The Wharton Lab

Neurogenia kapuri Jonathan, 1974: 177-179.

This species has several features that distinguish it from all other described species of Neurogenia and as such comprises a distinctive species group of its own. Unlike other Neurogenia, the ovipositor has a distinct notch (Fig. 4). The first metasomal segment (T1) is also exceptionally long and narrow (Fig. 3). Additionally, the frons (between ocelli and antennal bases) is smooth in kapuri (Fig. 1), but distinctly sculptured in other described species of Neurogenia. The face and clypeus are also relatively smooth. The fore wing M+Cu has a short knob or spur (Fig. 2), similar to at least some members of both the Afrotropical species group and the Perilissoides species group. As in the Perilissoides species group, the body is relatively dark, with vertex, mesoscutum, and metasoma dorsally brown to black, but unlike members of the Perilissoides group, fore wing 1M is not thickened and bowed basally (Fig. 2).

India and Nepal. This species was described from two females collected in Uttar Pradesh, India (Repository: NZSI). We have seen two females from Nepal (CNC).

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, David Wahl, Andy Bennett, Gavin Broad, and Eliane De Coninck for the loan of valuable material used in this study. 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. Lauren Ward graciously assisted with image capture, processing, and formatting, while Heather Hendrickson and Mika Cameron helped with literature retrieval. Page last updated December, 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.