Insecta Mundi, Volume 1 (1985/86)
The following described craneflies were discovered during ongoing research at the Museum of the University of Colorado in preparation of parts of the Colorado Natural History Inventory. These Oligocene shale specimens are somewhat difficult to study. This is especially true of Limoniinae with lightly sclerotized veins. With proper illumination and a good binocular microscope, the veins often appear as glittering lines on the shale. The veins often are better seen when the specimen is placed so the veins are illuminated from one end. Sometimes the shale is so rough that this lighting does not improve their visibility. The help of Dr. George W. Byers of University of Kansas was immeasurable during the preparation of this manuscript. He not only verified, or suggested, generic assignment but also prepared the illustrations of venation. Mrs. Grace H. Kemper, as usual, helped with measurements and processing of the manuscript.
The gibba group of Chrysis occurs in many parts of the world. It is characterized in part by a lengthened clypeus. Other features are the usually long malar space, micro-ridging on the scapal basin, a frontal carina (when developed) with a broad M-shape and partial posterior rami (broadly biconvex in one species), tergum II apicolaterally obtuse, and tergum III with 4 teeth or lobes. American forms in the male, and to lesser extent the female, have long whitish hair beneath the head and on the opposing surface of the forecoxae. Other legs are also quite hairy, especially in males. Sternum VIII has ,the posterior one-half poorly developed and membranous.
The genus Pheidole is one of the more important ant genera in the world Approximately 1000 species are now known. Over 400 of these are found in the Neotropical region (Kempf, 1972), and about 75 taxa are known from North America north of Mexico. Pheidole spp. are abundant in many areas, and live in varying habitats ranging from the humid tropics to deserts. They are able to survive in some areas by their habits of collecting and storing seeds as food resources. They are also scavengers of dead insects and other animals, and can be predacious. Some species tends aphids and other homopterans, but this food source, so important to many ant species, is probably of relatively minor importance to most species of Pheidole.
Australian Chrysis form three closely related groups in addition to a few wide-ranging and apparently adventive species. The latter are lincea Fabricius, schiodtei Dahlbom, fuscipennis Brulle, and fossulata F. Smith. The remaining 23 species, including those presently described, appear to be endemic in the Australia-New Guinea area. Recently, Linsenmaier (1982, Entomofauna 3: 323-349) described a number of new species from Australia. Some of these I have been able to recognize and they are included in the key. Others that I am unable to place, possibly through lack of material, are curtisensis from Queensland and dentifrontis from South Australia. I have seen types of nearly all the species in the key. Institutions and individuals who have provided specimens of the new species herein described are given below.
The tribe Acanthaclisini Navas contains 14 described genera which we recognize as valid. We have reared larvae of 8 of these (Acanthaclisis Rambur, Centroclisis Navas, Fadrina Navas, Paranthaclisis Banks, Phanoclisis Banks, Synclisis Navas, Syngenes Kolbe, and Vella Navas). In addition, we have studied preserved larvae from Australia which probably represent the genus Heoclisis Navas. This represents the majority of the taxa, lacking only the small genera Avia Navas, Cosina Navas, Madrasta Navas, Mestressa Navas, and Stiphroneuria Gerstaecker. Studies of these larvae have revealed structural differences, especially of the mandible, which we have employed to provide identification of these genera by means of descriptions, keys, and illustrations. Also, since no modern key exists, we are providing a key to the genera based on adults which will provide some further insight on the generic relationships. Observations on the tribal differences of Myrmeleontidae based on larvae are made with a preliminary key to the known tribes.
Cicindela nigrior Schaupp (1884) has a complex taxonomic history as a subspecies, variety, and aberration of the morphologically plastic tiger beetle C. scutellaris. Schaupp gave the varietal name nigrior to what he apparently thought was a melanistic form of Cicindela scutellaris unicolor Dejean. Leng (1902) listed both nigrior and unicolor as varieties of scutellaris Say. However, Horn (1905) llsted nigrior and unicolor as aberrations of obscura Say (=scutellaris). Later he listed nigrior as a variety of scutellaris unicolor (Horn 1916). The Leng catalog (1920) shows both nigrior and unicolor as subspecies of scutellaris, while Vaurie (1950) and Boyd et al. (1982) placed nigrior as a synonym of unicolor. In this paper we raise the name "nigrior” to species level and present morphological, behavioral, and ecological data to Justify species status.
Descriptions, illustrations, and distributions of adults of 3 species: schottii (=arizonae) from Arizona to southern Texas and northern Mexiko; hayekae n. sp. (=schottii of authors) from Kansas to southern Texas; sallei from Louisiana to New York. Identification Key. The larvae, unknown, are undoubtedly predaceous on larvae (grubs) of Scarabaeidae and other soft bodied insects.