Dicromantispa pehlkei (Enderlein)

Pires Machado, Renato Jose, Li, Hongyu & Ohl, Michael, 2025, Solving taxonomic and nomenclatural problems among the Neotropical species of the family Mantispidae (Insecta, Neuroptera), Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 72 (1), pp. 57-83 : 57-83

Dicromantispa pehlkei (Enderlein)

Fig. 16

Mantispa pehlkei Enderlein, 1910: 351. Lectotype: female ( MZPW) (here designated). Type locality: Colombia.

Notes.

This is another of the Neotropical species, which are still associated with Mantispa . The species was described by Enderlein (1910) based on two specimens from Colombia, a female (Fig. 16 A – G ) and another specimen of unknown sex (its abdomen was probably already lost at that time) (Fig. 16 H – Q ), both deposited at MZPW. We are herein designating the specimen with the indication of female on the label (Fig. 16 G ) as the lectotype, because it is in better condition.

The species was listed by Penny (1977) and included at the world catalogue of Mantispidae by Ohl (2004), who stated that the types were probably lost. This information about the types was later followed by Ardila-Camacho and García (2015) and Snyman et al. (2018). We found the two syntypes deposited at MZPW, both with the abdomen broken but one of them containing the information that it is a female, while the other does not show any information about the sex. Despite the relatively poor condition of both syntypes it is clear that the species belongs in Dicromantispa . This is based on the overall brown body coloration and the pronotum with a few scattered setae in lateral view (Fig. 16 F ), as mentioned in the original description ( Enderlein 1910). Furthermore, both syntypes present the diagnostic characters of D. gracilis , the hyaline wings with some of the major veins yellow (Fig. 16 A ). Dicromantispa gracilis is a widespread species with records from Uruguay to Costa Rica, including Colombia ( Ardila-Camacho and García (2015), with a long list of synonyms ( Ohl 2004). Enderlein (1910) in the original description mentioned that he did not have access to the types of M. iridipennis , another species with the type locality from Colombia, which was herein synonymized under D. gracilis .

Based on the arguments stated above we are herein synonymizing Mantispa pehlkei Enderlein, 1910 under Dicromantispa gracilis ( Erichson, 1839) (new synonym).

Figures

Figure 16. Mantispa pehlkei Enderlein 1910, type material. A – G. Lectotype, female: A. Habitus photo, dorsal view; B, C. Head, frontal and dorsal views; D. Prothorax, dorsal view; E. Pterothorax, dorsal view; F. Head and thorax, lateral view; G. Labels; H – Q. Paralectotype, sex unknown: H, I. Habitus photo, dorsal and lateral views; J. Wings details; K. Labels; L, M. Head, frontal and lateral views; N. Prothorax, dorsal view; O, P. Foreleg, outer and inner surfaces; Q. Pterothorax, lateral view. Scale bars: 10.0 mm (H – J); 5.0 mm (A); 2.0 mm (B – F, L – Q)