Phillip A. Adams.
A new genus of Berothidae from tropical America, with two new species.
Psyche 96:187-194, 1989.

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A NEW GENUS OF BEROTHIDAE FROM TROPICAL
AMERICA, WITH TWO NEW SPECIES*
Department of Biological Science, California State University, Fullerton, California 92634
Previously, the Berothidae of the Western Hemisphere all could be referred to three genera: Naizema Navas and Cyrenoberotha MacLeod and Adams, both restricted to South America, including one species each, and Lomamyia Banks, predominately North American. A generic level discussion of these taxa may be found in MacLeod and Adams, 1967, and in Aspock, 1986. In material sub- mitted to me for identification are representatives of two species, from Central and northern South America, which belong to a pre- viously undescribed genus. Institutions wherein material has been deposited are abbreviated as follows: DHJ-Daniel H. Janzen Collection; FSCA-Florida State Collection of Arthropods; EGM-Ellis G. MacLeod Collection; IZAV-Institute de Zoologia Agricola, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Maracay; MCZ- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University; NHMW- Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien, Austria; USNM-United States Nations1 Museum of Natural History, Washington. Spiroberotha, new genus
Head with lower face barely projecting beyond eyes, mouthparts inconspicuous; vertex tubercles scarcely discernible; scape about as long as six flagellomeres. Pronotum quadrate, with downturned lateral margins. Scales present on fore coxa of female; variably on meso and metapleura; absent from wing.
Forewing (Fig. 3) subfalcate to falcate; recurrent humeral vein represented by basad-directed crossvein, widened anteriorly. SC and R fused apically; 1 radial crossvein; basal piece of MA and RS arises slightly distally of MP fork; stems of RS and M fused basally. Usually one outer gradate crossvein; inner gradates aligned; jugal lobe reduced. Hindwing with C and SC approximate for much of *Manuscript received by the editor August 9, 1989.



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188 Psyche [vo~. 96
their length; 1 or 2 radial crossveins; basal piece of MA arises near fork of MP, crossvein-like (not sinuous); 3 outer gradates. Obsolete callus cerci bearing small trichobothria present in both sexes. Male ectoproct bearing hooklike projection ventromedially; sternite 8 with two posterolateral, and sternite 9 with two posterior, projections, each bearing apically 1 or 2 large setae or small spurs. Gonocoxites finely setose dorsally, with apical upturned projec- tions. Ventrally to gonarcus a small bilobed sclerite. Mediuncus ribbonlike with fine transverse striations, spirally coiled; margins of ribbon folded toward center of coil. Between mediuncus and gonar- cus lie two slender longitudinal sclerites and a median tract of short setae. Hypandrium internum elongate, poorly sclerotized. Female with lateral tubercles on sternum 7 densely setose; eighth sternite projecting medially; apodemes connect with those of eighth tergite. Copulatory bursa finely setose or microtrichiate internally; bursa1 duct elongate, spermatheca spherical. This genus, based upon wing shape, presence of scales, cereal tri- d elongate hypocaudae, is referred to Berothinae, and eidono
cally resembles Lomamyia, from which it can immediately chObOthnaan
be separated by the single radial crossvein, the seta-bearing projec- tions of the male eighth and ninth sternite, visible even in pinned material, and the spirally coiled mediuncus. While the mediuncus of Naizema is also spirally coiled, it appears to consist of longitudinal bristles rather than a ribbon, and the coiling is not so extensive (no more than a single turn). Thus the resemblance seems as likely due to convergence as to synapomorphy. Spiral coiling occurs in the African Nosybus, which lacks elaboration of the male sternites, and in the female has elongate gonapophyses laterales articulated at their bases and without hypocaudae; in addition the wings are rounded, with SC and R connected by a crossvein (Aspock and Aspock, 1983). Nosybus is placed in a separate subfamily, Nosybi- nae, and cannot be considered related to Spiroberotha. The type species of Spiroberotha is S. sanctarosae. Spiroberotha sanctarosae, new species
Figures 1, 3-9
Head: vertex pale yellow with fuscous spots, frons fuscous with pale area at antenna1 bases; clypeus, labrum, and palpi fuscous; a pale band at clypeofrontal suture. Scape elongate, pale posteriorly;



