Ábrahám Levente (szerk.): Válogatott tanulmányok III. - Natura Somogyiensis 12. (Kaposvár, 2008)

Ábrahám Levente: Ascalaphid Studies VII. On the ascalaphid fauna of Taiwan (Neuroptera: Ascalaphidae)

China, India, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam (GHOSH 1988, MICHEL 2005, SZIRÁKI 2000). Helicomitus placidus (Gerstaecker, 1894) Helicomitus dicax - New 2003 (Mon) and misid in Esben-Petersen 1913 (Dist) Ascalaphus dicax - Stange & Wang H. 1997 (Chlist), 1998 (Mori) - misidentification Material examined: lO" - "Anping Formosa H. Sauter; 7. VII; Helicomitus dicax Walk. O" det. Esb. Pet." 29 - "Anping Formosa H. Sauter; 7. VIII; Helicomitus dicax Esben-Petersen det." 10 - "Anping Formosa H. Sauter; 9 ; 7. VII; Helicomitus dicax Esben-Petersen det.", "Helicomitusplacidus (Gerstaecker, 1894) det: L. Ábrahám" In coll: Deutsche Entomologische Institut (DEI - Miincheberg) ESBEN-PETERSEN (1913) mentioned it firstly from Taiwan. STANGE & WANG H. (1998, Fig. 85) quoted ESBEN-PETERSEN (1913) without checking his material (collected by Sauter). A female of Acheron trux (Walker, 1853) with light pterostigma visible on the picture of their monograph. I checked the identification of four specimens from Sauter's collection (DEI - Miincheberg). The wings of Helicomitus (partim Ascalaphus) and Acheron species are different in shape. Acheron species has apex rounded but definitely not pointed. On the other hand, base of forewing angular but that of Helicomitus is obtuse. The mesonotal pattern are also different in the 2 genera. WALKER (1853) described numerous new Helicomitus (partim Ascalaphus) species in his catalogue. Later, MCLACHLAN (1873) revised Walker's types and found 5 valid species. WEELE (1909) synonymised all Helicomitus species described by Walker, Hagen, Westwood and Gerstaecker under Helicomitus dicax {Ascalaphus dicax). KIMMINS (1949) revised the type material of British Museum Natural History and found some several differences in the Asian species on their prothorax. GHOSH 1988, SZIRÁKI 1998 and NEW 2003 confirmed Kimmins's revision in which I also agree. On the other hand, the above mentioned authors have different opinion on the validity of genus Helicomitus. The revision of the Asiatic and Afrotropical species is a task of future research. I checked numerous photos of Cheinese specimens of Helicomitus dicax found that all of them were actually Helicomitus placidus (Gerstaecker, 1894). Helicomitus placidus probably distributed in the whole territory of SE Asia (e.g. Laos and Thailand in coll.: SCM, Kaposvár) and the distribution of Helicomitus dicax is surely restricted to India, Sri Lanka (KIMMINS 1949), and Nepal (new record for Nepal, in coll. of SCM, Kaposvár). Ascalohybris subjacens (Walker, 1853) Glyptobasis brunnea Esben-Petersen, 1913 syn. nov. Glyptobasis brunnea - Esben-Petersen 1913 (Odescr); Stange & Wang H. 1997 (Chlist), 1998 (Mon); Sziráki 1998 (Chlist); New 2003 (Mon) Ascalohybris subjacens - Sziráki 1998 (Chlist), 2000 (Dist); New 2003 (Mon) Hybris subjacens - McLachlan 1873 (Mon); Weele 1909 (Mon); Navás 1913 (Mon); Sonan 1938 (Dist) Kuwayama 1962 (Mon); Stange & Wang H. 1998 (Mon) Material examined: 19 , Lectotype of Glyptobasis brunnea Esben-Petersen, 1913: "Banskoryo-Distr, Sokkutsa (Formosa) H. Sauter VI. 1912"; "Holotype; 9 "; "Glyptobasis brunnea E. Peters", "Lectotypus 9 Glyptobasis brunnea Esben-Petersen, 1913 designed: L. Ábrahám 2008", "Ascalohybris subjacens (Walker, 1853) det: L. Ábrahám" - in coll. Deutsche Entomologische Institut (DEI - Miincheberg); 19 Prov. Nantou; Uirsun Forest camping 16 km E of Kuoshing 560m 20-21.08.1996. leg. T. Csővári; L. Mikus; lC, 29 Prov. Nantou 3 km E of Tili 120°58'E;23°47'N 555m 27-28.05.1997. leg. Cs. Szabóky; lO" Prov. Nantou; Huisun Forest Area 500m 15 km N of Puli 07-08.06.1997. leg. B. Herczig & L. Ronkay; 1Q Prov. Nantou; Uirsun