South America (Figs 12, 13).

Figure 12. 

South America map showing the current distributional records for Ameromyia species in the nigriventris species group.

Figure 13. 

South America map showing the current distributional records for Ameromyia species in the modesta species group.

Ameromyia clepsydra sp. nov.; A. dimidiata Navás, 1915a; A. explicata sp. nov.; A. guarica (Stange, 1994) comb. nov.; A. modesta (Banks, 1943); A. muralli Navás, 1932; A. nigriventris (Walker, 1860); A. pleuralis Navás, 1926b; A. protensa (Gerstaecker, 1893); A. pubiventris (Walker, 1860); A. strigosa (Banks, 1909); A. tendinosa (Gerstaecker, 1893).

Fore and hind wings with both banksian lines well developed; hind wings vein CuA with at least four crossveins connecting with posterior branch of MP; male ectoproct postventral lobe shorter than ectoproct height; female gonapophyseal plate elongate; lateral gonapophysis of female genitalia fused; male genitalic sac with clavate setae; parameres lateral tooth basad to paramere plates; male gonarcus positioned anterior to parameres; and male medincus absent; larvae with thread-like setae.

Ameromyia clepsydra sp. nov.; A. guarica comb. nov.; A. modesta; A. nigriventris.

Adult. Head: frons with short setae. Antenna of same length on both sexes, moderately short with about 30 flagellomeres. Antennal fossae separated by about two times pedicel width. Interocular distance less than eye width. Profemur without clavate setae. Vertex with many short decumbent setae. Ocular rim without setae. Clypeus with scattered setae, which are oriented ventrally. Labrum with two rows of short setae on ventral margin, all of which pointing ventrally. — Thorax: Pronotum broader than long when pretarsal claws are shorter than distal tarsomere, and longer than broad when pretarsal claws are otherwise. Pronotum with many long anteriorly oriented bristles on all margins, which are longer on lateral margins. Pronotum often with mirrored “P” shaped markings medially. Prescutum 2 and 3, mesoscutum and metascutum with many short, posteriorly-oriented white setae on posterior margins, and meso and metascutella with longer white setae on posterior margins. Thorax with many decumbent setae laterally, and mesepisternum frequently with a sulcus mesally. Lateral side of thorax sometimes with a longitudinal pale band, which covers episternum and epimeron of meso and metathorax, and contrasts with ventral thorax which is darker. Mesonotum without blade-like setae. — Legs: Legs with many short decumbent setae. Femoral sense hair present or absent. If present, profemoral sense hair as long as femur and much longer than that of mesoleg, which is shorter than mesofemur. Femur with or without black and/or white bristles. Tibiae with many black bristles, which are longer than femoral bristles, when present. Tibial bristles as long as tibial width, when femoral bristles are absent. Tibial spurs present, longer than basitarsus. Five tarsomeres, longer than broad. Distal tarsomere much longer than basitarsus. Pretarsal claws at least 2/3 of distal tarsomere length, more commonly longer than distal tarsomere. — Wings: Pilula axillaris well developed. Forewing as long as hind wing or slightly longer. Both anterior and posterior banksian line well developed and present in both wings. Wing membrane mostly hyaline, sometimes with a reddish or brownish tint. Forewing costal area simple at least until midwing length. Posterior area of forewing about as broad as that of hind wing. Forewing rhegmal area with brown infuscation on rhegmal crossveins. Forewing vein CuP runs along posterior fork of CuA, with at least four crossveins connecting them. Forewing vein 2A running towards posterior wing margin in a smooth curve. Forewing vein 2A connected to 3A by a crossvein, or touching 3A before running towards posterior wing margin. Hind wing CuA runs along posterior branch of MP fork with at least four crossveins connecting them. — Abdomen: Male abdomen longer or much longer than wings, female abdomen shorter than wings, or almost 1.5× longer than wings. Male tergite IX with many long, thick setae ventrally. Male tergite IX subquadrangular, with posteroventral margin slightly swollen and with many posterior oriented setae. Male ectoproct with a developed short postventral lobe, which is subequal to half of ectoproct height, without median or secondary lobes. Parameres posteriorly plate-like, arched, striated on external face of paramere plates, with a basal lateral hollow tooth on each side, and high sclerotized posterior folds. Parameres with a hinge mesally on internal face of each paramere plate, and with a row of short setae on each internal margin. Parameres anterior to hinge smooth, “spoon-like”, positioned between parameres plates (in “folding” position), and fused dorsally with an anterior bifurcated projection. Gonarcus smooth, membranous, with long anteriorly projected arms which are flat and long. Gonarcus positioned anterior to parameres, arching barely dorsad to parameres anterior bifurcation and dovetailing or almost dovetailing behind parameres plates lateral tooth. Genitalic sacs lateral to paramere tooth, with many clavate setae that reach beyond and/or above and posteriorly to paramere plates. Female terminalia with pregenital plate membranous with many setae. Gonapophyseal plate elongate, but shorter than posterior gonapophysis. Posterior gonapophysis digitiform, with many setae. Lateral gonapophysis fused, with well-developed digging setae. Ectoproct with well developed digging setae. — Larva (third instar). Head: Larvae with three teeth. Mandible with distance between mandible base and basal tooth longer than between teeth. Mandible not enlarged at base. Some setae on external margin of mandibles base with length as long or almost as long as mandible base width. Internal margin of mandibles roughly straight until reaching distal teeth, and roughly about the same width. Distal tooth smaller than basal and medial teeth and oblique in relation to other teeth. Distal tooth closer to medial tooth than medial tooth is to basal tooth. Head capsule on dorsal view as broad as long or slightly broader than long. Head capsule on ventral view longer than broad or as long as broad. Head dorsal surface with thread-like setae near posterolateral margins. Head capsule dorsally with many short, thick, blunt dolichasters and very short, almost “sphere-like” dolichasters, ventrally with short, thin dolichasters, and long and thick setae on lateral margins, which are straight on the anterior portion of head, and curved on posterior portion of head. Labrum with a row of thick, cylindrical dolichasters on posterior margin. Palpi with three segments, distal palpomere bigger than basal palpomere, which is bigger than mid palpomere. Distal palpomere enlarged at base with an acute end. Presence of rowed thick, cylindrical, white dolichasters near base of each palpi. — Thorax: Dorsal surface sometimes covered with thread-like setae. Dorsal surface prunescent, covered with short dolichasters. Thoraxic dorsal sclerites with short rowed dolichasters on all margins. Thorax ventral surface with long hair-like setae. Prothorax with many short, curved bristles on anterior margin. Mesothoracic spiracle borne on tubercle, tubercle length half of metathorax width at most. Tubercule covered with thread-like setae. Metathorax with two pedunculated setiferous processess on lateral margins, which bear many long bristles. Metathorax with a pair of eliptical dark spots submedially. — Abdomen: Abdominal tergites with thread-like setae, and sternites sometimes with thread-like setae. Abdominal spiracles not enlarged nor borne on tubercles. Setiferous processes on abdominal lateral margins bearing long white, black, or black and white bristles. Setiferous processes on abdominal lateroventral margins with hair-like setae. First abdominal tergite with two eliptical black spots submedially, almost aligned with metathoraxic dark spots. Odontoid process on sternite VIII longer than basal width. Ninth sternite covered with thread-like setae. Rastra with 4 thick setae, with innermost setae much shorter than remaining setae.

At first look, Ameromyia species can look similar to Argentoleon or to large Austroleon specimens, but can be readily differentiated from both genera by the short male postventral ectoproct lobes (which are much longer in Argentoleon and absent in Austroleon); the presence of both banksian lines in both wings; and the much longer hind wing CuA. Other Brachynemurini species bear a long hind wing CuA vein (such as Brachynemurus fuscus (Banks) and Brachynemurus nebulosus (Olivier)) or both banksian lines in both wings (B. nebulosus), but they are very different regarding distributional ranges and other Ameromyia diagnostic characters, such as the simple forewing costal area cells. Ameromyia male genitalia is also very conspicuous (Figs 9, 10), as the paramere plates are enlarged and the paramere hooks are short and stout, and basad to paramere plates. The gonarcus is membranous and arches anterior to the parameres, with no mediuncus. The most similar-like genitalia to be found among Brachynemurini in previous studies is in Peruveleon Miller and Stange (Stange 1970, 1994), but this genus is easily distinguished from Ameromyia by many morphological characters such as leg chaetotaxy, the length of the hind wing CuA vein, and also by molecular data (Machado et al. 2019).

Two species groups are determined based on taxonomical characters of wing veins, male genitalia, and cladistic results: the ‘modesta group’ and ‘nigriventris group’ (Fig. 11). These two species groups were previously named and identified by Stange (1994), but were classified only by larval characters. The modesta group can now be characterized by the abdomen length, which is longer than wings in females and almost double the length of wings in males, as well as the sickled club of the clavate setae on male genitalia (Fig. 7C), while the nigriventris group is characterized mostly by the hind wing posterior area cells, which are as high as long or higher than long.

Within groups, however, Ameromyia species are very morphologically similar, differing mostly in coloration. Coloration pattern on main wing veins such as Sc, R, Cu and A veins appears to be consistent across species, but markings pattern on wing membrane can be polymorphic within species. Thorax pronotal markings are also usually very similar within Ameromyia, but some species bear unique markings which are consistent within specimens, such as A. modesta (Figs 1C, 2C, 28A) and A. protensa (Fig. 39A). Leg characters are usually informative, and although badly conserved specimens can show misleading color patterns as they can faint or darken over time, leg chaetotaxy is very consistent within species. Genitalic structures are little informative. Ameromyia male specimens have hinged parameres (sensu Adams 1956) and a highly membranous gonarcus, and thus genitalic structure can be complex to visualize as the sclerites can bend and flex. At dorsal view, all known species bear almost identical male genitalia (Fig. 10A), and female genitalia presents close to no variation between species, even when across different species groups (Fig. 8). The digging setae on female terminalia can present some slight variation on thickness and/or length across specimens, but this is probably a regional adaptation for the granulometry of available sand pools across different habitats. Due to this great genitalic similarity between species, female terminalia and genitalia are only described in each description section when that species bear some morphological variation, and male genitalia is illustrated only in lateral view, in folding position, for each species section, as the lateral view provides more information as to the shape of the parameres (Adams 1956).

The larvae of most Ameromyia species are currently unknown, except for A. clepsydra sp. nov., A. guarica, A. modesta and A. nigriventris. Stange (2004) described the presence of thread-like setae on dorsal segments (Fig. 14A–C) as a character for differentiating the two groups, as it is present in A. modesta but described as absent in A. nigriventris. However, it is present in all known Ameromyia larvae.

Figure 14. 

SEM micrograph of Ameromyia clepsydra sp. nov. third instar larvae: A head, dorsal view. B Thorax, dorsal view. C Mesothoracic tubercle, dorsal view. D Abdomen terminalia, ventral view. — Abbreviations: an, antennae; bt, basal tooth; dgs, digging setae; ds, dolichasters; dt, distal tooth; mdt, medial tooth; met, metathorax; mt, mesothorax; oc, occelli; op, odontoid process; pt, prothorax; ra, rastra; sr, spiracle; st, sternite; ts, thread-like setae; tu, tubercle.

Very few data have been made available regarding Ameromyia biology and/or behaviour. Stange (1994) stated the known larvae lives on sand dunes, and later (2004) stated the adults rests on grass stems during the day. In this study, we have observed and/or reared in captivity adults from four species (A. clepsydra sp. nov.; A. explicata sp. nov.; A nigriventris and A. strigosa), and larvae from two species (A. clepsydra sp. nov. and A nigriventris). Adults from all species observed except for A. clepsydra sp. nov. were capable of flying high, at at least 2 m above ground, and when in captivity, they almost always perched at the top of the rearing enclosure. In their natural habitat, A. nigriventris females were seen flying close to the ground, presumably scouting for good ovipositioning spots, while all observed males which were near the ground were found slowly hovering in place, just above patches of loose earth which were apparently suitable for larvae. It is unknown if this is somehow a courting behaviour. Regardless of sex, when disturbed, specimens would quickly try to outmanouver their catcher, then rapidly ascend in the air and gain speed with the wind. Wild specimens of A. clepsydra sp. nov. were always observed flying very low, close to the bedrock, and no such ascending behaviour could be seen.

In this work, no feeding behaviour was observed in the wild, but in captivity, adult specimens of A. explicata sp. nov., A. nigriventris and A. strigosa accepted D. melanogaster as prey. Aphids, maggots, small catterpillars and green lacewings were offered, but none were succesfully preyed upon. Maggots were only eaten when handfed, and small catterpillars were only eaten when handfed, and if some hemolymph or gut content was exposed. All adult specimens accepted artificial diets such as honey + water, boiled egg white, and gelatin with sugar and egg yolk. However, all artificial foods were only eaten when handfed and individuals would starve to death otherwise, even if the food was left inside the enclosures. This suggests these Ameromyia species might rely solely on aerial hunting for feeding. Diets consisting of only sugar and water would only sustain individuals for a week, whether in every other diet (both natural and artificial) the specimens lived for approximately three weeks. Starving adults would die in two or three days.

The larvae of A. modesta and A. nigriventris were described as living in sand dunes, and A. guarica was described as living in shallow sand anchored to bedrock (Stange 1994). Of the larvae reared in the present work, that of A. clepsydra sp. nov. (Fig. 15B, C), lives in the same microhabitat as described for A. guarica: shallow, water-deposited sand on top of a river bedrock (Fig. 15A). The A. nigriventris larvae collected during this work were found on patches of loose, sandy wind-deposited earth on top of compacted clay soil (Fig. 16A). Despite the habitat differences, there is much similarity to the analyzed larvae microhabitat. Ameromia nigriventris larvae stays submerged in the loose, sandy soil, while using the compacted clay as a hard substrate which they anchor themselves to (Fig. 16B, C), and A. clespydra sp. nov. anchor themselves to the bedrock itself or the shallow compacted sand on top of the same bedrock (Fig. 15B, C). Almost always, larvae were found on small “trenches”, presumably dug out by the larvae themselves (Figs 15B, C, 16B–D). All known Ameromyia larvae bear many long bristles on thoraxic and abdominal setiferous processes, which would help in escavating suitable holes in hardened substrate. When exposed, the larvae would slightly contract themselves into their holes, and remain still for a while. Then, they would try to dig backwards, or leave their spot and walk forwards, towards a new hiding place. When moving forwards, regardless of instar, A. nigriventris larvae are very quick and highly agile, while A. clepsydra sp. nov. are very slow and lethargic, sometimes refusing to move even if poked or disturbed. Coccoons (empty or with pupae still inside) in the wild were found in the same said “trenches” (Fig. 16D), or protected by bedrock (Fig. 15D). When in captivity, Ameromyia larvae were highly sensitive about the presence or absence of both the hard substrate to achor themselves to, and to said “trenches”. Larvae from both reared species would easily startle and hardly feed in the absence of a similar hard substrate, and A. clepsydra sp. nov. larvae in the late third instar would not spin a coccoon nor pupate, and instead walk incessantly until it found an appropriate substrate or until death. To simulate the hard achorage of their natural habitat, plaster or styrofoam was “dug out” and then fit into the larvae plastic enclosures, which highly decreased larvae mortality. This highly suggests Ameromyia species are much more sensible to microhabitat selection and alterations, as other larvae collected from the same sites and in similar microhabitats (such as Austroleon immitis and Dimarella riparia) were able to feed, develop and pupate normally even in the absence of these specific microhabitat conditions. Although larvae from other species were not found during this work, as the morphology and chaetotaxy of female terminalia is consistently similar throughout the genus, larvae habitat might also be similar, as the characteristics of female terminalia affects oviposition and the selection of larvae habitat (Stange and Miller 1990).

Figure 15. 

Collection site and habitat of Ameromyia clepsydra sp. nov., in Andaraí, Bahia, Brazil: A site surroudings and sandy substrate on bedrock. B Second-instar larvae exposed in its “trench”. D Third-instar larvae exposed on its “trench”. D Empty, open coccoon on bedrock crevice. — Abbreviations: cc, coccoon; sp, sand pools.

Figure 16. 

Collection site and habitat of Ameromyia nigriventris, in Miguel Calmon, Bahia, Brazil: A site surroundings and sandy substrate on compacted soil. B First-instar larvae exposed in its “trench”. C Third-instar larvae exposed on its “trench”. D Coccoon, exposed on a dug-out “trench”. — Abbreviations: sp, sand pools; tr, trenches.

