The most important lacewing species in Indian agricultural crops, Chrysoperla sillemi (Esben-Petersen), is a subspecies of Chrysoperla zastrowi (Esben-Petersen) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Abstract

Across the Indian subcontinent, the agriculturally important Chrysoperla carnea species-group of Chrysopidae is represented by a single common species, Chrysoperla sillemi (Esben-Petersen, 1935). However, the cryptic species within the carnea group can be reliably distinguished from one another only by their substrate-borne vibrational duetting songs. Therefore we analyse mating signals recorded from C. sillemi collected at several Indian sites between latitudes 11°N and 31°N. Feature by feature comparison of courtship songs indicates that all the C. sillemi tested conform acoustically to the subspecies C. zastrowi arabica Henry et al. 2006 from the Middle Eastern region. Adult and larval morphology confirm that diagnosis. Here, we revise the nomenclature of the carnea group of Chrysoperla Steinmann 1964 to reflect our findings, and erect Chrysoperla zastrowi sillemi stat. rev. to include both the Indian and Middle Eastern populations. Chrysoperla zastrowi arabica Henry et al. 2006 becomes a junior synonym of the new subspecies.