Lacewing Species Research Articles

Influence of Height on the Abundance and Richness of Green Lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) in an Anthropically Modified Habitat.

Investigation of the diversity of lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) is crucial in agricultural systems, as these insects are important predators of many pest species. Recent studies have shown that height influences the abundance and richness of insects. Information on these factors is scarce for species of Chrysopidae at different heights in agricultural and forest environments. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of height on the abundance and richness of green lacewings in an anthropically modified environment. Multilure traps baited with putrescine and ammonium acetate were placed in four areas of the "Luiz de Queiroz" Campus (Piracicaba, São Paulo State, Brazil) at two heights (2 and 10m) from April 2019 to March 2020. Species captured in traps hung at 2 and 10m above the ground surface were studied with the faunistic analysis ANAFAU, using ecological parameters and diversity indices. The similarity between the species was measured using the Morisita-Horn coefficient. Thirteen species of Chrysopidae were captured, and more species and specimens of green lacewings were collected with the traps at 2m than at 10m, that is, height influenced the abundance and richness of the lacewing species. Leucochrysa (Nodita) cruentata (Schneider) was predominant in most areas studied. The highest diversity and abundance of green lacewings was observed on Areão farm in trap at 2m height. However, Ceraeochrysa claveri (Navás) and Ce. everes (Banks) showed a more similar ecological pattern. Multilure traps baited with putrescine and ammonium acetate were effective in sampling green lacewings, mainly at 2m height.

Toxicity and efficacy of azadirachtin, and oxymatrine-based biopesticides against cabbage aphid and their impacts on predator insects

The aphidicidal activity and efficacy of azadirachtin- and oxymatrine-based biopesticides on the cabbage aphid Brevicoryne brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), and their impacts on the main insect predators of this aphid were assessed under laboratory, semi-field, or field conditions. Laboratory results showed that azadirachtin- and oxymatrine-based biopesticides provided high acute toxicity against B. brassicae nymphs and adult females, in a manner dependent on the concentration, developmental stage, and exposure time of insects to residues. Among the insect's developmental stages, B. brassicae nymphs were more susceptible to biopesticides than adult females. In addition to acute toxicity, the biopesticides reduced the number of offspring and the amount of honeydew excreted by B. brassicae adult females. Furthermore, the biopesticides induced a repellent effect on B. brassicae adult females. Despite their high toxicity, in semi-field conditions, the azadirachtin- and oxymatrine-based biopesticides showed low biological persistence [mortality >80% up to 3 and 1 day after spraying (DAS), respectively] in comparison to the synthetic insecticide flupyradifurone (mortality >80% up to 7 DAS), which was used as a positive control. However, in the field, the biopesticides demonstrated high efficacy in controlling the B. brassicae population, with no significant impact on the population levels of different species of lacewings, ladybugs, and syrphids, which are considered the main insect predators of the cabbage aphid in agroecosystems. Therefore, azadirachtin- and oxymatrine-based biopesticides constitute an important management measure for B. brassicae in agroecosystems, including those with an ecological basis where management tools are limited, and effective control tactics must be incorporated.

Abundance and Seasonal Migration Patterns of Green Lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) across the Bohai Strait in Eastern Asia.

Many insects, including green lacewings, migrate seasonally to exploit suitable breeding and winter habitats. Green lacewings are important natural enemies of insect pests worldwide. Here, four dominant green lacewing species, Chrysoperla nipponensis (Okamoto), Chrysopa pallens (Rambur), Chrysoperla furcifera (Okamoto), and Chrysopa formosa Brauer, were investigated for their ability to migrate between northern and northeastern China across the Bohai Strait from late May to late October each year. Furthermore, there were significant interannual and seasonal differences in the number of migratory green lacewings collected. The number of green lacewings in spring was significantly lower than that in summer and autumn, and the highest average number of green lacewings occurred in June. In addition, there were differences in the sex ratio of migrating green lacewings between months, with a greater proportion of females than males. Finally, the seasonal migration trajectories simulated by the HYSPLIT model revealed that the green lacewings captured on Beihuang Island primarily originated from Shandong Province. Accordingly, these findings contribute to our understanding of green lacewing migration in eastern Asia and aid its incorporation within integrated pest management (IPM) packages for several crop pests. Furthermore, long-term tracking of migrant insect populations can reveal ecosystem services and trophic dynamic processes at the macroscale.