Black and white coloration. Thorax lateral side black with no apparent longitudinal pale band. Wing veins alternating black and white coloration. Wing membrane with many markings and infuscations, mostly on radial, rhegmal and substigmal areas. Sectorial and presectoral area crossveins sometimes with an infuscated biareolate “8” shaped pattern. Male genitalic clavate setae club subglobose.

Adult. Head: Antennae clubbed (4 mm) with 31 flagellomeres, light brown with yellow rings between the flagellomeres. Vertex white with grey patches, and dark brown spots on lateral margins; with a transversal and a longitudinal dark brown streak at anterior and posterior row, forming a “T” shape. Vertex decumbent setae white. Interantennal area white with a dark streak in the middle, and dark spots under each scape. Frons light yellow near antennae and light grey near clypeus, and median, transversal dark brown patches. Frons setae black. Interocular distance less than eye width. Clypeus white, with two dark brown marks pointing ventrally. Labrum marginally yellow, dark brown centrally. Mandible dark brown. Palpi dark brown, with white joints. — Thorax: Thorax black, with white or light brown markings. Thorax on lateral view dark, with no lateral longitudinal band under wings. Pronotum as broad as long, white with a longitudinal dark brown band on each side. Pronotum marginal setae white. Mesonotum dark, with white markings on mesoscutum and mesoscutellum. Metanotum dark with light brown medially on metascutum and a longitudinal light brown band on metascutellum. — Wings: Wing tip acute, frequently notched on posterior margin or with a strongly falcate and sinuous apex posterior margin. Veins with dark brown and white dashed pattern. Wing membrane hyaline, with dark infuscations along crossveins, with more intensity on forewing than on hind wing, except for infuscations on presectoral and on radial areas, which are evident on both wings. Presectorial and radial areas in both wings sometimes with longitudinal crossveins between vertical crossveins, forming a pattern akin to an “8” shape. Forewing mediocubital area with dark infuscations around vertical crossveins which become sparser along MA vein, culminating on rhegmal area. Forewing CuP and hind wing CuA veins extending well before CuA fork and MP fork respectively, with at least four crossveins connecting them and posterior branch of fork. Pterostigma frosted white, encompassing four crossveins. Cells delimited by transversal veins in hind wing posterior area higher than long. — Legs: Coxae dark. Femur and tibiae with long black bristles. Femur white, suffused with black spots. Femur decumbent setae black. Profemural sense hair longer than profemur, and mesofemural sense hair much shorter than mesofemur. Tibia white with distal joint and near apical joint black. Tibial spurs slightly shorter than pretarsal claws. Five tarsomeres, white, except for distalmost and third to distalmost tarsomeres which are black. Pretarsal claws at least 1.5 times longer than basitarsus. — Abdomen: Abdomen mostly black, turning dark brown at terminalia. Tergites with scarce white setae, and sternites with black setae. Male ectoproct with many long black setae on posterior face, and a very short, slight round postventral lobe, which is less than 1/3 ectoproct height. Parameres hinge with a row of short setae on each side. Gonarcus arch positioned not above paramere plates on lateral view. Genitalic sac with many short, subclavate setae. — Larva (third instar): Head: Head capsule as long as broad in dorsal view, slightly longer than broad in ventral view. Head capsule dorsally grey, with dark brown patches medially, and on anterior margin. Clypeolabrum light brown medially, and dark near mandibles. Head capsule ventrally light brown. Short dolichasters on head dorsal surface cone-like. Head capsule dolichasters mostly black, with a few white dolichasters near anterior and lateral margins. Row of dolichasters on labrum anterior margin black. Dorsal surface with mostly white thread-like setae near posterior and posterolateral margins, and sometimes on mandibles. — Thorax: Thorax dorsally dark, with sparsed light brown patches, and ventrally light brown with small dark spots on setal insertion. Thorax dorsal surface with dark and white thread-like setae, and many short, black dolichasters. Mesothoracic spiracle borne on tubercle, which is about two times longer than broad. — Abdomen: Abdomen with dark thread-like setae on dorsal surface. Abdomen with prunescence, dorsally dark, with sparsed light brown patches, and ventrally light brown with small dark spots on setal insertion and near each basal abdominal margin. Abdominal setiferous processes with black and white setae.

Holotype: BRAZIL • ♂; BAHIA, Andaraí, Rio Piabas; 12°57′02.3”S 41°16′37.4”W; 25.xi.2018; Coleta Noturna, Lençol; Assmar, A; DZUP. Paratypes: BRAZIL • ♂; BAHIA, Andaraí, Rio Piabas; 20.i.2018; Coleta manual noturna; Tavares, L.; MZUSP • 2 ♂; BAHIA, Andaraí, Rio Piabas, rochas à margem do rio; 25.xi.2018 (reared from larval stage); Tavares, L; UFBA • ♂; BAHIA, Andaraí, Rio Piabas, 16.vi.2021 (reared from larval stage/emerged 05.ix.2021), coleta manual; Tavares, L.; UFBA • ♂; BAHIA, Andaraí, Rio Paraguaçu; 15.v.2010; Bandeja; UFBA. Other material: (3♀, 11 Larvae) BRAZIL – BAHIA • 11 larvae; Andaraí, Rio Piabas, rochas à margem do rio; 25.xi.2018; coleta manual; Tavares, L.; UFBA. – RIO GRANDE DO NORTE • 1♀; Serra Negra do Norte, ESEc Seridó, casa da entrada; 10–11.xii.2002; api (noite); Varellim, A.A.; UFBA • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 06.iv.2003; UFBA • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 01–02.xi.1999; Coleta manual; sob luz fluorescente; Varela-Freire, A.; UFBA.

“Clepsydra” translates to “hourglass” in Latin. The characteristic pattern formed by transverse crossveins in forewing presectoral and radial sector area resembles an hourglass (Fig. 13B).

Brazil (Fig. 12).

Larvae were found anchored to bedrock, buried in small pools of shallow water-deposited sand near a river (Fig. 15A). The bedrock was not protected from rain and/or sunlight, and the area is accessible by tourists and susceptible to trampling. The larvae accepted prey at both day and night while reared in captivity. Male adults were observed making quick, short low flights, resting at the bedrock. A third instar larva was collected at 25.xi.2018, began pupating 70 days later, and a male emerged 30 days after pupating. Other larvae collected at the same date (25.xi.2018) from various instars developed up to the third instar before all specimens died until ix.2020, which suggests this species can spend at least near two years at larval stage, although specimens might have not been able to pupate earlier due to the lack of a hard, suitable achorage. Dimarella riparia larvae collected at A. clepsydra sp. nov. type locality, and in the same microhabitat, were able to develop normally in captivity under the same conditions, which suggests the new species is much more sensible to microhabitat alterations. Other 17 larvae collected in vi.2021 were able to develop normally in captivity when provided with more appropriate microhabitats.

This species is remarkably distinguishable from other Ameromyia species, mostly because of the contrasting black and white coloration (Fig. 1E) which is only found in A. explicata sp. nov. (Fig. 1F) and in A. strigosa (Fig. 1A) (black and yellow in the latter). The conspicuous “hourglass-shaped” venation patterns were most common to specimens collected over Bahia state. The postventral lobes of the male ectoproct in this species are also much shorter than in other species (Fig. 18A, B), and male genitalic sac bear much shorter, subglobose clavate setae (Figs 7D, 18D), in contrast to other Ameromyia species.

Figure 17. 

Ameromyia clepsydra sp. nov.: A holotype, habitus, lateral view. B Holotype, fore and hind wing. C Fore and hind wings with crossvein pattern variation. D Holotype, head, thorax, wing base and basal abdomen, dorsal view. E forewing base.

Figure 18. 

Ameromyia clepsydra sp. nov.: A lateral view and B posterior view of male terminalia. C Head, thorax and legs, ventral view. D Illustration of male terminalia, lateral view. — Abbreviations: cs, clavate setae; et, ectoproct; etl, ectoproct postventral lobe; go, gonarcus; hs, hinge setae; pah, paramere hinge; pap, paramere plate; pat, paramere tooth; st, sternite; tg, tergite.

This species wing venation patterns and crossvein density on both wings seems to be very plastic. Specimens collected at Bahia state have a biareolate pattern which resembles an hourglass or an “8” shape on presectorial and radial areas of both wings (Fig. 17B), while the specimens from Rio Grande do Norte state lacks this characteristic (Fig. 17C). Stange (1970) suggests that crossvein density may have relation with habitat humidity, with in this case makes sense as the Bahia specimens were all collected near rivers, while Rio Grande do Norte specimens are from deep into a semiarid region on Caatinga biome (Fig. 12).

Figure 19. 

Ameromyia clepsydra sp. nov., third instar larvae: A dorsal view. B Ventral view.

Argentina; Paraguay (Fig. 12).

Wing veins all pale. Cells in mediocubital area at least half brown suffused until at least 1/3 of wing span. Legs pale colored in contrast with dark abdomen and ventral thorax. Male ectoproct posterior margin with a weak dorsal notch.

Adult. Head: Antennae clubbed, 33 flagellomeres, dark brown with flagellum darker than scapus and pedicel. Vertex dark brown anteriorly, and light brown with dark brown patches posteriorly to anterior row. Vertex decumbent setae black, sometimes white on interantennal area. Interantennal area brown, usually with dark brown patches under scapus, in the middle of frons and just above clypeus. Frons pale brown, dark brown, or pale brown with dark brown patches. Frons setae black. Interocular distance less than eye width. Clypeus and labrum light brown. Mandibles dark brown. Palpi light brown, with external face of palpomeres slightly darker. — Thorax: Thorax dark brown, with light brown markings. Thorax on lateral view dorsally light brown and ventrally dark brown, with an evident longitudinal pale brown band under wings. Pronotum as broad as long, dark brown, with lateral margins pale brown, and a longitudinal medial pale brown streak. Pronotum marginal setae white. Mesonotum dark brown, with small light brown patches. Mesonotum with scattered white setae and curved white setae pointing posteriorly on mesoscutellum posterior margin. Mesoscutellum with white curved setae pointing posteriorly on posterior margin. Metanotum medially light brown and laterally dark brown, with white setae on posterior margins of metascutum and metascutellum. — Wings: Wing tip acute. Veins pale brown. Wing membrane hyaline, with dark brown infuscation on forewing mediocubital area, which is heavily suffused at forewing base and fading until apical third. Rhegmal area hyaline. Forewing vein CuP and hind wing vein CuA extending well before CuA fork and MP fork respectively, with at least nine crossveins connecting them and posterior branch of fork. Pterostigma light brown, opaque, encompassing six veins. Cells delimited by transversal veins in hind wing posterior margin higher than long. — Legs: Coxae pale brown. Femur and tibia with black bristles. Femur pale brown, with external face slightly darker than internal face. Meso and metafemur pale brown with internal face slightly darker than external face. Decumbent setae on basal half of profemur white, and black on distal half. Profemural sense hair longer than profemur and mesofemural sense hair much shorter than mesofemur. Tibia pale brown. Tibial spurs slightly shorter than pretarsal claws. Five tarsomeres, pale brown with distal joint slightly darker. Pretarsal claws at least 1.5 times longer than basitarsus. — Abdomen: Abdomen dark brown with many setae, which are white on tergites and sternites I–III and black on remaining sclerites. Male ectoproct with a short round postventral lobes on ventral face. Parameres subtriangular on lateral view, when folded. Gonarcus arch positioned not above paramere plates on lateral view. Male genitalia clavate setae with globose club. — Larva. Larvae unknown.

The type of A. dimidiata has lost both its hind wings (Fig. 20A). The type of A. baronei could not be analyzed during this work, but another specimen with this name identified by Navás, who described this species, was analyzed through photographs (from FML collection) and it agrees with A. dimidiata. The original description of A. baronei also agrees with A. dimidiata and therefore, we chose to maintain Stange’s (1967) synonymy.

Figure 20. 

Ameromyia dimidata: A holotype, habitus, dorsal view. B Type labels. Photographs by André Nel (MNHN).

A single male specimen labeled from Colombia were identified from the CASC collection. As Colombia is way beyond A. dimidiata distributional range, and this particular batch of specimens (the ones labeled as bought from F. H. Walz.) also had many other label issues, in this sense, we interpret this Colombian record as dubious data. Stange (1967) registered this species for Uruguay (to Colonia and Rivera provinces), but it is unclear where the specimens analyzed in his work are deposited. These specimens are probably deposited in the institutions mentioned in his aknowledgements (Universidad de la República de Montevideo, Museu Argentino de Ciencias Natrales, the MLPA, and Observatorio de Física Cosmica), but as it is currently uncertain, we chose to refrain from register this species to Uruguay, although it is highly probable that A. dimidiata can indeed be found in Uruguay. Stange (2004) also previously registered this species for Brazil, but upon analysis of the registered specimen, it was in fact a misidentified specimen of A. tendinosa collected at the state of Mato Grosso.

This species is distinguishable from other Ameromyia species due to its veins on forewing which are all pale, and the absence of a rhegmal infuscation on forewing (Figs 20A, 21A). A. pleuralis and A. tendinosa look very similar, but the first has a brown tint on forewing membrane and a dark colored forewing CuP, and the latter has a much darker overall coloration and also has a dark CuP vein.

Figure 21. 

Ameromyia dimidiata: A male habitus, dorsal view. B Head, thorax and legs, lateral view. C Male terminalia, lateral view. D Head and forelegs, frontal view. E illustration of male genitalia, lateral view. — Abbreviations: cs, clavate setae; et, ectoproct; etl, ectoproct postventral lobe; go, gonarcus; hs, hinge setae; pah, paramere hinge; pap, paramere plate; pat, paramere tooth; st, sternite; tg, tergite.

(32♀21♂) ARGENTINA • 1♂; 16.ii.2014; sweep; BMC; FSCA • 1♂1♀ 1901; O.W. Thomas; BMNH • 1♀; 1903; Wagner; BMNH. – ENTRE RIOS • 2♀; El Palmar; i.1959; Bought by F.H. Walz; CASC • 5♀2♂; ii.1960; Bought by F.H. Walz; CASC. – CORDOBA • 1♂1♀; La Carlota; 22.i.1971; L.A. Stange; FSCA. – FORMOSA • 1♀; Gran Guardia; 8.xii.1952; Bought by F.H.Walz; CASC • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; ii.1953 • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; 16.ii.1953 • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; xii.1952 • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 23.i.1953 • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; ii.1953 • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; i.1953. – SANTA FE • 1♀; i.1927; FSCA • 1♂; El Piquete; M.i.1927; Bridarolli S.J.; FSCA • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; FML • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; F.i.1927; FSCA • 1♀; Villa Ana; xiii.1924; K.J.Hayward; BMNH • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; ii.1926; K.J.Hayward • 1♀; Villa Ana; i.1925; BMNH • 1♀; Villa Ana; 27.xi.1923; K.J.Hayward; BMNH • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 10–30.i.1927 • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; xii.1924 • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; xii.1925 • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; i.1925 • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; 10–31.x.1926 • 1♂; Ruta 11; Arroyo Malabirgo; 25.ii.1965; C.S.Carbonell and A.Mesa; FSCA. – SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO • 1♂; El Pinto; xii.1956; F.H. Walz; FSCA. – TUCUMAN • 1♂1♀ 12km sw Aráoz (station); 15.iv.1967; L.A. Stange; FSCA. – PARAGUAY: • 1♂; 1924; Bridarolli S.J.; FSCA • 1♀; Paraguayan Chaco; Nanabua; iii.1927; G.S. Carter; BMNH. – HAYES: • 8♀3♂; Puerto Falileo; 25°04′S 57°52′W; 5–8.iii.2008; U. Dreschel; FSCA. – PROBABLE MISLABELS: COLOMBIA • 1♂; Cumaral; 20.i.1959; Bought by F.H.Walz; CASC.

Thorax lateral black, without a lateral pale band; forewing CuP alternating black and white, with nine or more crossveins between CuA posterior fork branch; female terminalia with pregenital plate slightly gibbous.