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19891 Adams - Berothidm 189
Figure 1. Spiroberofha sanctarosae, female. Figure 2. Spiroberotha fernan- dezi. female.
anteriorly fuscous and densely fuscous-setose; flagellum pale yellow. Pronoturn pale yellow with a few fuscous spots, markings narrowly fuscous. Mesonoturn similarly marked, but with fuscous areas at base of scutellum and irregularly elsewhere. Thoracic pleura fus- cous, pale marked. Setae of dorsum of scapes, vertex, and pale central thoracic area pale yellow, of dark lateral stripe area, fuscous, of pleurae mostly white. Legs pale, femora lightly spotted, tibiae dark punctate with row of larger dark spots on exterior surface, tarsomeres fuscous-tipped; setae mostly pate, some on tibia and tarsus dark. In females, a dense array of black scales on fore coxa; patches anteriorly on mesopleuron, metapleuron, and sometimes mesocoxa with both black and white scales. Wings (Fig. 1): Forewing only weakly falcate, margin posterior to apex almost straight. Membrane pale to light brown, dark spots at base of RS-kMA, crossvein r-rs, and wing tip; gradates dark, barely dark margined; stigma fuscous or pale rufous; most veins pale with dark punctations. Hindwing setae, membrane and veins pale, with some punctations on costa of darkly marked individuals. Three gradates in hi ndwing,
Abdomen fuscous above, pale below. Male terminalia ivory. Male ectoproct -4- tergite 9 bears small medially curved hook on posteroventral margin (Figs. 4, 5). Posterior margins of sternites 8 and 9 bear two pairs of projections, the lateral ones strongly upcurved; each bearing apically a single black spur or seta. Gono- coxites apically bear upcurved hooks. Mediuncus spirally coiled, forming 3 1 / 2 turns (Fig. 5).




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190 Psyche [vo~. 96
Female sternite 7 with posterolateral tubercle (Fig. 7). Sternite 8 confluent with tergite, subtriangular, with weakly bilobed lateral tubercles (Fig. 8). Tergite 9 + ectoproct produced ventrally as lan- ceolate process. Gonapophyses laterales or gonocoxites 9 bearing long cylindrical hypocaudae. Copulatory bursa elongate-pyriform, bear- ing internally an anterodorsal field of setae or microtrichia (Fig. 9). Bursa1 duct elongate, coiled; spermathecal duct elongate, expanded apically; fertilization canal short, arising near apex of spermathecal duct.
Measurements (mm, means in parentheses): forewing length, males, 5.9-(6.0)-6.1; females, 6.5-(6.7)-6.8. Material examined. Costa Rica, Guanacaste Prov. Santa Rosa National Park: holotype male, 2-1 1 Mar 1980, D. H. Janzen and W. Hallwachs (USNM). Paratypes: 5-12 Mar 1978, female, D. H. Janzen (USNM); 5-14 Mar 1979, 1 male 1 female, D.H. Janzen (MCZ); 27-29 Dec 1980, female, D. H. Janzen and W. Hallwachs (DHJ); 2-11 Mar 1980, female, D. H. Janzen and W. Hallwachs (DHJ). Guanacaste Prov., 10 mi. S. of Cafias, Finca la Taboga, 1 1 Feb 1969, black light, male, J. R. Sheldon (E. G. MacLeod). Venezuela, Cojedes, Hato Mataclara, El. 1320, 1-3 Mar 1981, male, F. Fernandez Y. (USNM).
The only other berothid known to me as occurring in Central America is Lomamyia squamosa Carpenter, of which I have seen specimens from Mexico, Belize, and Honduras. It differs from S. sanctarosae in larger size, and in having three radial crossveins, in addition to the genitalic characters distinctive to that genus. The species is named for the type locality, Parque Nacional Santa Rosa, 300m elevation, on the Pacific coastal plain 25 km south of La Cruz, Guanacaste Province, where S. sanctarosae was taken at combined black and fluorescent lights in the understory of primary forest, entirely during the dry season (December-April). The Venezuelan specimen is in fragments, but the wings and male genitalia are preserved.
Spiroberotha fernandezi, new species
Figures 2, 10- 12
Habitus resembling that of Spiroberotha sanctarosae, wings more strongly falcate (Fig. 2). Male sternite projections short, the lateral ones only slightly bent dorsad, each with two apical black setae (Fig.