First green lacewing species of the tribe Chrysopini (Insecta: Neuroptera: Chrysopidae: Chrysopinae) from the Eocene Baltic amber and Miocene Mexican amber

The family Chrysopidae (green lacewings) is a highly diverse group of Neuroptera, with rich fossil records. The Cenozoic fossils of green lacewings currently comprise 21 genera and 42 species. Here we describe two new green lacewing species of the tribe Chrysopini, tentatively placed in the genus Chrysopa Leach, 1815, namely Chrysopa? extensa sp. nov. and Chrysopa? prominenta sp. nov. from Eocene Baltic amber and Miocene Mexican amber, respectively. These species represent the second chrysopid occurrence and the first record of the tribe Chrysopini from Baltic amber, and the first occurrence of Chrysopidae from Mexican amber, respectively. Both new species are assigned to Chrysopini based on the following characters: the intramedian cell eutriangular without crossvein, and the basal-most RP branch origins distal to the intramedian cell in the forewing.

A new species of Apertochrysa Tjeder, 1966 and new record of Plesiochrysa ramburi (Schneider, 1851) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) from China, with potential biocontrol significance.

A new green lacewing species Apertochrysa roseusfrontata sp. nov. and a newly recorded Plesiochrysa ramburi (Schneider, 1851) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae: Chrysopinae) from South China are described based on the morphological characters of both adults and larvae. Both species were found predating Dysmicoccus neobrevipes Beardsley, 1959 (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on sisal (Agave sisalana Perrine, 1838) in Guangdong Province.

Novel Metschnikowia yeasts from the gut of green lacewing in Japan

Family Chrysopidae is known to harbor specific gut yeasts. However, no studies have been conducted outside of a limited number of these green lacewing species, and the diversity of yeasts in the family as a whole is not known. Therefore, we collected 58 Chrysopidae adults (9 species, 6 genera, 2 subfamilies) in Japan and isolated yeasts from all individuals. The results showed for the first time that not only subfamily Chrysopinae but also subfamily Apochrysinae have gut yeasts. We obtained 58 yeast isolates (one from each host individual), all of which were of the genus Metschnikowia. 28S rDNA- and ITS-based phylogenetic analysis showed that the isolates were divided into three clades, designated clade I, II, and III. Clade I contains two previously described Chrysopidae gut yeasts (M. picachoensis and M. pimensis) as well as a one of our new species named M. shishimaru. Clade II is a new clade, with at least two new species named M. kenjo and M. seizan. Clade III contains the previously described species M. noctiluminum, a Chrysopidae gut yeast, and one of our isolate (We have not described it as new species). However, the phylogenetic relationship between our isolate and M. noctiluminum was unclear. These results indicate that the Japanese Chrysopidae gut yeasts consist mainly of three undescribed species and that they are more unique than those found in previous surveys. The results of this study indicate that Chrysopidae gut yeasts are more diverse than previously thought and should be investigated in various geographical regions in the future.

Functional response of 3 green lacewing species (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) to Leucoptera coffeella (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae).

Green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) are predators commonly found in coffee plantations in Brazil that can serve as important biological control agents against insect pests such as the coffee leaf miner, Leucoptera coffeella (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae). However, the efficacy of different lacewing species in controlling L. coffeella needs to be evaluated before they are used in augmentative biological control programs. Here, laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of the L. coffeella developmental stage on the functional response of 3 species of green lacewings: Chrysoperla externa, Ceraeochrysa cincta, and Ceraeochrysa cornuta. The attack rate, handling time, and the number of prey attacked during 24 h with different densities (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 individuals) of either L. coffeella larvae or pupae were recorded for each of the 3 lacewing species. Based on logistic regression models, all 3 predators showed a Type II functional response when consuming both larvae and pupae of L. coffeella. All 3 species also had similar attack rates (0.0091 larva/h and 0.0095 pupa/h), handling times (3.5 and 3.7 h for larvae and pupae, respectively), and estimated number of prey attacked during the observation period (6.9 larvae and 6.6 pupae) for L. coffeella larvae and pupae. Therefore, our laboratory studies show that the 3 green lacewings Ch. externa, Ce. cincta, and Ce. cornuta have potential for the biological control of L. coffeella, although these results need to be confirmed under field conditions. These findings have implications for the selection of lacewings for augmentative L. coffeella biocontrol.