Adult. Head: Antennae with 32–34 flagellomeres. Flagellomeres black, dorsal face sometimes yellow, light brown between flagellomeres. Vertex yellowish brown, vertex rows with large dark spots and/or patches. Vertex decumbent setae black. Interantennal area mostly dark, sometimes marginally yellowish brown. Frons setae black, or white. Frons dark near antennae, and yellowish brown near clypeus. Frons setae black. Interocular distance less than eye width. Clypeus yellowish brown, sometimes with dark brown patches on lateral margins. Labrum yellowish brown. Mandibles dark brown. Palpi light brown, much darker on external face of palpomeres. — Thorax: Thorax dark with yellowish brown markings. Thorax dark on lateral view, with no evident longitudinal band. Pronotum as broad as long, dark, with yellowish brown on markings and lateral margins. Pronotum marginal setae white. Mesonotum dark, with a medial longitudinal yellowish-brown stripe on each side of mesoscutum and medially on mesoscutellum. Metanotum dark, with yellowish-brown patches on metascutum. — Wings: Wing tip acute. Veins with dashed black and white pattern, except for hind wing CuA, which is dark. Wing membrane mostly hyaline, with many markings. Forewing presectorial area and on RP first branch area with dark infuscation alternating on vertical crossveins. Forewing mediocubital area with dark infuscations around vertical crossveins which become sparser along MA vein, culminating on rhegmal area. Brown faint infuscations around forewing general crossveins and gradates, and on hind wing poststigmal area. Forewing CuP and hind wing CuA veins extending before forewing CuA and hind wing MP fork respectively, with nine or more crossveins connecting them and posterior branch of fork. Pterostigma opaque, dark brown on basal half and white on distal half, encompassing six to seven crossveins. Cells delimited by transversal crossveins in hind wing posterior area higher than long. — Legs: Coxae dark. Legs internal face yellowish brown and external face dark, with many dark brown spots on setal insertion. Femur and tibia with black bristles. Femur decumbent setae white and black. Tibiae with three evident or subtle basal, medial and distal dark brown rings around tibiae circumference. Tibial spurs slightly shorter than pretarsal claws. Tarsomeres light brown, with distal fourth dark brown. Pretarsal claws at least 1.5 times longer than basitarsus. — Abdomen: Abdomen sclerites dark, with yellowish or light brown in posterior margin near terminalia, with brown setae. Male paramere plates subtriangular on lateral view. Gonarcus arch positioned not above paramere plates on lateral view. Male genitalia clavate setae with globose club. — Larva. Larvae unknown.

Holotype: BRAZIL • ♂; MARANHÃO, Caxias, Res. Ecol. Inhamum; 31.x–02.xi.2005; Lençol luz mista; F. Limeira-de-Oliveira; CZMA. Paratypes: BRAZIL – BAHIA • ♂; Miguel Calmon, Mulungu do Chiola; 02.i.2021; 11°24′15.9″S 40°38′58.9″W; Luz; Vieira-Silva, V.; DZUP • ♀; Santa Rita de Cássia, A.P.A. Rio Preto; 06.vi.2019; Calor, A.R.; Tavares, L; UFBA. – RIO GRANDE DO NORTE • 2♂; Serra Negra do Norte, ESEc Seridó, casa da entrada; 08 – 09.v.2003; API (noite); Varela-Freire, A.A.; DZUP • 2♂; same collection data as for preceding; 22–23.v.2000; Coleta manual, sob luz fluorescente; UFBA.

Brazil (Fig. 12).

(17♀7♂) BRAZIL – AMAZONAS • 3♂2♀; Barcelos, Em Campina; 0°28′38″N 63°28′18″W; vii–viii.2007; Malaise; A.S.Filho and T.Krolow; INPA. – MARANHÃO • 2♀; Mirador, Parque Est. Mirador, Base dos Cágados; 06°48′29″S 45°06′34″W; 27.ix–02.x.2011; Armadilha luminosa; F. Limeira de Oliveira, A.A. Santos and T.M.A. Lima; CZMA • 1♀; Caxias, Res. Ecol. Inhamum; 31.x–02.xi.2005; Lençol luz mista; F.Limeira-de-Oliveira; CZMA • 1♀; Caxias, Reserva Ecol. Inhamum, Povoado Coités; 04°54′43″S 43°25′30″W; 6.x.2011; armadilha luminosa; J.T. Câmara, M.K.A. Santos and C.M.S. Sumber; CZMA. – RIO GRANDE DO NORTE • 1♀; Mossoró, Canto do Amaro; 23.viii.1996; BL (noite); Varela-Freire, A.A.; UFBA • 1♂; Mossoró, Central de Resíduos; 27–28.xi.1995; BL (noite) vegetação; Varela-Freire, A.A.; UFBA • 1♀; Natal, Tirol; 15.v.2014; Coleta manual, sob luz fluorescente; Oliveria, J.R.; UFBA • 1♀; Senador Eloi de Souza, Sitio lagoa do bola; 11.iv.2015; Manual, Morais F.C.; UFBA • 1♀; Serra Negra do Norte, Açude Campos 1, margem ocidental; 05–06.vi.1997; BL (noite); Varela-Freire, A.A.; UFBA • 1♀; Serra Negra do Norte, ESEc Seridó, casa da entrada; 30–31.viii.2002; API (noite); Varela-Freire, A.A.; UFBA • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 08–09.v.2003 • 3♀; same collection data as for preceding; 22–23.v.2000; Coleta manual, sob luz fluorescente.

The name “explicata”, which means “unfolded”. This refers to the fact that, during this work, the only males whose genitalia were in an “unfolded” state (Fig. 10B, D) were of this species.

A live female specimen was observed in the wild at Santa Rita de Cássia, BA, Brazil (Fig. 1F), and posteriorly reared in captivity. The location where the specimen was collected is located at the Cerrado biome, with dry vegetation and hard, compacted soil. The specimen observed was a high flyer, flying almost two meters above ground. It came towards the light trap, but apparently it wasn’t strongly attracted to light. When reared in-lab, this adult specimen accepted as food a mixture of honey and water and also live maggots when handfed. It fed and hunted by itself when offered D. melanogaster as prey.

This species is very similar to A. nigriventris. The most evident distinction is the completely dark coloration of the thorax lateral sides (Fig. 3C). Even so, it can be hard to differentiate poorly conserved specimens, as specimens become paler over time. Male genitalia of both species are also similar, but A. explicata sp. nov. has shorter gonarcus membranous arms, and the shape of the paramere teeth is broader than in A. nigriventris (Fig. 10). Females can be promptly distinguished without need of genitalia dissection by its slightly convex pregenital plate margin (Fig. 23D), while males need to be dissected for a proper identification when devoid of coloration. This species is the only species whose males were found with “unfolded” parameres (Fig. 10B, D).

Figure 22. 

Ameromyia explicata sp. nov.: A dorsal view and B lateral view of holotype habitus.

Figure 23. 

Ameromyia explicata sp. nov.: A female paratype, habitus, dorsal view. B Holotype, head and forelegs, frontal view. C Illustration of male genitalia, lateral view. D illustration of female genitalia, ventral view. — Abbreviations: cs, clavate setae; et, ectoproct; etl, ectoproct postventral lobe; go, gonarcus; gp, gonapophyseal plate; hs, hinge setae; lg, lateral gonapophysis; pah, paramere hinge; pap, paramere plate; pat, paramere tooth; pg, posterior gonapophysis; pp, pregenital plate; st, sternite; tg, tergite.

This species has a northern distribution in Brazil, from the Amazon Forest to the Northeastern region. Specimens collected in Miguel Calmon, Bahia, Brazil, cohabit this locality with A. nigriventris. However, all A. explicata sp. nov. specimens were collected at January, and during a field trip to Miguel Calmon in June, only A. nigriventris specimens were able to be found in the wild, which might suggest these species are separated by seasons. The specimens collected in the Amazon were found in “campinas”, which are open areas with sandy soil distributed within the Amazon rainforest. Those specimens have a few differences from the northeastern brazilian specimens, but those are mostly slight variations in thorax and leg coloration and are hereby considered to be the same species despite the biome and geographical disparity. A few female specimens from Maranhão state bear a noticeable posterior projection on the pregenital plate, slender and longer digging setae on ectoproct and lateral gonapophysis, and a different pattern on wing coloration. It is possible those females are in fact a different species. However, until a male specimen is analyzed, we chose to identify these specimens as A. explicata sp. nov., and opted to not include them among the paratypes.

Venezuela (Fig. 13).

Pronotum broader than long; femoral sense hairs absent; profemur without leg bristles; tibiae leg bristles equal or subequal to tibial width; pretarsal claws shorter than distal tarsomere; forewing with long rhegmal infuscation connecting both banksian lines.

Adult. Head: Antennae with 30–31 flagellomeres. Antennae dark brown, flagellomeres darker than scape and pedicel. Vertex light brown, with dark brown patches medially, dark brown spots on anterior and posterior rows and light brown markings on middle row. Vertex decumbent setae white, sometimes black on interantennal area. Frons pale brown, sometimes with dark brown patches medially. Frons setae black. Clypeus pale brown, slightly lighter near labrum. Labrum pale brown, slightly darker than clypeus. Mandibles black, completely covered by clypeolabrum. Palpi pale brown, distal palpomeres darker around sensory area. — Thorax: Thorax on lateral view dark brown, with an evident or faint longitudinal pale brown band under wings. Pronotum broader than long, pale brown with longitudinal dark brown markings laterad of a longitudinal medial pale brown stripe. Mesonotum pale brown, with dark brown laterally on mesoscutum. Metanotum pale brown with dark brown laterally on metascutum. Thorax with dark brown spots on setal insertions. — Wings: Wing tip acute. Forewing membrane with a slight brown tint, hind wing membrane hyaline. Dark brown infuscations along forewing crossveins which form the banksian lines; along rhegmal area connecting both banksian lines; along dashed crossveins on radial area; along few crossveins on mediocubital area after CuA fork; along crossveins connecting with CuA posterior branch of fork posterior margin; and on general crossveins and gradates near wing margin. Forewing mediocubital area with dark infuscations around vertical crossveins which become sparser along MA vein, culminating on rhegmal area. Forewing CuP vein and hind wing CuA extending well before forewing CuA fork and hind wing MP fork respectively, with at least four crossveins connecting them and posterior branch of fork. Pterostigma brown on basal half and pale on distal half, opaque, encompassing five to six crossveins. Cells delimited by transversal veins in hind wing posterior area longer than high. — Legs: Coxae brown. Legs pale brown, with posterior face much darker than anterior face. Profemur without black bristles. Meso and metafemur with very few black bristles which are shorter than femoral width. Femoral sense hairs absent. Tibiae with black bristles that are shorter than tibial width. Tibial spurs longer than pretarsal claws. Tarsomeres pale brown, dark brown on ventral surface. Pretarsal claws shorter than distal tarsomere. — Abdomen: Abdomen dark brown, with many brown setae. Male parameres plates on lateral view with a round dorsoposterior margin. Gonarcus arch positioned not above paramere plates on lateral view. Male genitalia clavate setae with sickled clubs. — Larva (third instar). Head: Head capsule slightly broader than long in dorsal view, slightly longer than broad in ventral view. Head capsule dorsally dark brown, with few light brown patches medially. Clypeolabrum dark, darker near mandibles. Head capsule ventrally light brown. Short dolichasters on head dorsal surface cone-like. Head capsule dolichasters mostly black, with a few white dolichasters near anterior and lateral margins. Row of dolichasters on labrum anterior margin black. Head dorsal surface covered with white thread-like setae, mostly on head capsule posterolateral margins, and mandibles base. — Thorax: Thorax dorsally dark brown, with sparsed light brown patches, and ventrally light brown with small dark spots on setal insertion. Thorax dorsal surface with many short, black dolichasters, and white thread-like setae. Mesothoracic spiracle borne on tubercle, which is about two times longer than broad. — Abdomen: Abdomen covered with white thread-like setae dorsally. Abdomen dorsally light brown, with sparsed grey and dark brown patches, and ventrally dark brown with large triangular light brown patches medially at each sternite, with small dark spots on setal insertion and near each basal abdominal margin. Lateral face ventrad of the ventral setiferous processes of spiracles with white thread-like setae. Abdominal setiferous processes with black and white setae.

This species is known only by the specimens presented in the original description. Previously a monotypic genus, Venezueleon is hereby synonymized under Ameromyia. Both genera had very similar diagnosis, differing only in regard of the size of the pretarsal claws (large in Ameromyia and small in Venezueleon) and profemoral sense hairs (long in Ameromyia and absent in Venezueleon) (Fig. 3B). Ameromyia guarica comb. nov. also had some other differences such as the reduction of leg setae in general, but those characters are highly variable within Brachynemurini species, and in Myrmeleontidae in general as discussed by former authors (Stange 1970). Ameromyia guarica also has the male genitalia extremely similar to the Ameromyia species, and shares the clavate setae with a sickled club with other species in the modesta species group (Fig. 7C). Stange (1970) also suggests that, in Brachynemurini, a reduction of leg setae and tibial spurs size could be an adaptation to a diet of aphids and pollen (although no gut sampling was performed in this study).

According to Stange (1994; 2004), there are three undescribed species, all known from single specimens, which were collected near A. guarica type locality. Two of these specimens, collected at Falcon, Venezuela, have been analyzed but it is uncertain whether they are indeed new species. They differed mostly in coloration on pronotal and abdominal markings. Furthermore, only two larval specimens of Venezueleon sensu Stange were located and analyzed (Figs 26, 27). Both specimens were not labeled as V. guaricus, but one as “Venezueleon sp. nov.”, preserved in alcohol (Fig. 26), and the other was pinned and unlabeled (Fig. 27), but placed in the same tray as other A. guarica specimens, in which the tray itself had a “V. guaricus” label. Both larval specimens appear to be from different species, but it was unclear which one was actually the larvae of A. guarica. Although Venezueleon was previously described as having no thread-like setae, both specimens bear this character. White or pale thread-like setae are very difficult to be visualized in alcohol (Fig. 26A–C), but very evident when the specimen is dry (Figs 26D, E, 27). Additionally, the alcohol preserved specimen appears to be covered in a mold-like substance, which is tangled in the thread-like setae and further difficults the visualization of the latter structure (Fig. 27D, E). Furthermore, as the specimen labeled as “Venezueleon sp. nov.” is the one that could fit A. guarica original description in this scenario (Fig. 26), we are assuming this is the one reared and associated by the author (Stange 1994), which is here included among A. guarica examined material, but more data is needed to further confirm the association.

Figure 24. 

Ameromyia guarica comb. nov.: A holotype, habitus, lateral view. B Holotype, dorsal view.

Figure 25. 

Ameromyia guarica: A paratype fore and hind wings, dorsal view. B Holotype, head and forelegs, frontal view. C Illustration of male genitalia, lateral view. D Holotype male terminalia, lateral view. — Abbreviations: cs, clavate setae; et, ectoproct; etl, ectoproct postventral lobe; go, gonarcus; hs, hinge setae; pah, paramere hinge; pap, paramere plate; pat, paramere tooth; st, sternite; tg, tergite.

Figure 26. 

Ameromyia guarica, preserved in alcohol, third instar larval specimen: A Dorsal view. B Ventral view. C Lateral view. D Dorsal view, dried up. E Lateral view of head and thorax, dried up. Photographs by Jonathan Bremer (FSCA). — Abbreviations: ts, thread-like setae; tu, tubercle.

Figure 27. 

Larval specimen of an unknown species of Venezueleon (sensu Stange): A dorsal view. B Ventral view. C Lateral view. Photographs by Jonathan Bremer (FSCA).

Paratype: (1♂, 1 larvae) VENEZUELA – GUARICO • 1♂[paratype], 1 larvae; 15 km S Calabozo, Rio Orituco; 27.ii.1988; R. B. Miller and L. A. Stange; FSCA.

Brazil; Suriname; Venezuela (Fig. 13).

Prothorax dark brown with a single longitudinal white line in the middle. Dark brown streak in rhegmal area, formed by infuscation around rhegmal crossveins. External and internal face of legs with visible contrast between dark brown and light brown.

