Synonyms

=  Chrysopa nesaea  Navás, 1911

=  Chrysopa inaequalis  Navás, 1912

=  Chrysopa regina  Navás, 1913

=  Chrysopa vuilleti  Navás, 1914a

=  Chrysopa ducissa  Navás, 1914b

=  Chrysopa pooana  Navás, 1922

=  Cintameva dimidiata  Navás, 1928

=  Chrysopa iniqua  Navás, 1929

=  Chrysopa undulata  Fraser, 1952

The synonymies are those of Barnard and Brooks (1984).

Diagnosis

     The genus Ceratochrysa consists of only three species of green lacewings found in tropical Africa.  They are easily recognized by the reduced number of inner gradates, elongate ninth sternite and extraordinarily long entoprocessus of the male (Brooks & Barnard, 1990). 

     Ceratochrysa antica is a fairly large (forewing length: 14-22 mm), pale green species of chrysopid. It can be separated from the only other species of Ceratochrysa on Madagascar by the following suite of characters: in C. antica the forewing outer gradate crossveins are black or brown; the antennae are green, or only brown in basal half; scape without apical brown ring, while C. disparilis has green outer gradate crossveins of the forewing; the antennae are dark brown; and there is an apical brown ring on the scape.

Type Depository

of Ceratochrysa antica is BMNH, London.

of Chrysopa nesaea is MNHN, Paris.

of Chrysopa inaequalis is ?MZHU, Berlin.

of Chrysopa regina is BMNH, London.

of Chrysopa vuilleti is MNHN, Paris.

of Chrysopa ducissa is MAC, Tervuren.

of Chrysopa pooana is ?MZHU, London.

of Cintameva dimidiata is ZMH, Hamburg (destroyed).

of Chrysopa iniqua is ZMH, Hamburg (destroyed).

of Chrysopa undulata is ?MNHN, Paris.

Type Locality

of Ceratochrysa antica is SIERRA LEONE: 1 female.

of Chrysopa nesaea is MAURITIUS: 1 male.

of Chrysopa inaequalis is MADAGASCAR: 1910, 1 (sex unknown).

of Chrysopa regina is SIERRA LEONE: Kukuna, 26 March 1912, Simpson, 1 female.

of Chrysopa vuilleti is MALI: Koulikoro, Vuillet, 1 female.

of Chrysopa ducissa is ZAIRE: Katanga, Kipiri, October 1912, 1 female.

of Chrysopa pooana is: EQUATORIAL GUINEA: Bioko [Fernando Poo], Santa Isabel, August 1919, Escalera, 1 (sex unknown).

of Cintameva dimidiata is CAMEROON: Mukonje, 20 December 1903, Rohde, 1 (sex unknown).

of Chrysopa iniqua is TANZANIA: Nguelo Usambara, 1 (sex unknown).

of Chrysopa undulata is GUINEA: Nion, Nimba, 2 June 1942, Lamotte, 1 female.

Geographical Distribution

Barnard and Brooks (1984) list distribution records in the following countries:  Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zaire, Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, Madagascar, and Mauritius.  Penny (2005) records this species from São Tome.

     The only specific locality record that I have seen is from Mandritsara, 20 October 1986, on mango, 2 (sex unknown).

Top

Temporal Distribution

Probably found in the adult stage at all times of the year.

Elevation

On São Tome Island this is a lowland species, not found above 200 m.

Remarks

     "The markings of this species are very variable; some specimens are unmarked and others seem to show particular markings consistently from certain geographical areas, but there are insufficient data to support subspecific divisions.  Despite the variable patterns, males of antica can always be distinguished from those of ceratina by the unthickened veins R and Rs.  In the female the bilobed tip of the subgenitale is narrow in antica but broad in ceratina and it also projects beyond the ventral area of the plate in lateral view."  Barnard and Brooks (1984).

There is a good habitus drawing of the mature larva in Barnard and Brooks (1984).

