New host record for the enigmatic Neotropical mantidfly genus Anchieta Navás, 1909 (Neuroptera, Mantispidae), a mimic of wasps and stingless bees

Abstract

Species of Symphrasinae (Neuroptera: Mantispidae) are ectoparasitoids of larvae and pupae of holometabolous insects, primarily of Hymenoptera in their larval stages. Herein we present the third case of an association between the mantidfly genus Anchieta Navás, 1909 with the order Hymenoptera. The hymenopteran species attacked by the as of yet undescribed species of Anchieta is Montezumia dimidiata Saussure, 1852 (Vespidae: Eumeninae), a predacious wasp that constructs mud nests. The association was observed in Peruvian Amazonia (near Tarapoto, San Martín), after rearing the mantidflies from a wasp nest. The biology and mimicry pattern with stingless bees of the reared Anchieta species is discussed.

A camouflaged diversity: taxonomic revision of the thorny lacewing subfamily Symphrasinae (Neuroptera, Rhachiberothidae)

“…This species exhibits the same coloration pattern of other species of the genus mimicking stingless bees of the genus Ptilotrigona Moure, 1951 ( Rasmussen and Ardila-Camacho 2021 ). Based on the wing shape and venation, hind tibia shape, and morphology of the male genitalia, this species appears to be closely related to A.…”

“… nothus within the clade of bee mimicking species of Anchieta . Regarding the mimicry pattern, this species appears to mimic the genus Trigona Jurine, 1807 ( Rasmussen and Ardila-Camacho 2021 ).…”

“…Like other closely related species, A. bellus has a mimicry pattern resembling meliponine bees of the genus Ptilotrigona ( Rasmussen and Ardila-Camacho 2021 ).…”

“… Anchieta fumosellus expresses a Batesian mimicry pattern with wasps of the family Vespidae ( Buys 2008 ; Rasmussen and Ardila-Camacho 2021 ). Penny (1982a) realized that this species exhibits a considerable variation in the body color pattern.…”

“… Penny (1982a) realized that this species exhibits a considerable variation in the body color pattern. Some specimens can be completely dark brown, other can be yellow with dark brown stripes, while other can have intermediary colorations, tracing different species of vespid wasps as happens in the mantispid genus Climaciella Enderlein, 1910 ( Rasmussen and Ardila-Camacho 2021 ). However, the male genitalia and wing coloration and venation between the yellow and dark forms are identical.…”