Adult. Head: Antennae with 31–35 flagellomeres. Flagellum pale brown, turning dark brown near the club. Vertex dark brown, slightly pale brown laterally. Vertex decumbent setae black, sometimes white on interantennal area. Interantennal area with a large brown spot. Frons pale brown with slight brown medial patches, and grayer near clypeus. Frons setae black. Interocular distance less than eye width. Clypeus and labrum light brown. Mandible light brown on basal half and black on distal half. Palpi light brown, and slightly darker on external face of palpomeres. Head without thread-like setae. — Thorax: Thorax mostly dark brown with a medial longitudinal white band, and light brown around thorax sutures. Thorax on lateral view dark brown, with an evident or faint longitudinal pale brown band under wings. Pronotum as broad as long. Pronotum dark brown, with a longitudinal medial white streak. Pronotum marginal setae white. Mesonotum dark brown, sometimes with pale brown on prescutum, and mesoscutellum with pale brown medially and on posterior margin. Mesonotum with scattered white setae and curved white setae pointing posteriorly on mesoscutellum posterior margin. Metanotum dark brown, with metascutellum with pale brown medially and on posterior margin. Metanotum with scattered white setae and curved white setae pointing posteriorly on metascutellum posterior margin. — Wings: Wing tip acute. Veins with dashed dark and pale brown pattern. Wing membrane hyaline, except on most vein junctures which have brown infuscation, along forewing CuA vein, and on rhegmal area which have dark brown infuscations. Forewing mediocubital area with dotted pattern, with dark infuscations around vertical crossveins. Forewing CuP and hind wing CuA veins extending before CuA and MP fork respectively, with at least four crossveins connecting them and posterior branch of fork. Pterostigma opaque, white, encompassing three to four crossveins. Cells delimited by transversal veins in hind wing posterior area longer than high. — Legs: Coxae dark brown. Femur and tibia with black bristles. Legs with external face of femur, tibiae and tarsomeres dark brown contrasting to internal face which is light brown. Femur decumbent setae black. Profemural sense hair longer than profemur and mesofemural sense hair much shorter than mesofemur. Tibial spurs slightly shorter than pretarsal claws. Five tarsomeres. Pretarsal claws at least 1.5 times longer than basitarsus. — Abdomen: Abdomen sclerites dark brown medially and slightly paler on basal and apical margins, with many dark setae. Male parameres plates on lateral view with a round dorsoposterior margin. Paramere tooth curved upwards on lateral view. Gonarcus arch positioned not above paramere plates on lateral view. Male genitalia clavate setae with sickled club. — Larva (third instar). Head: Head capsule slightly broader than long in dorsal view, slightly longer than broad in ventral view. Head capsule dorsally dark brown, with few light brown patches medially. Clypeolabrum dark, darker near mandibles. Head capsule ventrally light brown. Short dolichasters on head dorsal surface cone-like. Head capsule dolichasters mostly black, with a few white dolichasters near anterior and lateral margins. Row of dolichasters on labrum anterior margin black. Dorsal surface on posterolateral margins with dark thread-like setae. — Thorax: Thorax dorsally dark brown, with sparsed light brown patches, and ventrally light brown with small dark spots on setal insertion. Thorax dorsal surface with dark thread-like setae, and many short, black dolichasters. Mesothoracic spiracle borne on tubercle, which is about two times longer than broad. Metathoraxic surface with whitish prunescence medially. — Abdomen: Abdomen with dark thread-like setae dorsally. Abdomen with a whitish prunescence, dorsally light brown, with sparsed grey and dark brown patches, and ventrally light brown with small dark spots on setal insertion and near each basal abdominal margin. Abdominal setiferous processes with black and white setae.

Ameromyia modesta is recorded from Brazil and Suriname for the first time. The type locality known as “Akuriman” or “Acurima”, refers to a mountain near the border between Venezuela and Brazil (Roraima), on the municipality of Gran Sabana. Stange (1994) describes A. modesta larvae as bearing thread-like setae, but on the remarks for the Venezueleon larvae, states that in A. modesta, the thread-like setae are absent. Upon analysis of this larval specimen, it is evident that the larvae of this species indeed bear thread-like setae on head capsule, and thoraxic and abdominal dorsal surfaces (Fig. 30).

This species is very similar in coloration to A. guarica, but it bears profemoral and mesofemural sense hairs, larger pretarsal claws and a longer than broad pronotum. Regarding other species in the same group, A. modesta differs from A. pubiventris in the pronotal markings (in which the pronotum is mostly light brown with a longitudinal stripe) (Figs 1C, 2C, 28A) and in leg coloration (Fig. 28B), while A. protensa is much larger in size, and is restricted to southern South America.

Figure 28. 

Ameromyia modesta holotype: A dorsal view. B Lateral view. C Type labels. Photographs by Charles Farnum, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University.

Figure 29. 

Ameromyia modesta: A fore and hing wing, dorsal view. B Holotype head and foreleg, frontal view. C Holotype’s hind wing, dorsal view. D Holotype terminalia, lateral view. E Illustration of male genitalia, lateral view. F Holotype abdomen. Holotype photographs by Charles Farnum, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University. — Abbreviations: cs, clavate setae; et, ectoproct; etl, ectoproct postventral lobe; go, gonarcus; hs, hinge setae; lg, lateral gonapophysis; pah, paramere hinge, pap, paramere plate; pat, paramere tooth; pg, posterior gonapophysis; st, sternite; tg, tergite.

Figure 30. 

Ameromyia modesta, third instar larva: A dorsal view. B Ventral view. C Lateral view.

(24♀8♂, 1 larva): BRAZIL – RORAIMA • 1♀; Beira do rio Uraricoera; 25.iii.2016; 3°20′59″N 61°25′22.3″W; 83m; luz móvel; CC Gonçalves; INPA • 1♀1♂; Alto Alegre, ESEC Maracá; 10–12.xii.2015; 3°20′59″N 61°25′22.3″W; Arm. Luz; J.A. Rafael, R. Boldrini, F.F. Xavier; INPA • 1♀1♂; Alto Alegre, ESEC Maracá (base); 21–24.ii.2017; 03°21'42"N 61°26'08"W; Lençol iluminado; Aquino R., Rafael J., Mendes D., Agudelo A.; INPA • 2♀; Ilha de Maracá, Estação Ecológica de Maracá, Ponto 4, Lavrado; 05–20.xii.2015; 03°23.413′N 61°26.036′W; 105m; Arm. Malaise; Bitfi, Falaschi, Mandulão, Marinho, Pinheiro e Riccardi col.; DZUP • 1♀; Ilha de Maracá, 19.xi.76, I.S. Gorayeb; INPA • 1♀; Ilha de Maracá; 02.xi.78; Malaise trap; I.S. Gorayeb; INPA • 1♀; Alto Alegre, ESEC Maracá; 10–12.xii.2015; Arm. Luz; J.A. Rafael, D. Takiya, F.F. Xavier; INPA • 1♀; Ilha de Maracá, Rio Uraricoera; 21–30.xi.1987; Inseticida (fogging); J.A. Rafael e equipe; INPA • 1♀; Alto Alegre, ESEC Maracá; 24.iii.2016; Arm. Luz; J.A. Rafael, D. Takiya, F.F. Xavier; INPA • 1♀; Ilha de Maracá;10.xi.1980; Eliana Fernandez; INPA. – SURINAME • 1♂; Zanderij 1; 26.ix.1963; Dr. D.C. Geijskes; FSCA • 1♀; Brokopondo; 5.viii.1965; GF Mees; FSCA. – MOENGOTAPOE • 1♀; Wia wia, 3º kamplÿn km 15.8; 13.x.1948; D.C. Cjeijskes; FSCA. – SARAMACA • 1♀; Gansee; 09.ix.1957; J. Belle; BMNH. – VENEZUELA – ARAGUA • 2♀; El limon; 15.ii.1986; 450m; Miller and L.A. Stange; FSCA • 1♂; El limon; 18.xii.1982; L.J. Joly; FSCA. – BARINAS • 1♀; Rio Sto Domingo; 17.ii.1976; C.M. and O.S. Flint Jr; FSCA. – BOLIVAR • 1♀; CD-Bolivar V-31, Bridge–Orinoco; 3.iii.1984; R. Miller, L.A. Stange; FSCA • 1 Larvae; Ciudad Bolivar; 3.iii.1987 (v.31 – Reared); Miller and L.A. Stange; FSCA • 1♀ Rio Paragua e Rio Chiguso; 3–7.viii.1983; Exp. Instituto de Zoologia Agricola; FSCA • 1♀; Mantecal, Rio Cuchivero; 23–27.iii.1970; 150m; F. Fernandez and C.J. Rosales; FSCA. – FALCÓN • 1♀; Guayacancito, 9km oeste del Cabo san Roman; 28.xi.1980; J. Gonzalez; FSCA. – GUARICO • 1♂; 44km S. Calabozo; 28.ii.1986; 8°34′N 67°35′W; Hato Masaguaral, Miller and L.A. Stange; FSCA • 1♀; 44km S. Calabozo, Hato Masaguaral; 9–11.xi.1986; 8°34′N 67°35′W; Miller and L.A. Stange; FSCA • 1♀; 44km S. Calabozo; 11.ii.1986; Blacklight Trap; Miller and L.A. Stange; FSCA • 1♀; Calabozo, La Encrucijada, Rd between El Sombrero; 15.xii.1947; F. Fernandez; FSCA • 1♂; La Palmita orfiz; 14.iii.1982; J.L.Garcia; FSCA • 1♂; Sta maria de Ipire, Est. Exp La iguana; 16.xi.1982; J.L. Garcia; FSCA • 1♂; Rio Guariquito; 20.vii.1958; Yepez and C. Rosalez; FSCA.

Bolivia; Brazil (Fig. 12).

Forewing mediocubital area with evident continuous or dotted dark suffusion at least until reaching CuA fork. Hind wing shape falcate. Profemur with homogeneous color pattern, with no contrast between external and internal face.

Adult. Head: Antennae with 31–33 flagellomeres. Flagellomeres light brown with slightly darker brown patches. Vertex light brown with a latitudinal dark brown dotted streak. Middle and posterior row of vertex with dark brown spots. Vertex decumbent setae black. Interantennal area light brown. Frons marginally dark brown and light brown centrally. Frons setae black. Clypeus and labrum light brown. Mandibles light brown on basal half, and black on distal half. Palpi light brown, with external face of palpomeres much darker. — Thorax: Thorax dark brown with yellowish-brown markings. Thorax on lateral view dark brown, with an evident longitudinal pale brown band under wings. Pronotum as broad as long. Pronotum dark brown, with a yellowish-brown longitudinal stripe medially and near lateral margins. Mesonotum dark brown, with yellowish-brown on notal junctures, and medially on mesoscutellum. Metanotum dark brown with yellowish-brown on notal junctures. — Wings: Forewing apex weakly falcate, and hind wing falcate. Veins with dashed dark and pale brown pattern. Wing membrane hyaline, with a dark infuscations on crossveins of forewing mediocubital area, along CuA vein, and on rhegmal area. Forewing mediocubital area with continuous or dotted dark infuscations around vertical crossveins at least until CuA fork. Forewing CuP and hind wing CuA veins extending before CuA and MP fork respectively, with nine or more crossveins connecting them. Pterostigma opaque, dark brown on basal half and white on apical half, encompassing six to seven crossveins. Cells delimited by transversal veins on hind wing posterior area higher than long. — Legs: Coxae dark brown. Femur and tibiae with black bristles. Legs light brown, with many dark brown spots. Femur decumbent setae white and black. Profemural sense hair longer than profemur and mesofemural sense hair much shorter than mesofemur. Tarsomeres light brown, with distal fourth dark brown. Pretarsal claws at least 1.5 times longer than basitarsus. — Abdomen: Abdomen dark brown, with white setae on first sclerites, and brown setae on remaining sclerites. Male parameres oblong or subtriangular on lateral view. Gonarcus arch positioned not above paramere plates on lateral view. Male genitalia clavate setae with globose club. — Larva. Larvae unknown.

Ameromyia muralli is recorded from Bolivia for the first time, more precisely in Puerto Suárez, right on the border with Mato Grosso do Sul state in Brazil. The analysis of the holotype was based on old photo slides (Fig. 31C), but the original description greatly fits the analyzed specimens, as A. muralli has a conspicuous combination of a falcate hind wing and homogeneous coloration on profemora. The type’s label only states “Urucum” (without other information such as date and collector), and Navás (1932) believed it actually refered to “Urucumacuã”, a municipality located in the state of Rondônia (RO), Brazil. However, there is a locality named Urucum in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul (MS). This displacement may be explained because at that time both RO and MS were considered part of the same large state Mato Grosso (MT), which was posteriorly divided in the three current states. We believe that Urucum (MS) is the actual type location (instead of Urucumacuã as interpreted by Navás), as it is the literal label locality and other specimens herein analyzed, and today also housed in European collections, were collected at Urucum around the same time the holotype was probably collected.

Figure 31. 

Ameromyia muralli: A habitus, lateral view. B Dorsal view. C Holotype habitus, dorsal view, photographed by Lionel Stange. D Illustration of male genitalia, lateral view. — Abbreviations: cs, clavate setae; et, ectoproct; etl, ectoproct postventral lobe; go, gonarcus; hs, hinge setae; pah, paramere hinge; pap, paramere plate; pat, paramere tooth; st, sternite; tg, tergite.

This species can be readily recognized by the falcate hind wings (Fig. 31B), which are only shared by some specimens of A. strigosa (Fig. 44B) (not very commonly) and A. clepsydra (much more strongly falcate at wing apex) (Fig. 17B). It also presents a dark longitudinal infuscation on forewing, which can appear as a continuous streak (Fig. 31C) or as an evident dotted line on forewing mediocubital area (Fig. 31B), which differentiates it from A. strigosa characteristic oblique wing markings. Another difference from A. strigosa is the presence of both white and dark decumbent setae on profemur.

(19♀3♂): BOLIVIA – GERMÁN BUSCH • 1♀; Puerto Suarez; J. Steinbach; FSCA. – BRAZIL – MATO GROSSO • 2♂; Faz. Ribanceira; 01.iv.2018; Varzer et. Al; DZUP • 1♀; Brasnorte; 08.ix.2017; Ventura, R; CEMT • 2♀; C.N. Parecis; 15.x.2017; Fedrizzi, R.M.; CEMT • 1♀; Cuiabá; 17.ii.2013; Manual, R. Oliveira; CEMT • 1♀; Cuiabá, Recanto das sementes; vii–viii.2018; Coleta manual; L.G.O. Nunes; CEMT • 1♀; Cuiabá, P. de Ferro, Rio Coxipó; 28.ii.1986; Rosangela Costa; CEMT • 1♀; Poconé; 25.x.1994; Elesbão Vitor da Silva-Neto; DZUP • 4♀; Porto Estrela: Serra das Araras, Heliporto; 15°39′15″S 57°12′51″W; 20.xi.2017; luz; RJP Machado; DZUP • 1♀; Varzea Grande; 13.ix.2017; Pereira, B.R.S.; CEMT • 1♀; V. Grande; 12.x.2017; Andrade, M.P.; CEMT. – MATO GROSSO do SUL • 1♂; Urucum, Nr. Corumbá; 650ft; 19.iv.1927; at light; Miss C. Longfield; BMNH. – SÃO PAULO • 1♀; Ilha Solteira, Urban area; 20.x.2018; Attracted to light; Galvani, J. P. col.; DZUP. – TOCANTINS • 1♀; Santa Isabel, Ilha do bananal, Rio Araguaia; 5–10.viii.1957; Berrys Malkin; CASC • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; FSCA.

Argentina; Brazil; Colombia; Guyana; Suriname; Uruguay; Venezuela (Fig. 12).

Forewing veins Sc, RA and CuP with alternating coloration; lateral side of thorax with an evident longitudinal pale band; male gonarcus positioned obliquus to paramere plates.