The green lacewings of Pakistan (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae): a faunal review with new records of genera and species.

A review of the present knowledge on the taxonomy and distribution of the green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) from Pakistan is presented. So far, 19 species are known to occur in Pakistan including three species newly recorded, i.e., Italochrysa aequalis (Walker, 1853), Italochrysa everetti (van der Weele, 1909), and Tumeochrysa indica Needham, 1909. In addition, there are five undetermined species of Apertochrysa Tjeder, 1966 not determined in this paper. We here describe/re-describe 16 species of the 24 Pakistani green lacewing species. Two new combinations are proposed: Apertochrysa murreensis (Tjeder, 1963) comb. nov., and Apertochrysa vartianorum (Hlzel, 1973) comb. nov. The genus Tumeochrysa Needham, 1909 is recorded for the first time in Pakistan. Identification keys are provided to all known genera and species that occur in Pakistan. Additionally, for each species, taxonomic notes, diagnosis, a complete list of synonyms, and distribution maps are provided.

A new green lacewing species of the extinct subfamily Limaiinae (Insecta: Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) from the mid-Cretaceous of Myanmar

Chrysopidae (green lacewings) is one of the species-rich families of Neuroptera. The Cretaceous fossils of green lacewing currently comprise 11 genera and 26 species. Here we describe a new green lacewing species, Mesypochrysa coadnata sp. nov., from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber of northern Myanmar. The new species belongs to the extinct subfamily Limaiinae and is characterized by the RP with seven zigzagged branches, the forewing CuA with four pectinate branches, and the hind wing CuA with three pectinate branches. The exquisite preservation of the new fossils facilitates the understanding of the genital morphology of the Mesozoic green lacewings.

First report of lance lacewing, Spilosmylus tuberculatus from the Western Ghats

In India, 16 species of lance lacewings (Order Neuroptera: Family Osmylidae) belonging to 8 genera and 3 subfamilies have been reported, but there has not been a single species reported from the Western Ghats region. Spilosmylus Kolbe 1897 is the dominant genus of the Subfamily Spilosmylinae and only four species: S. darjeelingensis Ghosh, 2000, S. lineatocollis (McLachlan, 1870), S. pretiosus (Banks, 1931), and S. tuberculatus (Walker, 1853) have been reported from India. Spilosmylus tuberculatus is a widespread species in eastern and southern Asia, but the species has not been reported so far from the Western Ghats region of India. Spilosmylus tuberculatus has been formerly reported from Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh), Assam, Andaman Islands and Maharashtra. Here we report it as the first record of the family Osmylidae from the Western Ghats.

Rare and Charismatic Species of Insects in Khar Yamaat Nature Reserve, Mongolia

Grassland insects face some of the most severe declines in species diversity and total abundance, in part due to agriculture. Livestock grazing is the largest agricultural land use in Mongolia that can have both positive and negative effects on insect communities. Here, we provide an assessment of rare and charismatic insects that can serve as a baseline for monitoring future population changes of selected species in the nature reserve. A total of 20 species were chosen including three species of dragonflies/damselflies (Odonata), two species of grasshoppers (Orthoptera), one species of true bug (Hemiptera), one species of lacewing (Neuroptera), nine species of beetles (Coleoptera), one species of ant (Hymenoptera), and three species of butterflies (Lepidoptera), and we discussed the future conservation issues in this nature reserve, where protection of existing habitat should be the primary goal for insect conservation.

A new species of thorny lacewing (Neuroptera: Rhachiberothidae: Paraberothinae) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber with novel raptorial foreleg structure

A new species, namely Astioberotha coutreti sp. nov., of the thorny lacewing subfamily Paraberothinae, is described and illustrated from a complete individual preserved in mid-Cretaceous amber from Tanai, northern Myanmar. Astioberotha coutreti sp. nov. preserves nearly all the diagnostic characters of this subfamily, and differs from the type species of the genus Astioberotha owing to the fore femur with one long basal spine and 34 additional smaller spines; protibia bearing five distal spines; probasitarsus with two spines on inner edge located near mid-length; forewing with numerous maculation spots; intra-RP crossvein between RP3 and RP4 present (4rp3-rp4). Astioberotha coutreti sp. nov. together with the recent description of several other Paraberothinae species from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber, are used to discuss the palaeobiogeography of the subfamily.

