Female abdomen dark brown. Male genitalia. Sternum 9 nearly pentagonal in ventral view, distal part covered with some long setae ( Fig. 6E View FIGURE 6 ). Gonocoxites 9 shaped as a pair of plates ventral view, protruded in lateral view; thick part of male external gonocoxites 9 as wide as the internal part; internal gonocoxites 9 concave in anteroventral view. Gonocoxites 11 widely arched; gonostyli 11 slender in caudal view ( Figs. 6H–L View FIGURE 6 ). Ectoproct barely expanded, semicircular in lateral view, ventradistal part with some stout curved setae ( Figs. 6D–E View FIGURE 6 ). Female genitalia. Pregenital plate tapered. Anterior branches of gonocoxites 8 weakly developed, tuberculate, covered with some setae; posterior branches of gonocoxites 8 wide digitiform, curved; gonapophyses 8 as transversal widely bands. Gonocoxites 9 covered with curved stout setae. Ectoproct narrow, distal margin slightly rounded in lateral view ( Figs. 6F–G View FIGURE 6 ).

Type material. Holotype ♀, “ Kataklik , Shyok Valley ”, 4150 m, 30.VI.1930, Nederlandsche Karakorum- Expeditie, J. A. Sillem / ZMA. INS. 5136946” ( RMNH) . Holotype of Epacanthaclisis samarkandica Krivokhatsky, 1998 , ♂, UZBEKISTAN: “Takhta-Karachar” = Takhtakoracha, W part of Zeravshan Mt. , S of Samarkand, 3– 7.VII.1896, Verygin ( ZISP) .

Additional material examined. 1♂, AFGHANISTAN: Salang-Pass , N-Seite (Khinjan), 2100 m, 5–11.VII.1966 ( NHMW) . 1♀, same locality as above, 9.VII.1969 ( NHMW) . 2♀, PAKISTAN: Swat , Madyan, 1400 m, 19.VI– 4.VII.1971, E. Vartian ( HUAC) .

Distribution. Afghanistan (Baghlan); India; Pakistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa); Tajikistan (Dushanbe, Sughd, Vahdat); Uzbekistan (Qashqadaryo).

Remarks. Krivokhatsky (1998) described E. samarkandica from Uzbekistan, which is very similar to E. continentalis , only differing in minor details such as smaller size and shorter tarsi. However, based on our morphological comparison of the type specimens of both species, and additional especimens, these differences represent individual variation. Furthermore, E. samarkandica and E. continentalis differ little in body markings ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 ), wing shape, and wing spots ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ). Therefore, we consider E. samarkandica syn. nov. as a junior synonym of E. continentalis .

This species has been recorded several times in China ( Yang 1987, 1988, 1992; Ao et al. 2010; Liu & Yang 2018; Wang et al. 2018; Yang et al. 2018, 2023), but based on our examination, we found all Chinese specimens that were identified as this species are misidentification of E. ningshana (see remarks for E. ningshana ). At present, there are no precise distribution records of this species in China. Epacanthaclisis continentalis appears to be endemic to the northern Himalayas to Hindu Kush.