Adult. Head: Antennae with 34 flagellomeres. Flagellomeres dark brown, with ventral face of the club light brown. Vertex brown with dark brown spots on all vertex rows, and a dark brown transversal streak on anterior and posterior rows forming a “T” shape. Vertex decumbent setae black, sometimes white on interantennal area. Interantennal area usually brown, with dark brown patches. Frons varies, from completely light brown, to light brown with oblique dark brown streaks and completely dark brown. Frons setae all dark, all white, or both dark and white. Interocular distance less than eye width. Clypeus pale brown. Labrum pale brown. Mandibles light brown on basal half and dark brown on distal half. Palpi pale brown, slightly darker on external face of palpomeres. — Thorax: Thorax dark brown, with pale brown markings. Thorax on lateral view dark, with an evident lateral longitudinal band under wings. Pronotum as broad as long, pale brown with two mirrored longitudinal dark brown “P” shaped bands, and two lateral small dark brown streaks. Pronotum marginal setae white or dark brown. Mesonotum dark brown with a longitudinal light brown streak on mesoscutellum. Metanotum dark brown with two longitudinal light brown patches on metascutum. — Wings: Tip acute. Veins with dashed dark brown and light brown pattern, except for forewing MA vein which has dark brown and white pattern. Wing membrane hyaline, with or without brown infuscations along radial, mediocubital and/or cubital areas. When infuscated, forewing mediocubital area with dark infuscations around vertical crossveins with a dotted uniform pattern, or with a dotted pattern which become sparser along MA vein, culminating on rhegmal area. Wing membrane sometimes with a slight brown tint along costal and radial areas. Forewing CuP vein and hind wing CuA extending well before forewing CuA fork and hind wing MP fork respectively, with nine or more crossveins them and posterior fork branch. Pterostigma frosted white, encompassing three to four crossveins. Cells delimited by transversal veins in hind wing posterior area higher than long. Female hind wing sometimes with an opaque longitudinal streak on apex. — Legs: Coxa dark. Femur and tibiae with black bristles. Profemur pale brown with exterior face dark brown. Meso and metafemur exterior face pale brown and interior face dark brown. Femur decumbent setae white and black. Profemural sense hair longer than profemur, and mesofemural sense hair much shorter than mesofemur. Tibial spurs slightly shorter than pretarsal claws. Tarsomeres pale brown with distal tip dark brown. Pretarsal claws at least 1.5 times longer than basitarsus. — Abdomen: Abdomen dark brown, except for tergite 9 and ectoprocts which are pale brown with dark brown patches. Tergites 1, 2, and 3 with many short white setae, and subsequent tergites with many short dark brown setae. Sternite I with many short white setae, and male sternite III sometimes with many stout white setae. Sternite II, female sternite III and subsequent sternites with short dark brown setae. Male ectoproct with a short, globose postventral lobe. Male paramere plates subtriangular, almost subquadrangular on lateral view. Gonarcus arch positioned slightly above paramere plates on lateral view. Male genitalia clavate setae with globose club. — Larva (third instar). Head: Head capsule as broad as long in dorsal view, slightly longer than broad in ventral view. Head capsule dorsally brown, with few dark brown patches near posterior margin. Clypeolabrum light brown, darker near mandibles. Head capsule ventrally light brown. Short dolichasters on head dorsal surface cylindrical, or almost spherical. Head capsule dolichasters black and white, mostly white near anterior and lateral margins. Dorsal surface on posterior and posterolateral margins covered with short, white thread-like setae. Row of dolichasters on clypeolabrum posterior margin white, black between mandibles. — Thorax: Thorax prunescent, dorsally brown or light brown, with very sparsed brown patches which have no prunescence, and ventrally light brown with small dark spots on setal insertion. Thorax dorsal surface with sparse, short white thread-like setae, and with many short, black dolichasters medially, and many white dolichasters around lateral margins. Dorsal surface covered with very short “star-shaped” dolichasters. Mesothoracic spiracle borne on tubercle, which is much broader than long. Tubercule covered with short, white dolichasters. — Abdomen: Abdomen with white thread-like setae, which are sparse on dorsal surface, and ventrally are present on sternites I–VII, and tangled in circle-like shapes. Dorsal surface covered with very short “star-shaped” dolichasters. Abdomen prunescent, dorsally brown or light brown, with three equally spaced black patches medially on each abdominal segment, and ventrally light brown with small dark spots on setal insertion and near each basal abdominal margin. Abdominal tergites with many short white and black dolichasters, and sternites with white and black dolichasters. Abdominal setiferous processes with only white setae.

Specimens were observed in their natural habitat at the municipality of Miguel Calmon, Bahia, Brazil. Eight adult specimens (three males and five females) and 14 larvae were captured and subsequently reared in captivity. Adults were paired in different sex couples in order to observe possible matings, and females were provided with earth and sand from their natural habitat in order to observe possible oviposition. A single captive female was observed in posture, similar to what as described by Stange (1970) and Miller (1990), with raised wings, and curved abdomen with the terminalia buried in the substrate, but no eggs were found. No mating behaviour was observed. All adult specimens were capable of flying high, and whenever disturbed while flying near the ground, would quickly ascend and get dragged by the wind, without losing control of their flight. Adults would start actively flying and hunting at dusk, significantly reducing their activity approximately one hour later, limiting their flight to only flying from place to place. Whenever perched or resting, specimens would fold their wings over the abdomen or keep their wings raised, with the hind wings twisted in a slightly different angle than those of the forewings. Wings rested in different positions were usually a sign of senescence or health issues.

Larvae were found on patches of sandy, loose earth above compacted clay soil. Almost always, the larvae were inside a dug out “trench”, achored to the hard substrate (Fig. 16B–D). These “trenches” usually had a slope side, in which the larvae would stay anchored and submerged in the sandy soil, but with the mandibles open and exposed (Fig. 16B). All suitable patches of loose earth in which the larvae were found were isolated and considerably distant from vegetation or any kind of protection, such as shade, rocks or overhangs (Fig. 16A). Patches of loose earth with debris, such as sticks, leaves or pebbles were usually devoid of A. nigriventris larvae. These debris, whenever moved by the wind, would “dig out” the sand and the hard soil, which probably disturbs A. nigriventris microhabitat and pushes the larvae away to a new location.

All the type specimens were analyzed, except for A. stevensi striolata holotype. Ameromyia nigriventris previous syntypes consists of one male (paralectotype) (Fig. 32C) and one female (lectotype) (Fig. 32A) with the same label, and another female with a different label (paralectotype) (Fig. 32B). Although all three are stated to be from “Amazon”, only the female paralectotype has the country of origin (Colombia). The lectotype was chosen in regard to the most common morphotype among the specimens analyzed. Each type series specimen has a different degree of wing infuscation, reflecting this species great plasticity regarding wing characters. The female paralectotype have broader wings, has a clear forewing membrane on presectorial area, and bear a dotted infuscation pattern on forewing mediocubital area (Fig. 33C), which resembles the same pattern found on A. pubiventris (Fig. 5A). The male paralectotype shows a black CuP vein and an almost completely suffused mediocubital area on the forewing (Fig. 34A).

Figure 32. 

Ameromyia nigriventris type series: A female lectotype, dorsal view, with type labels. B Female paralectotype, dorsal view, with type labels and C male paralectotype, dorsal view, with type labels. Photographs by Ben Price (BMNH).

Figure 33. 

Ameromyia nigriventris: A male paralectotype, frontal view. B Lectotype forewing. C Female paralectotype forewing. D A. hirsuta holotype, head, thorax and legs, lateral view. E Illustration of male genitalia, lateral view. — Abbreviations: cs, clavate setae; et, ectoproct; etl, ectoproct postventral lobe; go, gonarcus; hs, hinge setae; pah, paramere hinge; pap, paramere plate; pat, paramere tooth; st, sternite; tg, tergite.

In this work, we partially agree with Walker circumscription for A. nigriventris. The female paralectotype morphotype is most common in central Brazil, and this is the only specimen analyzed with this morphotype outside Brazil. A single male specimen with this morphotype was analyzed, and male genitalia agrees with A. nigriventris. However, the male paralectotype is enigmatic. It has a dark forewing CuP and hind wing CuA, as well as a suffused forewing mediocubital area, which agrees with A. tendinosa, but forewing RP and hind wing MA and MP have dashed patterns, in contrast to A. tendinosa respective wing veins that are completely dark. The completely suffused mediocubital area on forewing was present only in this specimen among all A. nigriventris analyzed during this work. Additionally, A. tendinosa has not been found outside central South America. In fact, no other species that bear a complete suffusion of forewing mediocubital area has been registered for Colombia. Nonetheless, despite the inconsistencies, we are still identifying the male paralectotype as an anomalous specimen of A. nigriventris. However, it is possible that this specimen in fact does represent a different species and further analyses could better elucidate the identity of this specimen. Unfortunately, we were not able to analyse its genitalia.

Ameromyia stevensi holotype (Fig. 35B), a female also from Amazon, agrees exactly with the lectotype of A. nigriventris and is hereby synonymized. Regarding A. stevensi striolata, albeit the type specimen was not seen, the original description agrees with A. nigriventris and therefore, in this work we chose to maintain this species as a synonym as proposed by Stange (1967).

We also agree with Stange’s synonymy of A. longiventris under A. hirsuta (Stange 2010) as both type specimens are extremely similar, however, in addition, we are proposing the synonymy of A. hirsuta under A. nigriventris, a synonymy that was proposed before by Esben-Petersen (1920). Ameromyia hirsuta (Fig. 35A) does not show any exclusive consistent characteristic from A. nigriventris while also exhibiting extremely similar male genitalia. The brown tint on forewing membrane along the costal area, which is somewhat characteristic of specimens from Argentina and Paraguay, can also be found in many specimens of A. nigriventris, which were collected far beyond A. hirsuta previous distributional range, such as northeastern Brazil. In fact, many other species of Ameromyia can bear a tinted wing membrane as a polymorphic character. Female specimens from Argentina and southern Brazil sometimes bear an opaque streak on hind wing apex (Fig. 35A), but this is not a consistent character as it is not present in all females. The broad wing areas of the holotype is also not present in all specimens.

Figure 34. 

Ameromyia nigriventris, male paralectotype: A fore and hindwing. B Terminalia. — Abbreviations: et, ectoproct; etl, ectoproct postventral lobe; st, sternite; tg, tergite.

Figure 35. 

Ameromyia nigriventris, new synonyms: A Holotype of A. hirsuta, dorsal view. B Holotype of A. stevensi, dorsal view, photographed by Lionel Stange.

Ameromyia nigriventris larvae was previously described as not having thread-like setae (Stange 1994). However, all analyzed larvae indeed beared short, white thread-like setae on head, thorax and abdomen dorsal surface (Fig. 36D). White thread-like setae are very difficult to be visualized in alcohol, but very evident when the specimen was dried, which could explain the apparent absence of these setae on previous descriptions.

Figure 36. 

Ameromyia nigriventris, third instar larvae, preserved in alcohol: A dorsal view, B ventral view and C lateral view, photographed by Jonathan Bremer (FSCA). D head capsule dorsal view, dried specimen. — Abbreviation: ts, thread-like setae.

Ameromyia nigriventris is the species with the largest degree of variation regarding wing infuscation patterns within the genus. Wings can bear color pattern equal to that of the lectotype, equal to that of the female paralectotype; a combination of both; devoid of infuscation or with an almost imperceptible infuscation in the aforementioned patterns. Ameromyia explicata sp. nov. and A. tendinosa are very morphologically similar to A. nigriventris. However, the first has a fully dark meso and metathorax on latheral view, while A. nigriventris has an evident lateral pale band, and the latter has a complete suffusion on forewing mediocubital area, as well as a dark colored forewing CuP vein, in contrast to A. nigriventris, which suffusion on forewing mediocubital area varies, and has a dashed pattern on forewing CuP.

(115♀62♂4?, 3 larvae) ARGENTINA • 1♀; MISIONES, Loreto; iii.1953; Bought by F.H.Walz; CASC • 1♂; MISIONES, Posadas, 10.xi.1970; C. Porter, L. Stange; CASC. – BUENOS AIRES • 1♂; Tandil; 250m; CASC • 1♂; Tandil; 250m; 13.i.1954; Bought by F.H.Walz; CASC • 1♂; Tandil; 13.ii.1954; CASC • 1♂; Tandil; 200m; 15.i.1954; Bought by F.H.Walz; CASC • 1♀; Tandil; xii.1953–i.1954; Bought by F.H.Walz; CASC • 1♀; Tandil; ii.1960; Bought by F.H.Walz; CASC • 3♀2♂; Tandil; xii.1953; Bought by F.H.Walz; CASC – CORRIENTES • 1♀; Monte Caseros; 12–14.i.1956; Ajmat Bennezr; FSCA. – ENTRE RIOS • 1♂; Concordia, Salto Grande; i.1975; FSCA. – LA PAMPA • 1♀; Lihuel; 12.i.1977; L.A. Stange; FSCA • 1♀; Celelel, Sierra Lihuel; 11.i.1968; L.A.Stange; FSCA • 1♀; Celelel; 11.i.1968; L.A.Stange; FSCA. – MISIONES • 1♀; 2.iii; 500m; Juan Foetster; FSCA • 1♂; Pindapoy; 1.viii.1942; FSCA • 1♂; Pindapoy; 26.xii.42; Williner S.J.; FML • 1♀; Pindapoy; 3.i.1943; Williner S.J.; FSCA • 1♀1♂; Posadas; 10.xi.1970; C.Porter, L.Stange; FSCA. – BRAZIL • 2♀; Bates; BMNH • 2♂; Bates; BMNH. – AMAZONAS • 1♀; Manaus; 24.viii.1977; B.C.Patcliffe; DZUP • 1♂; Manaus; 18.vi.1980; Eloy Castellon; INPA • 1♀; Manaus, Conj. Petro; 04.vii.1982; J.A. Rafael; INPA • 1♀; Manaus, Campus UFAM; 18.vi.1982; J.A. Rafael ; INPA • 1♂; Manaus, Estrada M1, km16; 07.vii.1960; EV Silva; INPA • 2♂; Manaus, Estrada M1, km51, Igarapé do Aron; 22.vii.1960; Nunes de Mello; INPA • 1?; Manaus, FUA; 06.x.1978; J.A. Rafael; INPA • 1♀; Manaus, INPA; 14.v.1977; F. Rufino; INPA. – BAHIA • 1♀; Andaraí, Pousada Ibitirama, Cidade; 12.xii.1998; STP Amarante col.; MZUSP • 1♂; Feira de Santana; 3.v.1971; Exp. ABC; MZUSP • 1♀; Feira de Santana, Matinha; 3.vii.1999; Marcia; MZFS • 2♀; Ibicoara, CTC Faz. Bagisa; 06.xi.2012; T. Mahlmann leg.; INPA • 1♀; Lençóis, Cerrado; 16.xii.2003; LASIS; MZFS • 1♂; Lençóis, 14km NE de Lençois; 4–5.v.2000; Bravo, F.; MZFS • 1♀; Miguel Calmon, Mulungu do Chiola; 07.v.2021; 11°24′15.9”S 40°38′58.9”W; Luz; Vieira-Silva, V. UFBA • 3♂4♀; 3 larvae; Miguel Calmon, Mulungu do Chiola; 09–16.vi.2021; 11°24′15.9”S 40°38′58.9”W; Rede entomológica; Tavares, L., Miranda, M., Batista L., Vieira-Silva, V. UFBA • 1♀; Mucugê; 23.xii.1979; F.P.Benton; BMNH • 1♀; Santa Rita; iv.1958; E.Dente; MZUSP. – DISTRITO FEDERAL • 1♂; Brasilia; 27.iii.1964; C.E., E.S. Ross; CASC. – ESPÍRITO SANTO • 1♀; Parque Sooretama; x.1962; M. Alvarenga; FSCA. – GOIÁS • 1♀; Aruanã, Rio Araguaia; ii.61; Dirings; MZUSP • 1♀; Campinas; 1935; R. Spitz; MZUSP. – MATO GROSSO • 1♀; Aripuanã; 16.vi.1976; Altamiro Soares; INPA • 3♀; Comodoro, TI Nambiquara; 19.3093S 59.4226W; 26.iv.2006; Arm luz; J.A. Rafael and F.F. Xavier Fº; INPA. – MATO GROSSO DO SUL • 1♀; Amolar, R. Paraguay, Rio Amolar; 30.v.1927; at light; Miss C. Longfield; BMNH. – MINAS GERAIS • 1?; 7 lagoas, Ipeaco; 20.x.69; Becker leg; DZUP • 1♀; Paracatu; 28.x.1962; Evangelista; INPA • 1♀; Paracatu; x.1962; Evangelista; INPA • 1♀; Viçosa; 1931; Mre. Y. Mexia; CASC • 1♀; Parque Estadual do Rio Doce; 06–23.iv.1978; Maria Vulcano; INPA. – PARÁ • 2♀; Santarem; BMNH • 2♂; Santarem; BMNH • 1?; Tumucumaque; viii.1965; MPEG. – RIO GRANDE DO NORTE • 1♀; Macaíba; Mata do Colégio Agrícola de Jundiaí; 11–12.ii.2000; BL (noite); Varela-Freire, A., Chen Chao; UFBA • 2♀; Mossoró, Central de Resíduos; 27–28.xi.1995; Varela-Freire, A.; UFBA • 1♀; Nisia floresta, Morrinhos, r. bela vista; 27.v.2015; Manual, Oliveira I; UFBA • 1♀; Serra Negra do Norte, ESEc Seridó, Casa Familia Rural; 14.vii.1999; Coleta noturna; Alihon/Carlos, Cds; UFBA • 1♀; Serra Negra do Norte, ESEc Seridó, sede; 11–13.vi.1999; Coleta manual; sob luz fluorescente; Varela-Freire, A.; UFBA • 1♀; Serra Negra do Norte, ESEc Seridó, casa da entrada; 02–03.xi.2000; Col. Manual noturna; Varela-Freire, A.; UFBA • 1♀; same collection data as preceding; 21–27.iv.2000; sob luz fluorescente • 1♂; same collection data as preceding; 08–09.v.2003; API • 1♂; same collection data as preceding; 26–27.v.2000; Coleta manual; sob luz fluorescente • 1♀; same collection data as preceding; 12–13.v.2002; API • 3♀; same collection data as preceding; 15–16.v.2003 • 2♀1♂; same collection data as preceding; 13.vi.2004; API (noite); Dias da Silva, J.P. • 3♀; same collection data as preceding; 14–15.viii.2002; Varela-Freire, A. • 3♀1♂; same collection data as preceding; 05–06.vii.2003 • 1♀; same collection data as preceding; 21.vii.2003; API (00:00–03:00) • 1♀; same collection data as preceding; 09–10.v.2003; API (noite) • 1♂; Serra Negra do Norte, Esec Seridó. Sede; 28–30.vi.1999; Coleta manual, noturna; Varela-Freire, A.; UFBA • 1♀; same collection data as preceding; 05.iv.1996 • 1♂; same collection data as preceding; 15–16.vi.1999; API; Oliveira Irmão • 1♂; same collection data as preceding; 03–07.vi.1999; Coleta manual, noturna; Oliveira (irmao), Varela-Freire, A • 2♂; same collection data as preceding; 17–18.vii.1999; Coleta manual, sob luz fluorescente • 1♀; same collection data as preceding; 17–18.vii.1999 • 2♂; same collection data as preceding; 15–15.vi.1999; Oliveira Irmão, V.A • 1♀; same collection data as preceding; 1990; BL (margem oriental do açude campos II; Equipe Trilhos Pol. • 1♀; same collection data as preceding; 03–07.vi.1999; Coleta manual noturna; Varella, A.A.; Freire, C.A.V.; Oliveira irmão V.A. • 1?; same collection data as preceding; 15–16.vi.1999; API; Oliveira Irmão • 1♂; Serra Negra do Norte, Açude Campos, margem ocidental; 30.iii.1994; Rede entomológica; Varela-Freire, A.; UFBA • 1♀1♂; Serra Negra do Norte, Açude Campos 1, margem ocidental; 06–07.iv.1997; BL (Noite); Varela-Freire, A.; UFBA • 1♀; same collection data as preceding; 04–05.vii.1997 • 3♀; Serra Negra do Norte, ESEc Seridó; 22–23.viii.2002; API (noite); Varela-Freire; UFBA – RIO GRANDE DO SUL • 1♀; Pelotas; 10.ii.1964; Carbonell, Mesa, Monné; FSCA • 1♀; Quaraí, Cerro de Jarro; 27.i.1963; C.S.Carbonell; FSCA • 1♀; Tamandaí; 13.ii.1964; Carbonell, Mesa, Monné; FSCA • 1♂; Tramandaí; 13.ii.1969; C.S.Carbonell, M.A.Monne, A.Meia; FSCA • 1♀; Rio Camaquã; 11.xi.1964; FSCA. – RONDÔNIA • 1♀; Porto Velho, Rio Tapirape; x.1962; R. Pinheiros; CASC • 4♂; Vilhena; 5.xi.1979; N.D. Penny, J.R. Arias; INPA • 5♀; same collection data as for preceding. – RORAIMA • 1♀; Amajari Tepequem, Estrada do Mirante do Paiva; 03º46′14″N 61º44′22″W; 30.iii.2016; Lençol iluminado; J.A. Rafael, D. Takiya, C. Gonçalves, A. Ferreira, C. Maldaner; INPA • 1♀; Boa Vista, Campus UFRR; 02º52′31″N 60º42′45″W; 13.vii.2010; Arm. Luminosa; J.A.Rafael, F.F.Xavier Fº, T.K.Krolow, R.Freitas, R. Machado; INPA • 1♀; Uranduique [sic], Rio Maú; vii.1960; Machado; INPA. – SANTA CATARINA • 1♂; Nova Teutonia; 27°11″8 552°23′t; 300–500m; 11.xi.1955; Fritz Pleumann; CASC • 1♀; Nova Teutonia; 27°11″9 552°23′t; 300–500m; 11.xi.1955; Fritz Pleumann; CASC. – TOCANTIS • 1♂; Porto Nacional, Rua Absalon Fernandes, Jardins dos Ipês; 28.iii.2017; Rippel, M.L.S. leg.; INPA • 1♀; Porto Nacional, Faz. São Judas Tadeu; 27–29.iii.2015; Luminosa; Krolow e equipe; DZUP. – GUYANA • 1♂; 1937; L. Fitzgerald; BMNH. – PARAGUAY • CENTRAL • 1♀; Ypacarai, 4km E Ypacarai; 6.iii.1979; G. Buckingham; FSCA. – URUGUAY • 1♀; Antigas cuchilla belen; 21.ii.1961; C.S. Carbonell; CASC. – ARTIGAS • 1♂; Arroyo, Tres Cruces Grande; 24.xi.1960; RT4, C.S. Carbonell; FSCA • 2♂; Arroyo, Ruta 4, Tres Cruces Chico; 23.xi.1961; C.S. Carbonell; FSCA. – CANELONES • 1♂; Atlantida; 7.ii.1969; J. and L.A. Stange; FSCA. – TREINTA Y TRES • 4♀1♂; Santa Clara de Olimar; 19–22.xii.1960; C.S.Carbonell, L.C.Zolessi; FSCA • 1♂; Santa Clara de Olimar; 12–15.i.1960; L.Zolessi, A.Spiritoso; FSCA • 1♂; Treinta y Tres, Quebrada de los Cuervos; 14.xii.1952; On Grasses; C.S.Carbonell; FSCA. – VENEZUELA • ARAGUA • 1♀; El Limon, Ar.; F. Fernandez Yepez; FML. – BOLÍVAR • 1♀; Uruyen; 12.v.1956; F.F.Fernandez and C.J.Rosales; FSCA • 1♂; Uruyen; 12.iv.1956; F.F.Fernandez and C.J.Rosales; FSCA. – FALCÓN • 1♀; Coro, Sabana Larga; 19.ii.1986; Miller and L.A. Stange; FSCA • 1 larvae; Coro, Sabana Larga; 24.ii.1986; (reared #8); R. Miller and L.Stange; FSCA.

