Two new endemic species of Chrysopodes (Neosuarius) (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae) from the Galapagos Islands

Catherine Tauber,Maurice Tauber

doi:10.3897/zookeys.42.359

Abstract

Two new species that were previously undistinguished from the Galapagos endemic Chrysopodes (Neosuarius) nigripilosus (Banks), are described. Th ese descriptions double, from two to four, the number of endemic green lacewing species known from the archipelago. Th e four species include: Chrysoperla galapagoensis (Banks), Chrysopodes (N.) nigricubitus sp. n.; C. (N.) nigripilosus; and C. (N.) pecki sp. n. Th ree of these species – C. (N.) nigripilosus, C. (N.) nigricubitus and Chrysoperla galapagoensis – each occur on more than one island, whereas C. (N.) pecki is known only from the summits of two craters on Isabela Island. A suite of very distinctive features diff erentiates the three Galapagos Chrysopodes (N.) species from their congeners on mainland South America. Subtle, but consistent characteristics separate the three Galapagos species from each other. Th e small degree of morphological divergence among the Galapagos lacewings is in marked contrast to the spectacular radiation of Hawaiian lacewings; the processes of diversifi cation and speciation may diff er signifi cantly between the two island archipelagos.

Highlights

The diversity of insect species reported from the Galápagos Islands is relatively low (e.g., Linsley and Usinger 1966; Parkin et al 1972; Peck 2001); this generalization appears true for the green lacewings (Chrysopidae)
In the most recent synopsis of the Galápagos fauna, Peck (2001) listed only four species: (a) two endemics [Chrysoperla galapagoensis (Banks, 1924) and Chrysopodes (Neosuarius) nigripilosus (Banks, 1924)] and (b) two others with broad distributions in Central and South America [Chrysoperla externa (Hagen, 1861) and Ceraeochrysa cincta (Schneider, 1851)]. Both endemic species are known from several islands in the archipelago, and despite numerous scientific expeditions, no new endemic chrysopid species have been described since Neuroptera were first recorded from the Galápagos (Banks 1924)
Our study revealed that the specimens express subtle variation that, for the most part, appears consistent with intraspecific variation in C. (N.) nigripilosus; in two cases, the variation is strongly indicative of new species

Summary

Introduction

The diversity of insect species reported from the Galápagos Islands is relatively low (e.g., Linsley and Usinger 1966; Parkin et al 1972; Peck 2001); this generalization appears true for the green lacewings (Chrysopidae). In the most recent synopsis of the Galápagos fauna, Peck (2001) listed only four species: (a) two endemics [Chrysoperla galapagoensis (Banks, 1924) and Chrysopodes (Neosuarius) nigripilosus (Banks, 1924)] and (b) two others with broad distributions in Central and South America [Chrysoperla externa (Hagen, 1861) and Ceraeochrysa cincta (Schneider, 1851)]. Both endemic species are known from several islands in the archipelago, and despite numerous scientific expeditions, no new endemic chrysopid species have been described since Neuroptera were first recorded from the Galápagos (Banks 1924). Two new endemic species of Chrysopodes (Neosuarius) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) from... 49

Materials and methods

Discussion