The Wharton Lab

Neurogenia hunanensis He and Tang, 1992: 1230 in He et al. (1992).

This species belongs to the Perilissoides species-group within Neurogenia, characterized by the strongly bowed and thickened fore wing 1M and the relatively long hind tibial spur. Within this species group, N. hunanensis is characterized by its small size, the combination of a short, thick tubercle on fore wing M+Cu, a long, relatively narrow propodeal areola, and pattern of dark coloration shown in the figures under the Description section. It is very similar to N. fujianensis in coloration but the metasoma is slightly darker, the propodeal areola is shorter and broader, and the tubercle on M+Cu is smaller. Since the species of Neurogenia tend to be somewhat sexually dimorphic, a comparison between the male of this species and females of others must be done with caution.

Mesosoma 2.4 mm long. Face (Fig. 3) granular; gena deeply punctate; frons rugose-punctate. Greatest diameter of lateral ocellus much greater than distance from ocellus to eye (Fig. 4). Fore wing with Rs+2r arising from about middle of stigma (Fig. 5); tubercle on M+Cu about 1.8-2.0 x longer than high; 1cu-a distinctly distad of 1M (i.e. postfurcal); 2cu-a slightly longer than second abscissa of Cu1. Hind wing cu-a 1.95 x longer than first abscissa of Cu1. Epomia long, extending nearly to ventral margin but weaker over ventral half. Male parameres exceptionally long and narrow distally (Fig. 8).
Head and thorax black (except scutellum yellow), propodeum dark reddish brown, petiole yellow-brown, remainder of metasoma dark brown, legs, including coxae, as in Figs 1 and 2.
Figs 1, 3-7 are of the holotype.

China. Originally described from Hunan Province (He and Tang in He et al. 1992); subsequently recorded from Sichuan Province.

Biology unknown.

This page was assembled by Bob Wharton as part of a larger collaborative effort on the genera of Ctenopelmatinae, and as part of a study of this genus prepared by Heather Hendrickson and Bob Wharton. The work is based on specimens in the Texas A&M University collection as well as material borrowed from China, MRAC, CNC, BMNH, and AEI. We are particularly grateful to Xue-xin Chen for assistance in making the Chinese specimens available for examination as well as David Wahl, Andy Bennett, Gavin Broad, and Eliane De Coninck. This work would also not have been possible without the groundwork provided by Ian Gauld’s study of the Australian and Costa Rican faunas, and we are particularly grateful for his assistance in many aspects of this study. We thank David Wahl for useful feedback throughout our study and to Gavin Broad for exchange of information on Perilissini. Matt Yoder provided considerable assistance with databasing issues, and our use of PURLs (http://purl.oclc.org) in this regard follows the example of their use in publications by Norm Johnson. Heather Hendrickson and Mika Cameron, graciously assisted with image capture, processing, formatting, and literature retrieval. Page last updated November, 2014.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number DEB 0328922 with REU supplements DEB 0723663 and number 1026618.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.