Brazil (Fig. 12).

Forewing veins C, Sc, and RA all pale, in contrast to MA which has a dashed pale brown and dark brown pattern, and CuP which are dark brown.

Adult. Head: Antennae with 31 flagellomeres. Flagellomeres dark brown, with ventral face of the club light brown. Vertex light brown with dark brown spots on setae insertion, and dark brown spots and patches on anterior and posterior rows. Vertex decumbent setae black. Interantennal area dark brown. Frons light brown, usually with dark brown medially and under scape. Frons setae black. Interocular distance less than eye width. Clypeus light brown, slightly darker medially. Labrum light brown, slightly darker on ventral margin. Mandibles dark brown. Palpi light brown, with exterior face slightly darker. — Thorax: Thorax on lateral view darker ventrally, with an evident longitudinal pale brown band under wings. Pronotum as broad as long, light brown, with two longitudinal dark brown markings medially. Pronotum marginal setae white. Mesonotum dark, with longitudinal light brown streaks on each side of mesoscutum, and one medially on mesoscutellum. Metanotum light brown, with metascutum laterally dark. — Wings: Wing tip acute. Forewing veins Sc and RA vein pale; CuA, anterior branch of CuA fork and MP with a dashed dark and light brown pattern, and remaining veins are dark brown. Hind wing veins C, Sc and RA vein pale, and remaining veins are dark brown. Wing membrane hyaline, except on Costal and Radial areas, which have a brown tint. Forewing mediocubital area with dark infuscations around vertical crossveins, in a continuous pattern or apparently dotted but with connecting suffusions pattern, at least until apical third. Forewing CuP vein and hind wing CuA extending well before forewing CuA fork and hind wing MP fork respectively, with nine or more crossveins connecting them and posterior branch of fork. Pterostigma opaque, light brown, encompassing five to six crossveins. Cells delimited by transversal veins in hind wing posterior area higher than long. — Legs: Coxae light brown on posterior face and slightly darker on anterior face. Femur and tibiae with black bristles. Legs light brown, dark brown on exterior face. Femur decumbent setae white and black. Profemural sense hair longer than profemur, and mesofemural sense hair much shorter than mesofemur. Tibiae with dark brown spots on bristle insertion. Tibial spurs slightly shorter than pretarsal claws. Tarsomeres light brown, with posterior tip dark brown. Pretarsal claws at least 1.5 times longer than basitarsus. — Abdomen: Abdomen dark brown with many dark brown setae. — Larva. Larvae unknown.

Ameromia pleuralis holotype is labelled as “syntypus” (Fig. 37A), but is stated as holotype in the original description, as it is the only specimen being described. A. pleuralis was by far the less sampled species by the current work. Specimens analyzed were restricted to central Brazil. All sampled male specimens have lost their terminalia. It is possible that the analyzed specimens of A. pleuralis are simply decoloured or badly preserved specimens of A. tendinosa, but without a larger sampling or without analysing the male genitalia, it is difficult to ascertain if A. pleuralis is in fact a valid species or if it’s a synonym of A. tendinosa. Through photographs of the type specimen (Figs 37A, C), the forewing CuP is clearly dark, but, while the RA vein appears to be pale, distalmost sections appears to be dashed and thus it is difficult to discern. Analyzed specimens had fully pale RA veins (Fig. 37B). Nonetheless, based on the analysis of the type specimen photographs and the differences in the wing coloration, we decided to keep A. pleuralis as a valid species.

Figure 37. 

Ameromyia pleuralis: A holotype, dorsal view, with type labels. B Forewing of A. pleuralis. C Holotype, ventral view. Holotype photographs by Mandy Schröter, Senckenberg.

This species is very similar to A. tendinosa and A. dimidiata, but the latter has a southern distribution and has a pale forewing CuP vein, while A. tendinosa has a forewing R vein with a dashed coloration distally.

(3♀3♂) BRAZIL – GOIÁS • 1♀1♂; Jataí, Faz. Nova Orlandia; i.1964; Martins, Morgante and Silva; MZUSP. – MATO GROSSO • 1♂; C[hapada]. dos Guimarães; 01.x.2016; Ativa; B. Martins; CEMT • 1♀; Chapada dos Guimarães; xi.1963; M. Alvarenga; FSCA • 1♀; Buriti, Chapada dos Guimarães; x.1978; G.R.Kloss and F. Val; MZUSP. – PARANÁ • 1♂; P[onta]. Grossa; xii.49; á luz [sic]; DZUP.

Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay; Uruguay (Fig. 13).

Forewing RP veins, basal half of CuP and banksian lines black in contrast to other veins which are mostly pale. Forewing mediocubital area cells at basal third at least 1/3 suffused with dark brown. Hind wing RP and banksian lines veins and black in contrast to other hind wing veins which are mostly pale. Clavate setae on male genitalic sac very long.

Adult. Head: Antennae with 27–29 flagellomeres. Flagellomeres dark brown, except the ones at the club, which are light brown ventrally. Vertex light brown, with dark brown anterior and middle rows, and two brown spots in posterior row. Vertex decumbent setae black. Interantennal area dark brown. Frons light brown, with dark brown patches medially. Frons setae black. Interocular distance less than eye width. Clypeus light brown, with two medial dark brown markings. Labrum light brown, with very faint dark brown patches that connect with clypeus dark brown markings. Mandibles with external face light brown, and internal face dark brown. Palpi light brown, with external face slightly darker. Mandibular and labial distalmost palpomeres with dark brown tip. — Thorax: Thorax light brown, with dark brown markings. Thorax on lateral view dark brown, with an evident longitudinal light brown band under wings. Pronotum as broad as long, light brown with dark brown markings. Pronotum marginal setae white and/or black. Mesonotum light brown, with dark brown patches on prescutum and dark brown laterally on mesoscutum. Metanotum light brown, mesoscutum dark brown laterally. — Wings: Wing tip acute. Forewing RA, MA and A veins pale; RP and Banksian Lines veins dark; CuP dark on basal half and dashed near posterior wing margin; CuA and MP veins with dark and pale sections; remaining veins with dashed pattern. Hind wing veins R and MA pale; RP veinsdark; remaining veins with dashed pattern. Wing membrane hyaline, or sometimes with a faint brown tint. Forewing mediocubital area with dark brown infuscations along CuA vein until at least half of forewing distance, which cover at least 1/3 of the cells. Forewing CuP and hind wing CuA veins extending before forewing CuA and hind wing MP fork respectively, with at least four crossveins connecting them and posterior branch of fork. Pterostigma opaque, dark yellow, encompassing three to four crossveins. Cells delimited by transversal veins on hind wing posterior area longer than high. — Legs: Coxae dark brown anteriorly and light brown posteriorly. Legs light brown and with many dark brown spots on setae insertion. Femur and tibiae with black bristles. Femur light brown, with external face slightly darker than internal face. Femur decumbent setae white and black. Profemural sense hair longer than profemur and mesofemural sense hair much shorter than mesofemur. Tibial spurs slightly shorter than pretarsal claws. Tarsomeres light brown, with distal fourth dark brown. Pretarsal claws at least 1.5 times longer than basitarsus. — Abdomen: Abdomen dark brown ventrally, with brown setae. Tergites I–III light brown, and remaining tergites dark brown. Male paramere plates quadrangular on lateral view. Gonarcus arch positioned not above paramere plates on lateral view. Male genitalia clavate setae very long, with a sickled club. — Larva. Larvae unknown.

The type specimen of Foya trapezia was not analyzed in this work. Foya trapezia has a controversial taxonomical background as it was synonymized under Amazoleon pubiventris along with Myrmeleon tendinosus by Esben-Petersen (1920), according to the author they were of the same species. However, the hind wing illustration provided by the author in F. trapezia original description, makes it clear that F. trapezia and M. tendinosus type specimens cannot be of the same species as the hind wing posterior area are very different. Thus, the original description for F. trapezia agrees much more with A. protensa than A. pubiventris, as mentioned in the diagnostic black forewing veins RP and both banksian lines (Fig. 39A), which are absent for A. pubiventris. Therefore, in this work we agree and maintain Stange’s (1967) synonymy of F. trapezia under A. protensa.

Figure 38. 

Ameromyia protensa, type series, habitus on dorsal view, with respective type labels: A lectotype. B and C paralectotypes. Photographs by Lara Lopardo (EMAU).

Figure 39. 

Ameromyia protensa: A male specimen, dorsal view. B Lectotype head and forelegs, frontal view. C Lectotype head, thorax and legs, lateral view. D Male terminalia, lateral view. E Illustration of male genitalia, lateral view. Type photographs by Lara Lopardo (EMAU). — Abbreviations: cs, clavate setae; et, ectoproct; etl, ectoproct postventral lobe; go, gonarcus; hs, hinge setae; pah, paramere hinge; pap, paramere plate; pat, paramere tooth; st, sternite; tg, tergite.

The type specimens of A. alterna and A. decarloi were not located, and are still missing as previously mentioned by Stange (2004; 2010) and Oswald (2021). However, the original description for those species also agrees with A. protensa, in the same way as F. trapezia, and therefore we chose to maintain both species as synonyms.

Ameromyia protensa is the only species from the modesta group that occurs in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay (Fig. 13). This species is restricted to southern South America, and its northermost distribution record continues to be its type locality, in São Paulo state, Brazil.

(7♀9♂) ARGENTINA • 1♂; S of Corrientes, Parana River; 16.i.2009, M.Snizek; FSCA • 1♂; Entre Rios, 1º de mayo;10.iii.1961; FSCA. – BRAZIL – RIO GRANDE DO SUL • 1♀; Quaraí, Cerro do Javali; 25–27.i.1963; C.S.Carbonell; FSCA. – PARAGUAY – PARAGUARÍ • 1♂; Cerro Hu, vic. Posada Del Cerro; 05–06.ii.2019; 25°36.087′S 057°705′W; 531ft; J. E. Eger; L. G Bezark; FSCA. – VILLA RICA: 2♀1♂; xi; BMNH. – URUGUAY • 2♂; Paysandu, Puerto Pepeají; 30.xi.1959; C.S.Carbonell, A. Mesa; FSCA • 2♀2♂; Tacuarembó, Tacuarembó enico; 20–25.i.1960; C.S.Carbonell; FSCA) • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding. – ARTIGAS • 1♀; Tres Cruces Chico (ruta 4), Arraya; 23.xi.1961; C.S. Carbonell, FSCA. – TREINTA Y TRES • 1♂; Quebrada de los cuervos; 14–15.xii.1952; C.S. Carbonell; FSCA.

Brazil; Suriname (Fig. 13).

All wing veins with dashed dark brown and pale brown coloration pattern. Thorax dorsally pale in contrast to ventral face which is dark brown. Legs pale brown, with scattered dark brown spots. Abdomen pale brown with the distal third dark brown. Male genitalic sac extending laterally, and slightly dorsally above the gonarcus.