Elevational Diversity Patterns of Green Lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) Uncovered With DNA Barcoding in a Biodiversity Hotspot of Southwest China

Elevational diversity patterns can reflect the responses of biodiversity to climate change spatially. We investigate the species diversity patterns of green lacewings (an important predatory group of insects) along the gradient of elevation from the Shaluli Mountains (Mts. Shaluli), which belong to the Hengduan Mountains in southwestern China, one of the important hotspots of global biodiversity. We combined multiple approaches, including Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD), Assemble Species by Automatic Partitioning analysis (ASAP), General Mixed Yule Coalescent (GMYC), Poisson tree processes (bPTP), multi-rate Poisson tree processes (mPTP), to delimit the green lacewings species based on the standard barcoding region of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). The α-diversity and β-diversity patterns of green lacewings from the Mts. Shaluli along the gradient of elevation were analyzed, with further exploration on how the temperature effect elevational-diversity pattern on broad-scale (county scale) elevational gradients. The DNA barcoding reference library consisted of 40 green lacewing species from the Mts. Shaluli. The α-diversity of green lacewings decreased with the increasing elevation. The temperature was found to have a significant effect on the abundance and Shannon-Wiener diversity index but not on the species richness. Nestedness replaced turnover as the main component of Sørensen’s dissimilarity with the increasing elevation, and greater nestedness occurred at low temperature areas. The combination of a reliable DNA barcoding database could improve the accuracy and efficiency to investigate the species diversity patterns of green lacewings. Temperature, resource, and resultant interspecific competitions may have important roles in explaining the species diversity patterns of green lacewings from the Mts. Shaluli. Priority of conservation should be given to the species at low elevation, middle elevation, and relatively high temperature regions under the background of global climate warming.

Neuroptera Diversity from Tacaná Volcano, Mexico: Species Composition, Altitudinal and Biogeographic Pattern of the Fauna

Approximately 340 species of ten families of Neuroptera have been recorded from Mexico. The Tacaná volcano, reaching an elevation of 4092 m a.s.l., is the northernmost representative of the Central American Nucleus volcanic range. Recent survey efforts of the Neuroptera diversity of the Tacaná volcano, Chiapas, along an altitudinal gradient, increased the known fauna of this order in Mexico by 31 species and two genera: Biramus Oswald, 1993 (Hemerobiidae), and Titanochrysa Sosa & Freitas, 2012 (Chrysopidae), with extension of the known distributional range of 25 species of five families. Most of the new country records are from species previously known only from Central and South America. The lacewing fauna of Chiapas is updated from 91 to 147 species. The Neuroptera of the Tacaná volcano is mostly Neotropical with some taxa of Nearctic affinity restricted to medium and high elevations. More than 80% of the Tacaná volcano lacewing species also occur in the Brazilian subregion, especially the Mesoamerican and Pacific domains. Neuropteran species were recorded from 650 to more than 3500 m a.s.l. A higher species richness was present between 600 and 1700 m, with a few species occurring at altitudes above 3000 m. A species checklist and an identification key to the genera of Neuroptera of the Tacaná volcano are provided.

The first chromosome-level genome assembly of a green lacewing Chrysopa pallens and its implication for biological control.

Many lacewing species (Insecta: Neuroptera) are important predators of pests with great potential in biological control. So far, there is no chromosome‐level published genome available for Neuroptera. Here we report a high‐quality chromosome‐level reference genome for a green lacewing species Chrysopa pallens (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), which is one of the most important insect natural enemies used in pest biocontrol. The genome was sequenced using a combination of PacBio and Hi‐C technologies and assembled into seven chromosomes with a total size of 517.21 Mb, occupying 96.07% of the genome sequence. A total of 12,840 protein‐coding genes were identified and approximately 206.21 Mb of repeated sequences were annotated. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that C. pallens diverged from its common ancestor with Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera) approximately 300 million years ago. The gene families involved in digestion, detoxification, chemoreception, carbohydrate metabolism, immunity, nerves and development were significantly expanded, revealing the potential genomic basis for the polyphagia of C. pallens and its role as an excellent biocontrol agent. This high‐quality genome of C. pallens will provide an important genomic resource for future population genetics, evolutionary and phylogenetic investigations of Chrysopidae as well as comparative genomic studies of Neuropterida and other insects.