Peter Duelli found larvae of this species on mango trees. 

References

Barnard, P. C.and Brooks, S. J. 1984. The African lacewing genus Ceratochrysa (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae): a predator on the cassava mealybug, Phenacoccus manihoti (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Systematic Entomology 9:359-371.

Brooks, S. J. and Barnard, P. C. 1990. The green lacewings of the world: a generic review (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural History, Entomology 59:117-286. 578 figures. 1 table.

Fraser, F. C. 1952. New species of Neuroptera in the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris. Revue Française d'Entomologie 19:55-64. 7 figures.

Hölzel, H. and Duelli, P. 1990. Remarks on the Chrysopidae of Madagascar (Insecta: Neuroptera). Pp. 271-275 in Mansell, M. W.; Aspöck, H. (eds.). Advances in Neuropterology. Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Neuropterology (3-4 February 1988, Berg en Dal, Kruger National Park, South Africa). South African Department of Agricultural Development, Pretoria. 298 pp. 4 figures.

Hölzel, H. and  Ohm, P. 1992. Zoogeographical features of Madagascan Chrysopidae (Insecta: Neuroptera). Pp. 167-181 in Canard, M.; Aspöck, H.; Mansell, M. W. (eds.). Current Research in Neuropterology. Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium on Neuropterology (24-27 June 1991, Bagnères-de-Luchon, Haute-Garonne, France). Privately printed, Toulouse, France. 414 pp. 8 figures. 1 table.

Navás, L. 1911. Chrysopides nouveaux (Ins. Neur.). Annales de la Société Scientifique de Bruxelles 35(pt. 2):266-282. 7 figures. Separate: [1]-19.

Navás, L. 1912. CrisÓpidos y HemerÓbidos (Ins. Neur.) nuevos Ó críticos. Brotéria (ZoolÓgica) 10:98-113. 8 figures [#1-8].

Navás, L. 1913-1914. Les Chrysopides (Ins. Névr.) du Musée de Londres [Ib]. Annales de la Société Scientifique de Bruxelles 38(pt. 2):73-114. 15 figures [#20-34].

Navás, L. 1914a. [Neuroptera nova africana.] II series. Memorie dell'Accademia Pontifica dei Nuovi Lincei, Rome (1)32:90-99. 3 figures.

Navás, L. 1914b. Notes sur quelques Névroptères du Congo Belge [I]. Revue de Zoologie Africaines 3:365-377. 2 text figures [#1-2] and 1 plate with 4 figures [#1-4].

Navás, L. 1922. Insectos de Fernando Poo. Musei Barcinonensis Scientiarum Naturalium Opera 4:109-116. 4 figures [#1-4].

Navás, L. 1928. Insectos del Museo de Hamburgo. Primera [I] serie. Boletín de la Sociedad Entomologica de España 11:59-67, 90-100, 121-138 [Errata: 11:165]. 3 [#1-3], 6 [#4-9] and 10 [#10-19] figures.  

Navás, L. 1929. Insecta nova. Series XIII. Memorie dell'Accademia Pontifica dei Nuovi Lincei, Rome (2)12:15-23. 3 figures [#48-50].

Penny, N. D. 2005. The California Academy of Sciences Gulf of Guinea Expedition (2001). IV. The Neuroptera of Sao Tomé and Principé Islands. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences (4)56:285-293. 4 figures. 1 table

Tjeder, B. 1966. Neuroptera-Planipennia. The Lace-wings of Southern Africa. 5. Family Chrysopidae. Pp. 228-534 in South African Animal Life, B. Hanström, P. Brinck and G. Rudebec, eds. Vol. 12. Swedish Natural Science Research Council, Stockholm. 1097 figures [#784-1880].

Walker, F. 1853. List of the specimens of neuropterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Part II.--(Sialides--Nemopterides). British Museum, London. [iii] + 193-476. No figures.