Adult. Head: Antennae with 26–29 flagellomeres. Flagellomeres pale brown, the ones at the club with many dark brown spots. Vertex light brown, with latitudinal dark brown streaks in anterior and middle row, and two brown spots in posterior row. Vertex decumbent setae black. Interantennal area pale or dark brown. Frons pale brown, frequently with dark brown patches centrally. Frons setae black. Interocular distance less than eye width. Clypeus pale brown. Labrum pale brown with gray patches medially. Mandibles light brown on basal half and dark brown on distal half. Palpi pale brown, with external face slightly darker. — Thorax: Thorax pale brown, with two dark brown longitudinal streaks dorsally. Thorax on lateral view dark brown, with an evident longitudinal pale brown band under the wings. Pronotum as broad as long, pale brown, with small dark brown spots and dark brown markings appearing as three longitudinal pale brown streaks. Mesonotum dark brown, mesoscutellum pale brown. Metascutum pale brown. — Wings: Wing tip acute. Veins with dashed dark and pale brown pattern. Wing membrane hyaline or with a brown tint, and dark brown infuscations on crossvein junctures. Forewing mediocubital area with dark infuscations around vertical crossveins in a uniform dotted pattern, culminating on rhegmal area. Forewing rhegmal area with an evident dark brown insfuscation. Forewing CuP and hind wing CuA veins extending before CuA and MP fork respectively, with at least four crossveins connecting them and posterior branch of fork. Pterostigma opaque, white, dark brown centrally, encompassing three to four crossveins. Cells delimited by transversal veins on hind wing posterior area longer than high. — Legs: Coxae dark brown on anterior face and pale brown on posterior face. Legs light brown with dark brown spots on setae insertion. Femur and tibiae with black bristles. Femur decumbent setae dark brown. Profemural sense hair longer than profemur and mesofemural sense hair much shorter than mesofemur. Tibial spurs slightly shorter than pretarsal claws. Tarsomeres light brown, with distal fourth dark brown. Pretarsal claws at least 1.5 times longer than basitarsus. — Abdomen: Abdomen pale and dark brown, sometimes banded, with many small dark brown spots. Tergites I–IV pale brown with, turning dark brown from tergite V onwards. Sternites II and III pale brown and marginally dark brown, and remaining sternites dark brown. Male paramere plates quadrangular with a round posterodorsal margin, on lateral view. Gonarcus arch positioned not above paramere plates on lateral view. Male genitalia clavate setae with a sickled club. — Larva. Larvae unknown.

Walker (1860), in Myrmeleon pubiventris original description, did not designate a holotype, but he provided species measurement variations, “Length of the body 19–23 lines; of the wings 27 lines”. This suggests he analyzed more than one specimen as interpreted by Stange (2004), who mentioned syntypes in his catalog. We agree with Stange’s interpretation of syntypes, however, at the BMHN there is only one male specimen labeled as type (Fig. 40B), and thus we are hereby designating this specimen as the lectotype. Furthermore, Walker (1860) did not state any data label, but only mentioned “Amazon Region”. The lectotype label states “Santarem” which is a municipality in Pará state, located at the Brazilian Amazon region.

Figure 40. 

Ameromyia pubiventris: A Lectotype, dorsal view. B Lectotype, habitus, dorsal view, with type labels, photographed by Ben Price (BMNH). C Lectotype, head, thorax and legs, lateral view. D Lectotype, head and legs, frontal view. E Lectotype terminalia, lateral view. F Illustration of male genitalia, lateral view. — Abbreviations: cs, clavate setae; et, ectoproct; etl, ectoproct postventral lobe; go, gonarcus; hs, hinge setae; pah, paramere hinge; pap, paramere plate; pat, paramere tooth; st, sternite; tg, tergite.

During this work, only specimens from Brazil were analyzed. However, Banks (1943) registered this species from Surinam (which was posteriorly mentioned by Stange (2004)). Stange (2004) also mentioned that the species occur in Venezuela, but without further details. Furthermore, we did not find this Venezuelan specimen in Stange’s collection, but we found one specimen of A. modesta from Venezuela misidentified as A. pubiventris. Therefore, we are considering this distribution data as dubious and we are not displaying it on our distributional map.

Despite the records for Surinam and the type locality in the Amazon Region, this species appears to be more abundant in open areas in the Cerrado and Caatinga biomes in Brazil.

Ameromyia pubiventris can be easily differentiated from A. modesta and A. guarica by leg coloration, and from A. protensa by the much smaller posterior area of forewing, and dashed Radial sector veins (Figs A, 40A). Ameromyia pubiventris also has slender wings in comparison to A. protensa.

(124♀43♂8?) BRAZIL • 3♀3♂; Bates; BMNH. – AMAZONAS • 1♀1♂; BMNH. – BAHIA • 1♂; Iaçu, Rio Paraguaçu; 15.v.2010; Bandeja; UFBA • 1♀; Santa Rita; iv.1958; E.Dente; MZUSP • 1♀; Curaçá, Riacho do Zé, Ponto MCUR5; 05.v.2011; Bandeja; França, D.; UFBA. – GOIÁS • 2♀1♂; Alto Paraíso de Goiás, P.N.Chapada dos Veadeiros; 14°07′44″S 47°44′04″W; 31.vii.2018; Cerrado queimado/Malaise/P.3; Perioto and Lara cols.; DZUP • 1♀1♂, 2?; Alto Paraíso de Goiás, P.N.Chapada dos Veadeiros; 14°08′36″S 47°46′04″W 03.vii.2018; Cerrado/Malaise/Ponto 3; Perioto and Lara cols.; DZUP • 1♀; Porangatu; 22.iv.2017; Col. Ativa; Andrade, Iury; DZUP. – MARANHÃO • 1♀; Caxias, Faz. Bode; 24–31.vii.1999; Arm. Malaise; F.L.Oliveira leg; CZMA • 1♀1♂; Mirador, Parque Est. Mirador, Base da Geraldina; 06°37′25″S 45°52′08″W; 13–19.viii.2012; armadilha luminosa; L.L.M. Santos, J.S.Pinto, Junior and L.S. Santos; CZMA • 1♀; Mirador, Parque Est. Mirador, Base da Geraldina; 06°37′25″S 45°52′08″W; 09–16.v.2013; armadilha luminosa; F. limeira de oliveira, C.F.Barros and A.A.Santos; CZMA • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 10–16.v.2013; Malaise; L.L.M. Santos, J.S.Pinto, Junior and L.S. Santos • 1?; same collection data as for preceding; 01–13.viii.2013; Armadilha de luminosa; F. Limeira de Oliveira, A.A. Santos and C.F. Barros; CZMA • 1♂; Mirador, Povoado Pindaíba (Mel); 06°39′44″S 45°01′37″W; 01–05.vi.2011; armadilha luminosa; F.Limeira de oliveira, G.A Reis and M.S; CZMA • 1♀; Mirador, Parque Est. Mirador, Posto Avançado do Mel; 06°43′50″S 44°58′59″W; 30–31.v.2011; armadilha luminosa; F. Limeira de Oliveira, A.A.Santos and T.T.A.Silva; CZMA • 1?; same collection data as for preceding; 02–08.v.2011; F.Limeira de oliveira, G.A Reis and M.S; CZMA • 1♀; Mirador, Parque Est. Mirador, Base da Geraldina; 21–26.viii.2006; Arma. Luminosa; F. limeira de oliveira; CZMA • 1♀;same collection data as for preceding; 30.vi–04.vii.2008; M.J. Almeida Holanda • 1?; same collection data as for preceding; 21–25.vi.2007; F. limeira de oliveira • 1♀1♂; same collection data as for preceding; 21–26.viii.2006 – MATO GROSSO • 2♀; Cuiabá, Recanto das sementes; vii–viii.2018; Coleta manual; L.G.O. Nunes; DZUP. – MINAS GERAIS • 1♀1♂, 1? Chapada Gaúcha, P.N. Grande Sertão Veredas; 15º10′26.8″S 47º43′19.9″W; 17.v.2018; A.luminosa 3/Cerrado; Perioto and Lara cols.; DZUP. – PARÁ • 1♀; Santarem; BMNH. – PERNAMBUCO • 2♀; Buique, Catimbau; 08°31′26″S 37°15′12″W; 950m; 04.vi.2015; armadilhas; Almeida, Lucena, Tavares; DZUP. – PIAUÍ • 1♀; Guaribas, Parque Nacional Serra das Confusões; 09°08′28″S 43°33′42″W; 515m; 05.vi.2013; Arm. Luz; J.A.Rafael; INPA • 1?; Ribeira Gonçalves, E.E. Uruçuí-uma; 17–23.vi.84; Malaise cerrado; J.Graf; DZUP. – RIO GRANDE DO NORTE • 2♂; Serra Negra do Norte, Açude Campos; 14.v.1994; Varela-Freire, A.; UFBA • 1♀1♂; Serra Negra do Norte, Açude Campos 1, margem ocidental; 5–06.vi.1997; BL (noite); Varela-Freire, A.; UFBA • 1♀1♂; same collection data as for preceding; 6–07.iv.1997 • 1♂; Serra Negra do Norte, Açude Campos, margem ocidental; 30.iii.1994; Rede entomológica; Varela-Freire, A.; UFBA • 2♀1♂; Mossoró, Aqueduto; 18–19.vi.1996; BL (noite); Varela-Freire, A.; UFBA • 4♂; Mossoró, Aqueduto; 19–20.vi.1996; BL (noite) [illegible] de mata; Varela-Freire, A.A.; Mendonça, K; Nannorino, R.; UFBA • 1♀1♂; Mossoró, Canto do Amaro, Central de Resíduos; 18–19.vi.1996; BL (noite); Equipe ASS--A [illegible]; UFBA • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding • 3♀; Serra Negra do Norte, ESEc Seridó; 22–23.viii.2002; API (noite); Varela-Freire; UFBA • 2♀; Serra Negra do Norte, ESEc Seridó, casa da entrada; 15.vi.2003; API; Varela-Freire A.A. Col.; UFBA • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; vii–vii.2006 • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 02–03.xi.2000; Col. Manual noturna • 2♀; same collection data as for preceding; 21.v.2003; API (18 • 00–24 • 00) • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 30.v.1997; Coleta manual, noturna • 2♀; same collection data as for preceding; 13.vi.2004; API (noite); Dias da Silva, J.P. • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; 13.vi.2004 • 3♀; same collection data as for preceding; 14–15.viii.2002; Varela-Freire, A. • 3♀; same collection data as for preceding; 05–06.vii.2003 • 2♀; same collection data as for preceding; 21–22.vii.2002 • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 30–31.viii.2002 • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 13–14.ix.2002 • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 08–09.v.2003 • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 23.v.2003 • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 09–10.v.2003 • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; 5–06.vii.2003 • 2♂; same collection data as for preceding; 08–09.v.2003 • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; 23.v.2003 • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 28–29.vi.2003; API • 2♀; same collection data as for preceding; 22.v.2003 • 4♀; same collection data as for preceding; 20–22.vii.2003 • 2♀; same collection data as for preceding; 15–16.v.2003 • 3♀; same collection data as for preceding; 06.iv.2003 • 4♀; same collection data as for preceding; 07–08.vii.2003 • 3♀; same collection data as for preceding; 13–14.vii.2003 • 2♂; same collection data as for preceding; 7–08.vii.2003 • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; 15–16.v.2003 • 5♀; same collection data as for preceding; 22–23.v.2004; API (18–24h) • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; 22–23.v.2005 • 2♀; same collection data as for preceding; 05–10.v.2003; API (noturno) • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; 05–10.v.2003 • 3♀; same collection data as for preceding; 22–23.v.2000; Coleta manual, sob luz fluorescente • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 23.viii.1991; Coleta manual, sob luz fluorescente • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 17–18.vii.1999 • 2♂; same collection data as for preceding; 22–23.v.2000 • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 10–12.v.2000 • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; 21–27.iv.2000 • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 07–08.iv.2002; Armadilha luminosa • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 21.vii.2003; API (00 • 00–03 • 00) • 1♀; Serra Negra do Norte, ESEc Seridó, Sede; 11.vi.1993; Manual noturna; Varela-Freire, A.; UFBA • 1♀; Serra Negra do Norte, ESEc Seridó, sede; 03–07.vi.1999; Coleta manual, noturna; Oliveira (irmão), Varela-Freire, A; UFBA • 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; 25–26.vi.1999; Varela-Freire, A. • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 03–07.vi.1999; Varella, A.A.; Freire, C.A.V.; Oliveira irmão V.A. • 1♀; Serra Negra do Norte, Rio Espinharas, Chácara Nova Vida; 26.vii.2009; Luz; Calor e Lecci; UFBA • 1♂; Natal, Guararapes; 21.viii.2008; Manual; Ribeiro KG; UFBA • 1♀; Natal, UFRN Centro Biociências; 20.xi.2013; Coleta Manual; Machado, M.C.N.; UFBA • 1♂; Caicó, Ponte Rio Sabugi; 22.vii.2009; Lençol; UFBA • 2♀; Lajes; 20.vii.1990; armadilha luminosa; vegetação; Varela-freire; UFBA. – SÃO PAULO • 1♀; Populina; 09.vi.2021; 19°56′31.1”S 50°32′24.3”W; Luz (fogão); Calor, A.R.; UFBA • 1♀; Populina; 14.vi.2021; 19°56′31.1”S 50°32′24.3”W; Coleta Manual; Calor, A.R.; UFBA. – TOCANTINS • 1♂; Porto Nacional, Faz. São Judas Tadeu; 04.vii.2011; Lençol iluminado; T.K., Krolow e equipe leg.; CEUFT • 1? Porto Nacional; 20.v.2005; Rocha S.B.; CEUFT • 22♀5♂; S. Isabel do Morro, Ilha do Bananal; vi.1961; M.Alvarenga; FSCA • 1♀; S. Isabel do Morro, Rio Araguaia, Ilha do Bananal; 12–22.viii.1957; Borys Malkia; FSCA • 1♀; Santa Isabel, Ilha do bananal, Rio Araguaia; 15–22.vii.1957; Berrys Malkin; CASC • 1♀; Santa Isabel, Ilha do Bananal; vi.1961; M. Alvarenga; CASC.

Argentina; Brazil; Bolivia; Chile; Paraguay (Fig. 12).

Dark and yellow coloration. Thorax setae all white. Profemur with decumbent setae all white. Wing veins with dashed dark brown and yellowish-brown pattern. Four to five obliquous streaks in forewing, around MA vein. Male ectoproct obliquus in relation to tergite IX.

Adult. Head: Antennae with 34 flagellomeres. Flagellomeres black, slightly lighter at antennae club, with yellow between segments. Vertex yellow, with dark latitudinal bands on anterior and middle rows, and dark spots on posterior row. Vertex decumbent setae all white, or black with white only on interantennal area. Frons yellow, with dark brown patches that can extend to interantennal area. Frons setae white. Interocular distance less than eye width. Clypeus yellow, sometimes with dark brown patches. Labrum yellow, with slightly darker ventral margin. Mandibles dark brown. Palpi yellow, slightly darker on external face of palpomeres. — Thorax: Thorax dark with yellow markings. Thorax dark on lateral view, with a faint longitudinal pale band under wings. Pronotum as broad as long, dark with two lateral and one medial longitudinal yellow stripe. Pronotum marginal setae white. Mesonotum dark, with yellowish-brown on notal junctures. Metanotum dark, with yellowish brown medially on metascutum. — Wings: Wing tip acute. Hind wing rarely falcate. Veins with dashed dark brown and pale yellow or white pattern. Wing membrane hyaline. Forewing with dark brown infuscations in wing membrane alternating around crossveins on presectorial and radial areas, and along crossveins on sectorial, mediocubital and rhegmal areas, forming five evident oblique streaks around MA vein. Forewing mediocubital area with dark infuscations around vertical crossveins which become sparser along MA vein, culminating on rhegmal area. Forewing CuP and hind wing CuA veins extending well before forewing CuA and hind wing MP fork respectively, with nine or more crossveins connecting them and posterior branch of fork. Pterostigma opaque, dark brown on basal half and white on apical half, encompassing six to seven crossveins. Cells delimited by transversal veins on hind wing higher than long. — Legs: Coxae dark. Femur and tibiae with black bristles. Femur dark on external face and light yellow on internal face. Profemur decumbent setae white. Meso and metafemur decumbent setae white and black. Profemural sense hair longer than profemur and mesofemural sense hair much shorter than mesofemur. Tibia light yellow with dark spots on setae insertion. Tibial spurs slightly shorter than pretarsal claws. Tarsomeres light yellow, with distal fourth dark brown. Pretarsal claws at least 1.5 times longer than basitarsus. — Abdomen: Abdomen sclerites black, sometimes with yellow on posterior margins. Abdomen with white setae, brown near terminalia. Male ectoproct obliquous in relation to tergite IX, with postventral lobe slightly elevated. Male paramere plates subtriangular on lateral view. Parameres hinge anterior projections not entirely covered by gonarcus. Gonarcus arch positioned not above parameres plates. Male genitalia clavate setae with globose club. — Larva. Larvae unknown.