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Adams - Berothidae
Figures 3-9, Spiroberotha sanctarosae: 3, wing venation, female; 4, male abdo- men, lateral view; 5, same, ventral view; 6, gonarcus complex, ventral view; 7, female abdomen, lateral view; 8, sternite 8, posterior view; 9, bursa and spermatheca com- plex, right lateral view.
Figures 10- 12.
Spiroberotha fernandezi: 10, male abdomen, lateral view; 1 1, apex of sternite 9, ventral view; 12 female sternite 8, posterior view. Explanation of abbreviations: c.b.-copulatory bursa; ect-ectoproct; f.c.- fertilization canal; gcx-gonocoxites or entoprocessus; gs-gonarcus; hi- hypandrium internum; hyc-hypocaudae; mu-mediuncus; sd-spermathecal duct; sp-spermatheca.




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192 Psyche [vo~. 96
10, 11). Female sternite 8 more excavated between apical and lateral projections, than in sanctarosae (Fig. 12). Measurements (mm, means in parentheses): forewing length, males, 5.5-(6.1)-7.2; females, 5.7-(7.1)-7.8. Material examined (type and paratypes, all from Venezuela). Sucre, Carupano, 10 Jun 1968, 2 males (1 holotype) (IZAV). A. D. Ascott (IZAV); Rio Caribe, 11 Mar 1987, 1 male, R. A. Miller and L. A. Stange (FSCA). Aragua, El Limon, 450m, F. Fernandez Y.: 18 Mar 1977, mercury light, 2 females (IZAV, NHMW); 20 Mar 1977, mercury light, male (IZAV); 23 Mar 1977, light, 1 male, 2 females (IZAV); 25 Mar 1977, light, male (IZAV); 29 Mar 1977, male (NHMW); 19 Feb 198 1,2 males (USNM); 23 Feb 198 1, female (USNM); 27 Feb 198 1, female (IZAV); 29 Mar 1981, male (IZAV); 6 June 1981, male (IZAV). El Limon, 450m, 15 Feb 1986, 1 male, 3 females, R. B. Miller and L. A. Stange (FSCA); 2-6 Feb 1976, 1 female, C. M. and 0. S. Flint (USNM). Guarico, 44km S. Cala- bozo, 8'34' N, 67'35' W, 60m, Hato Masaguaral, 28 Feb 1986, 1 female, R. B. Miller and L. A. Stange (FSCA). Guarico, Fundo Masaguaral, Cano Caracol, 19-20 Jan 1983, female, 0. S. Flint Jr. (USNM)
Males of this species, even as pinned specimens, are easily distin- guished from those of sanctarosae by the double setae on the ster- nite projections; in both sexes the wings are more strongly falcate. The Sucre and Aragua localities for fernandezi are near the north coast of Venezuela, while the Guarico locality is in a savannah region somewhat to the south. Besides the two species of Spirobero- tha, the only other South American berothid known to have falcate wings is Lomamyia trombetensis Penny from Para, Brazil, which has 4-5 radial crossveins and a prominent forewing dark spot poste- rior to the stigma, between RS3and RS5.1 take pleasure in naming this species after the late Dr. Francisco Fernandez Yepes, of the Universidad Central de Venezuela, the collector of the majority of the specimens.
I am grateful to D. H. Janzen for collecting and forwarding most of the Costa Rican specimens. Thanks also to 0. S. Flint, Jr, N. D. Penny, E. G. MacLeod and L. A. Stange for making material avail- able. Ulrike Aspock and D. Faulkner have made helpful comments on the manuscript.




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Adams - Berothidae
ASPOCK, U. 1986. The present state of knowledge of the Family Berothidae (Neu- roptera: Planipennia), p. 87-101. In Gepp, J., H. Aspock and H. Holzel (ed.), Recent Research in Neuropterology, Graz. ASPOCK, U. AND H. ASPOCK.
1983. Das Genus Nosybus Navas, 1910 (Neuroptera: Planipennia: Berothidae). Zeitschr. Arbeitsgem. Osterr. Entomol. 34: 91-105. CARPENTER, F. M. 1940.
A revision of the nearctic Hemerobiidae, Berothidae, Sisyridae, Polystoechotidae and Dilaridae (Neuroptera). Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts Sci. 74: 193-280.
MACLEOD, E. G. AND P. A. ADAMS 1967.
A review of the taxonomy and mor-
phology of the Berothidae, with the description of a new subfamily from Chile (Neuroptera). Psyche, Cambridge 74: 237-265. PENNY, N. D. 1983. Neuroptera of the Amazon Basin. Part 8. Berothidae. Acta Amazonica 13: 689-695.




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