Predation of Coffee Berry Borer by a Green Lacewing.

We report here for the first time, the predation of coffee berry borer (CBB) Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) by a green lacewing species, Chrysoperla externa (Hagen). We showed in laboratory the predator ability to access CBB galleries, remove pest immature stages, and prey on them. We also observed predation by third instar larvae on CBB adults. With this note, we add a new predator to the reported list of species still little explored of CBB control.

First green lacewing (Insecta: Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) from the palaeocene Sanshui basin of Guangdong, South China

ABSTRACT Sinonothochrysa zhangi Huang and Nel gen. et sp. nov., a new genus and species of nothochrysine lacewing, are described and illustrated from the Palaeocene Buxin Formation, Sanshui Basina, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, South China. The new taxon is the oldest described representative and first reports this subfamily in China. It is also the first formally described fossil insects from the Buxin Formation of the Sanshui Basin.

A new species of Joguina Navás, 1912 from India (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae).

A new species of the delicate lacewing, Joguina Navás, 1912 (Chrysopidae: Apochrysinae) is described and figured from south-western India. A key to species of Joguina is presented as well as revised diagnoses of both Joguina and its sister genus, Lainius Navás, 1913 stat. rev.

Mining the Species Diversity of Lacewings: New Species of the Pleasing Lacewing Genus Dilar Rambur, 1838 (Neuroptera, Dilaridae) from the Oriental Region.

Simple SummaryThe pleasing lacewing (Dilaridae) is a little known family of the holometabolous order Neuroptera, and our understanding of their species diversity has long remained poor. Here, we present descriptions of 12 new species of the pleasing lacewing genus Dilar Rambur, which is widely distributed in the Palaearctic and Oriental regions. We found disparate wing marking patterns as well as several unique characters of the male genitalia of the new species, which highlight the diverse morphologies of Dilar. Based on a faunal analysis, eight areas of endemism of Dilar were distinguished, and the state of their species diversity and endemism were summarized. The Oriental part of China was revealed as the region with the highest species diversity of this genus, and Yunnan within this region stood out as the most species-rich subregion.The species diversity of insects is extraordinarily rich, but still has been insufficiently explored or underestimated particularly for uncommon groups. The pleasing lacewings (Dilaridae) are a little known family of Neuroptera with distinct sexually dimorphic antennae. The species diversity of pleasing lacewings was recently found to be severely underestimated and requires a comprehensive investigation, as well as systematic reviews. Here, we report on 12 new species of the pleasing lacewing genus Dilar Rambur, 1838, from the Oriental region, namely D. forcipatus sp. nov. and D. laoticus sp. nov. from Laos (new country record of Dilar); D. malickyi sp. nov., D. phraenus sp. nov. and D. rauschorum sp. nov. from northern Thailand; D. striatus sp. nov. from northern Vietnam; D. cangyuanensis sp. nov., D. daweishanensis sp. nov., D. nujianganus sp. nov., D. weibaoshanensis sp. nov., D. yucheni sp. nov., and D. zhangweiae sp. nov. from Yunnan and Tibet, both in southwestern China. The new species of Dilar display several types of wing marking patterns, and the morphology of the male genitalia is highly diverse. A comprehensive examination of the species diversity and distribution of Dilar concluded that Yunnan (southwestern China) represents a biogeographic region with high endemism and the richest species diversity. The potential correlation between vertical distribution and geographical latitude in Dilar was also analyzed.

Two new species of the green lacewing subgenus Ankylopteryx Brauer, 1864 (s. str.) (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae) from China.

Two new species of the green lacewing subgenus Ankylopteryx Brauer are described from southern Yunnan, China, namely Ankylopteryx (A.) diffluens sp. nov. and Ankylopteryx (A.) rubrocincta sp. nov.. An updated key to the species of this subgenus is provided.