Leucochrysa (Leucochrysa) pretiosa (Banks 1910)

Leucochrysa pretiosa là một loài côn trùng trong họ Chrysopidae thuộc bộ Neuroptera. Loài này được Banks miêu tả năm 1910.

Head (Fig. 22): 1.7–1.9 mm wide (including eyes). Frons, clypeus white, red suffused, or entirely red; gena pink to dark red; maxillary and labial palpi yellowish. Vertex with central area raised, yellowish to green, with prominent, dark red to dark brown, V-shaped mark along anterior margin; lateral margins with narrow to wide stripes; post-ocular area with red spot. Antenna: scape tinged with red-wine coloration, especially mesally; pedicel yellowish green, inner margin with dark mark; flagellum cream-colored, with amber bristles; inner margin of basal ca three flagellomeres tinged with black; dorsal antennal fossae marked with red laterally. Thorax (Fig. 22):Cervix with red mark laterally. Pronotum 1.1–1.5 mm long, 1.2–1.4 mm wide, yellowish green, unmarked. Mesonotum, metanotum variable, entirely dark brown to yellow with brown marks of various sizes. Posterior margin of mesoscutum with prominent dark brown, transverse stripe; metascutum with small or large brown marks; mesoscutellum, metascutellum yellow to light green, without marks. Wings (Fig. 9A–B) Forewing 18.5–21.8 mm long, 7.2–7.9 mm wide (at widest point); ratio of length: maximum width = 2.51–2.75:1. Costal area moderately broad; tallest costal cell (#8–10) 1.6–1.9 mm tall, 2.4–2.8 times width, 0.2–0.3 times width of wing (midwing). First intramedian cell quadrangular, width (anterior margin) 1.5–2.0 times width (anterior margin) of m3, 1.0–1.2 times length of posterior margin of m3, length of basal vein (= ma, median arculus) 2.0–3.8 times greater than length of distal vein. First radial crossvein distal to origin of radial sector (Rs); radial area (between Radius and Rs) with single row of 15–19 closed cells; tallest cell (#7–10) 1.72–2.80 times taller than wide. No crassate veins; 5–6 b cells (= cells beneath Rs, not including an inner gradate vein). Two series of gradate veins; 8–10 inner gradates, 8–10 outer gradates. Height of fourth gradate cell 3.5–5.5 times width. Seven to eight b’ cells (cells beneath pseudomedia after im2). Three intracubital cells (two closed). Membrane mostly clear except basal area marked with reddish brown, stigma opaque, with large dark brown mark basally, dark clouding around second m-cu crossvein and around distal Psm–Psc crossveins, sometimes with clouding around distal leg of im1 and around crossveins between distal b’ cells. Veins mostly green, except basal costal crossveins, base of Radius, ca three radial crossveins, distal Psm–Psc crossveins, outer gradates, and forks of marginal veins usually entirely black; costal crossveins with black tips; inner gradates, posterior crossveins of distal b’ cells mostly black. Hindwing 16.4–19.4 mm long, 5.5–6.7 mm wide. Two series of gradate veins; 7–10 inner, 7–9 outer; 15–17 radial cells (counted from origin of Radius, not false origin). Five to six b cells (including small b1 cell); seven b’ cells beyond im2; two intracubital cells (one closed). Membrane clear; stigma with pronounced brown mark basally. Veins mostly light green; outer gradates, tips of costal crossveins brown to black. Abdomen (Figs 15, 23–26): Tergites with mostly short, slender setae throughout, sternites with longer, slender setae; microsetae dense; pleural region with setae small, very sparse, microsetae very small. Tergites narrow, roughly rectangular, with rounded or irregular margins. Spiracles oval externally; atria not enlarged. Sternites S2–3 longer than wide; S5–7 more square-shaped (lateral view); distal segments (beyond A4) expanded, height of pleural region greater than height of sternites [integument of cleared specimens soft, floppy, easily damaged]. Coloration: mostly green, with yellow mesally. Tergites T5, T6 with large black spots, bordered by red; callus cerci white; setae, trichobothria golden. Male. Height and length of S6 ca equal, S7 height ca 1.1–1.2 times length (lateral view). Microtholi dense on S4–S8, usually sparse, only present distolaterally on S3 (rarely, a few microtholi along posteromesal edge), absent from S1–2, S9. Callus cerci slightly oval (ca 1.2–1.3× taller than wide), diameter 0.16–0.23 mm, with 28–38 trichobothria of variable length. T9+ectoproct soft, lightly sclerotized, rounded posterodorsally, truncate to rounded distally, broadly fused mesally, midline with small distal cleft; ventral section rounded, tapering proximally, extending proximally only to suture line between fused S8 and S9 (dorsal margin); dorsal apodeme lightly to moderately sclerotized, straight, with two dorsal forks before callus cerci, curving along ventral margin of ectoproct to terminus; first branch of dorsal apodeme extending posterodorsally to level midway up callus cerci; second branch extending around proximal, dorsal and posterodistal margins of callus cerci. S8+9 fused, with trace of suture dorsally, with clear intersegmental demarcation throughout; S8 1.6–2.0× taller than long, less than one-half (0.36–0.45×) length of S8+9; S8+9 (lateral view) with proximal margin slightly convex, dorsal surface gradually curving ventrally over 3/4ths distance from proximal margin, then curving steeply to terminus; terminus without knob or gonocristae; membrane above terminus with pair of large, eversible, membranous pouches. Gonarcus well sclerotized, arcuate, total span: 0.40–0.65 mm; bridge broad, straight mesally, curved abruptly at interior margin of gonocornua, dorsoventrally flattened, distance between apodemes 0.30–0.36 mm; lateral apodeme bell-shaped, broader ventrally than dorsally (0.32–0.36 mm wide, 0.18–0.19 mm tall); gonocornua extending from lateral edge of gonarcal bridge, basally stout, tapering to narrow, rounded apex, length 0.08–0.13 mm; distance between inner bases of gonocornua 0.08–0.13 mm, distance between tips 0.11–0.16 mm. Gonarcus, between lateral apodeme and gonocornu, with moderately sclerotized, elongate posteroventral processus with membrane attached. Mediuncus with basal section consisting of broad, leathery, membranous plate extending from distal margin of gonarcal bridge, recurving below gonarcal bridge; distal section of mediuncus consisting of heavily sclerotized, flat, broadly V-shaped plate, below and well separated from gonarcus; distal plate with mesal beak extending ventrally, deep mesal trough dorsally, between rounded, lateral ridges that extend above beak; membrane below gonarcus forming deep pouch with two fields of three to six stout gonosetae on chalazae; fields of gonosetae on surface of membrane facing mediuncus. Hypandrium internum: arm 0.20–0.24 mm long, distal span between arms 0.17–0.24 mm. Female. Height of S6 ca 0.62–0.70 times length, S7 height ca 0.51–0.57 times length. Callus cerci round, diameter ca 0.15 mm, with 24–28 trichobothria. Tergite T8 roughly quadrate (lateral view) with rounded corners, similar in depth to T6. T9+ectoproct elongate, slanting anteriorly; ventral margin convex, extending slightly below level of gonapophyses laterales. Dorsal margin of S7 straight, tapering abruptly distally; terminus unmodified, with terminal (posteroventral) setae slightly more numerous, longer than in other areas. Gonapophysis lateralis rounded throughout, ca 0.53–0.58 times height of T9+ectoproct; inner membranous surface slightly expandable, with vertical patch of small, delicate setae arising from slightly swollen membrane. Colleterial complex consisting of membranous gland connected to colleterial reservoir via broad duct, and elongate, ribbon-like accessory gland, both opening to exterior via narrow ducts above transverse sclerite; colleterial gland elongate, robust; colleterial reservoir shorter, robust; accessory gland narrow, elongate, granular, forked distally; transverse sclerite broad, flat to slightly convex, with broad, robust teeth. Spermatheca bowl-shaped basally (0.3–0.4 mm width x 0.2 mm height), with invagination tubular, extending around wall of spermathecal bowl; distal, tubular section of spermatheca broad, convoluted with ca 10 complete loops; spermathecal duct short, ca 0.8 mm including membranous, brushy, distal section, with single short, well sclerotized loop basally, longer, lightly sclerotized, brushy loop distally. Bursa copulatrix saccular, with heavily textured surface near bursal duct, becoming smoother posteriorly; bursal duct membranous, broad, flat, folded, spinose basally (near spermathecal velum), becoming broader, granulose, with patches of small, then large, robust pegs distally (near base of bursa); pair of elongate, tubular bursal glands attached to base of each side of bursa via enlarged, granular, conical bases. Subgenitale with smooth (unfolded), rounded surface, with bilobed projection dorsally, ca two times wider distally than at base, midsection with prominent lobe extending outward at ca 90° angle to subgenitale surface.