A live male specimen was observed in wild at Santa Rita de Cássia, Bahia state, Brazil. The location where the specimen was collected was at the Cerrado biome, with dry vegetation and hard, compacted soil. This specimen hovered in the air almost two meters above the ground.

This species, previously restricted to Chile, Paraguay and Argentina, is now registered for the first time to Bolivia. It is also now recorded to Brazil, as Ameromyia pentheri is hereby proposed as a synonym of A. strigosa. The holotype of A. pentheri (Fig. 41A–C) seems to be a teneral specimen and is devoid of coloration, which is problematic for identifying Ameromyia specimens. It also has lost its terminalia. However, the holotype chaetotaxy agrees with A. strigosa, as it bears only white setae on frons, thorax and profemur. Ameromyia strigosa distribution, though, was previously restricted to southern South America, with no records from Brazil, and the only brazilian specimens identified previously to the synonymy were from Mato Grosso do Sul state, which borders Bolivia and therefore are very close to A. strigosa previous distributional range. The locality on A. pentheri holotype label only stated it was from “Santa Rita” in Brazil, which relates to more than a dozen municipalities with the same name. Nevertheless, upon analyzing the course of the expedition that collected the type specimen (dubbed as “Penther expedition” by Navás), as detailed in Bohme (1996), it became clear that “Santa Rita” referred to the municipality of Santa Rita de Cássia, Bahia state, Brazil. To ascertain the occurrence of A. strigosa in Bahia, a field trip was made to that same locality, which after three days resulted in a single collected male specimen that agrees with both A. pentheri and A. strigosa type specimens (Fig. 42A). A female specimen that agrees with both A. strigosa lectotype and the male specimen found at Santa Rita de Cassia, was located at the MZFS collection, also collected from Bahia state, Brazil (Fig. 42B).

Figure 41. 

Ameromyia pentheri and A. strigosa: A dorsal view and B lateral view of A. pentheri holotype, habitus. C Head and forelegs of A. pentheri holotype, frontal view. D Head and foreleg of A. strigosa lectotype, frontal view, photographed by Charles Farnum, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University.

Figure 42. 

Ameromyia strigosa specimens collected at Bahia state, Brazil: A male specimen from Santa Rita de Cássia municipality, habitus, dorsal view. B Female specimen from Raso da Catarina ecological region, dorsal view.

The type specimen of A. fidelis was not analyzed in this current work, but the original description greatly fits that of A. strigosa, and therefore we chose to maintain the synonymy proposed by Stange (1967). Regarding the combination Moza strigosa by Navás (1917), although this combination was never officially undone, it seems that the author himself disregarded his nomenclatural changes as he kept referring to this species as A. strigosa in all of his following publications.

Ameromyia strigosa is very distinctive as it bears four to five oblique markings along MA vein in the forewing (Figs 1A, 43C, 44A). Also, frons (Figs 2A, 41D) and leg short decumbent setae (Figs 2A, 41B, C, 43B) are almost all white, and body coloration is black and yellow or yellowish-brown (Figs 1A, 42). The only other species that looks somewhat similar is A. muralli, which can also show some yellowish-brown coloration. Some A. strigosa specimens bear a falcate hind wing (Fig. 44B), which makes them even more similar to A. muralli, but the latter lacks all other aforementioned diagnostic characters for A. strigosa.

Figure 43. 

Ameromyia strigosa lectotype: A head, thorax and abdomen (broken), dorsal view. B Head, thorax and legs, lateral view. C Fore and hind wing. D Male terminalia, ventral view. E Type labels. F Detached abdomen, ventral view. Photographs by Charles Farnum, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University. — Abbreviations: et, ectoproct; etl, ectoproct postventral lobe; st, sternite.

Figure 44. 

Ameromyia strigosa: A fore and hindwing, general shape and color. B Falcate hind wing variation. C Male terminalia. D Illustration of male genitalia, lateral view. — Abbreviations: cs, clavate setae; et, ectoproct; etl, ectoproct postventral lobe; go, gonarcus; hs, hinge setae; pah, paramere hinge; pap, paramere plate; pat, paramere tooth; st, sternite; tg, tergite.

(59♀27♂) ARGENTINA • 1♀; Rio Negro, Cipoletti; 20.i.1960; Bought by F.H.Walz; CASC • 3♀; Rio Negro, Cipoletti; 23.i.1960; Bought by F.H.Walz; CASC • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding; 30.i.1960 • 1♀[misidentified as a male]; Salta, Yacochuya; 22.i.69; A. Willnk; FML. – CATAMARCA • 1♂; 6km N Belen; 1–15.i.1969; 1240m; Malaise; Willinsk, Teran, Stange; FSCA • 2♀; 3km N Belén; 5.xii.1970; C. Porter, L. Stange; FSCA • 1♂; 13km R. Belen; 6.x.1971; C.Porter, L.Stange; FSCA • 1♀; Andalgalá, 30kms Kacia Belén; 11.x.1968; A. Willink and L. Stange; FSCA • 1♀; Andalgalá, 12km O de Andalgalá; 28.iii.2005; c/Luz; J.Torréns y P.Fidalgo; FSCA • 1♀; Ruta 46, 12km O de Andalgalá; 28.iii.2005; c/Luz; J. Torrens y P. Fidalgo; FSCA. – CHACO • 1♀; Nanava; 25.xi.1927; A. Pride; BMNH. – CHUBUT • 1♀; Pto. Piramides, P.Valdez; 17.i.1968; L.A.Stange; FSCA. – FORMOSA • 1♀; Ingeniero Juarez; 27.i.1949; R.Golbach; FSCA. – LA PAMPA • 1♀; Sierra Lihuel Calelel; 11.i.1968; L.A.Stange; FSCA • 1♀; Lihuel Calel; 12.i.1977; L.A.Stange; FSCA. – LA RIOJA • 1♀; 5km S de Udpinango; 16.ii.2006; c/Luz; P.Diez y P.Fidalgo; FSCA • 1♂; 5km S de Udpinango; 20.ii.2006; c/Luz; Gonzalo Fidalgo; FSCA • 1♀; 7km N Santa Teresita; 18.ii.2006; c/Luz; G. y P. Fidalgo; FSCA • 1♂; Aimogasta, Huaco–Agro; 18.iii.2006; C.Porter; FSCA • 1♀2♂; Chilecito; 10.ii.1966; L.A.Stange; FSCA • 2♀; Chuquia; 6.xii.2003; 1500m; At light; L.A. Stange; FSCA • 1♀; El Barrial, 7km ca El Barrial; 21.ii.2006; c/Luz; Torréns-G.Fidalgo y P.Diez; FSCA • 1♂; Famatima; 23.xi.1975; L.A.Stange; FSCA • 1♀; Patquia; xii.1932–i.1933; K.J. Hayward; BMNH • 1♀; Patquia; x.1932; K.J.Hayward; BMNH • 2♂; Ruta 7 ca El Barrial; 17.ii.2006; c/Luz; Torrens-Fidalgo; FSCA • 4♀; Santa Teresita; 18.ii.2006; c/Luz; G. y P.Fidalgo, J.Torréns; FSCA • 1♀; Santa Teresita; 19.ii.2005; Noche c/luz; G. y P.Fidalgo, J.Torréns; FSCA • 2♀; Sta Teresita; 7km N Santa Teresita; 18.ii.2006; c/Luz; G. y P. Fidalgo; FSCA • 1♀1♂; Termas de Santa Teresita; 15.xii.2004; Malaise; C.Porter, L. Stange; FSCA. – MENDOZA • 1♀; Agrelo; 23.ii.1966; FSCA • 1♂; Mendoza; 22.ii.1966; L.A. Stange; FSCA • 1♂; San Rafael; 6.xii.1983–07.xii.1980; Luis E. Pena; INPA. – NEUQUEN • 8♀4♂; Bardas de Senillosa; 18.xi.1970; M. Gentili; FSCA • 1♀; Neuquen, Al centro; 2.xii.1970; M.Gentili; FSCA. – RIO NEGRO • 5♀; San Antonio Oeste; 14.i.1968; J. and L.A.Stange; FSCA • 1♂; Cipoletti; 20.i.1960; FSCA • 1♂; Cipoletti; 30.i.1960; FSCA • 1♂; La Marque; 4.iii.1958; M.A.Fritz; FSCA • 1♀; General Roca; i.1980; N. Papavero; MZUSP • 1♀; Villa Regina; xii.1962; FSCA • 1♂; Villa Regino; xii.1963; FSCA – SALTA • 1♂; Coronel Olleros; 1.ii.1970; M.Coria; FSCA – SAN JUAN • 1♀; 20km N Calingaster; 13.ii.1966; L.A.Stange; FSCA – SAN LUIS • 1♂; Alto Pencosa; 6.ii.1951; Ross and Michelbacher; FSCA. – SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO • 1♀; Los Tigres; 11–16.i.1970; R. Golbach; FSCA • 1♂; Termas de Rio Hondo; 18–19.iv.1970; C.Porter, L.Stange; FSCA • 1♀; Choya; 3.xi.1961; F.H.Walz; FSCA • El Pinto; xi.1956; F.H.Walz; (1♂ – FSCA • 1♀; same collection data as for preceding. – TUCUMAN • 1♂; Amaicha del Vale; 7.i.1968; Colbach, Terán, Willink; FSCA – BOLIVIA – CAMARGO • 1♀; 21.i.1967; 2400m; W. Wegrauth; FSCA – CHUGUISACA” [sic] • 1♀; “Carandaity” [sic], 80km S.E. Carandayti; ix.1957; Stephen C. Bremley; FSCA. – SANTA CRUZ • 1♀; Camiri, Bridge 20km S. Camiri; 1.iii.1999; 20°10.569′S 63°25.733′W; L.A. Stange; FSCA. – BRAZIL – BAHIA • 1♀; Raso da Catarina, Vizinhanças do alojamento da ESEC; 55.84767 89.31611; 06.xi.2005; Lopes, P.P.; MZFS • 1♂; Santa Rita de Cássia, A.P.A. Rio Preto; 05.vi.2019; Rede entomológica; Calor, A.R., Tavares, L.; UFBA. – MATO GROSSO do SUL • 2♀; Porto Murtinho, Fazenda Campo Florido; 21°38′20.12″S 57°42′20.33″W; 10–15.xii.2013; Malaise pequena; Lamas e eq. Col.; DZUP. – CHILE • 1♂; Rees; BMNH. – PARAGUAY – BOQUERON • 1♀; Estancia Iparoma, 19km N Filadelfia; 26.ix.1978; K.L. Anderson; FSCA. – PARAGUARY • 1♀; Sapucay; 1903; W. Foster; BMNH.

Brazil (Fig. 12).

Wing veins CuP completely dark brown in contrast to other veins which have a dashed dark brown and pale brown pattern. Forewing cells in mediocubital area almost completely suffused until at least the middle of wing span.

Adult. Head: Antennae with 30–32 flagellomeres. Flagellomeres dark brown, except for the ones at the club, which are light brown dorsally or ventrally. Vertex light brown, with latitudinal dark brown streaks in anterior and middle row, or completely dark brown with faint light brown laterally. Vertex decumbent setae black. Interantennal area dark brown. Frons light brown, frequently with dark brown patches centrally, or entirely dark brown, light brown near clypeus. Frons setae black. Interocular distance less than eye width. Clypeus light brown brown with dark brown patches. Labrum light brown brown. Mandibles light brown on basal half, and dark brown on apical half. Palpi light brown, with external face of palpomeres slightly darker. — Thorax: Thorax dark brown with few light brown markings. Thorax dark brown on lateral view, with an evident longitudinal pale brown band under wings. Pronotum as broad as long, dark brown, with light brown anteriorly and laterally. Pronotum marginal setae white, or dark brown. — Wings: Wing tip acute. Veins with dashed dark and pale brown pattern, except for forewing and hind wing veins CuP which are dark brown. Wing membrane hyaline, except for forewing mediocubital area which is almost completely dark brown infuscated until forewing apical third, and the rhegmal area which is faintly dark brown infuscated. Forewing and hind wing sometimes with a faint dark brown infuscation alongside gradates. Forewing CuP and hind wing CuA veins extending before forewing CuA and hind wing MP fork respectively, with nine or more crossveins connecting them and posterior branch of fork. Pterostigma opaque, dark brown on basal half and white on distal half, encompassing six to seven crossveins. Cells delimited by transversal veins on hind wing posterior area higher than long. — Legs: Coxae dark brown. Legs internal face light brown and external face dark brown, with many dark brown spots on setal insertion, and on internal face in meso and metalegs. Femur and tibiae with black bristles. Femur decumbent setae white and black. Profemural sense hair longer than profemur and mesofemural sense hair much shorter than mesofemur. Tibial spurs slightly shorter than pretarsal claws. Tarsomeres light brown, with distal fourth dark brown. Pretarsal claws at least 1.5 times longer than basitarsus. — Abdomen: Abdomen sclerites dark brown, with light brown in posterior margin near the terminalia, with brown setae. Male paramere plates oblong on lateral view. Gonarcus arch positioned not above paramere plates on lateral view. Male genitalia clavate setae with globose club. — Larva. Larvae unknown.

The taxonomic background for this species is confusing. Decades after its original description by Gerstaecker, Esben-Petersen (1920) synonymizes this species (as Myrmeleon tendinosus) under Amazoleon pubiventris along with Foya trapezia. In his words, M. tendinosus “is the same species” according to the type specimen. However, on the following paragraph the author also seemingly synonymizes it again, but under another species, A. nigriventris (along with A. hirsuta). Years later, Stange (1967) cites Esben-Petersen nomenclatural decisions for A. tendinosa, but only regarding F. trapezia, and Penny (1977) does not mention A. tendinosa at all. It is only twenty-seven years later that A. tendinosa is mentioned again as a valid species (Stange 1994).

This species is restricted to Brazil. The male paralectotype of A. nigriventris somewhat agrees with this species and can possibly be a specimen of A. tendinosa, which would expand this species distribution to the Amazon region including Colombia. Additionaly, three female specimens labeled as from Colombia were identified from the CASC collection. However, as A. nigriventris male paralectotype genitalia was not analyzed in the present work, and as this particular batch from where these Colombia female specimens come from (the ones labeled as “bought from F. H. Walz.”) had some other label issues, we interpreted these Colombia records as dubious data.

Ameromyia tendinosa can be distinguished from other species in the nigriventris group by the dark forewing CuP and by the forewing mediocubital area which is completely suffused with dark brown infuscation from wing base at least to CuA fork (Figs 45, 46A). A. pleuralis, A. dimidiata and A. muralli shows the same suffusion on mediocubital area, but the first two species have pale forewing Sc and RA veins, and the latter shows a dashed forewing CuP with alternating coloration, as well as a falcate hindwing.

Figure 45. 

Ameromyia tendinosa type series, habitus on dorsal view, with respective type labels: A male lectotype. B–D Female paralectotypes. Photographs by Lara Lopardo (EMAU).

Figure 46. 

Ameromyia tendinosa: A fore and hind wings, B head and thorax, dorsal view, C head, thorax and legs, lateral view and D male terminalia of lectotype. E illustration of male genitalia, lateral view. Photographs by Lara Lopardo (EMAU). — Abbreviations: cs, clavate setae; et, ectoproct; etl, ectoproct postventral lobe; go, gonarcus; hs, hinge setae; pah, paramere hinge; pap, paramere plate; pat, paramere tooth; st, sternite; tg, tergite.

(5♀4♂) BRAZIL: MATO GROSSO • 1♀; Campo Novo do Parecis; xii.1960; M. Alvarenga; FSCA • 1♂; Vera; x.1973; Alv. and Roppa; MZFS. – MINAS GERAIS • 1♂; Campina Verde; x.1962; M. Alvarenga; FSCA. – RONDÔNIA • 1♂; Vilhena, xi.1960, M. Alvarenga; FSCA. – SÃO PAULO • 1♀1♂; Pirassununga; 24.i.1962; FSCA. – PROBABLE MISLABELS: COLOMBIA • 3♀; Cumaral; 20.i.1959; Bought by F.H.Walz; CASC.