Southern Mexico,northern to southern Central America, the Caribbean region, and northern region of South America (Venezuela, central Ecuador, and western Colombia) [based on confirmed published records and specimens examined]. Mexico: Chiapas. Belize: Cayo District. Costa Rica: Provinces of Cartago, Puntarenas. Panama: Canal Zone. Trinidad & Tobago: Trinidad Island. Venezuela: States of Amazonas, Aragua, Carabobo, Falcón, Lara, Mérida, Miranda, Portuguesa, Táchira, Yaracuy, Capital District. Colombia: Department of Valle del Cauca. Ecuador: Provinces ofEsmeraldas,Napo, Pichincha. Paraguay: Department of Caaguazú. The treatment of Leucochrysa (Leucochrysa) pretiosa by Freitas and Penny (2001: 281) was based on misidentified specimens in the FCAV-UNESP; thus, their distribution records were not included here. Banks’ (1945: 168) records from Central America (Barro Colorado, Canal Zone; El Cermeno and La Campana, Panama; Cayuga, Volcan [prob. Volcán] Sta. Marta, and Alta Vera Paz, Guatemala; Limon [prob. Limón], Costa Rica) and his records from Colombia (Banks 1944: 31) are all well within the confirmed range of Leucochrysa (Leucochrysa) pretiosa. We have seen specimens from most of the areas he reported; however, we have not examined his specimens. The northern-most specimen of Leucochrysa (Leucochrysa) pretiosa that we have seen is from Chiapas, Mexico. Valencia Luna et al. (2006: 48) also reported the species from Morelos, Mexico; however, we have not seen specimens to confirm the report. The southern-most record is based on a single specimen, with somewhat obscure data that we interpreted as referring to the Mennonite Colony of Sommerfeld, ca 210 km east of Asunción, Paraguay. This locality is far south of the second southern-most record for the species (north-central Ecuador).