A revision of the Oriental antlion genera Indoleon Banks, 1913, Indophanes Banks, 1940 and Yunleon Yang, 1986 (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Nemoleontinae)

Abstract

This paper deals with three Oriental genera of the antlion subfamily Nemoleontinae. The validity of two junior synonyms of Indoleon Banks, 1913, i.e., Indophanes Banks, 1940 and Yunleon Yang, 1986, are formally restored. Indoleon is treated as a monotypic genus represented by Indol. tacitus (Walker, 1860). Indophanes comprises eight species, including five known species: Indop. audax (Walker, 1853), Indop. barbarus (Walker, 1853), Indop. infestus (Walker, 1853), Indop. sinensis Banks, 1940, and Indop. vartianorum Hölzel, 1972; two new species: Indop. amicus sp. nov. and Indop. nanliae sp. nov.; and a new combination: Indop. fuscilomus (Yang, 1986) comb. nov. Yunleon comprises two species: Y. fluctosus Yang, 1988 and Y. longicorpus Yang, 1986. We also restore the validity of a junior synonym of Indop. audax (Walker, 1853), i.e., Myrmeleon gravis Walker, 1853, and transfer it to Distoleon Banks, 1910, i.e., D. gravis stat. rev. et comb. nov. Besides, we describe the larval morphology and biology of Indop. nanliae sp. nov. and Indop. sinensis Banks, 1940. It is the first record of the immature stage of Indophanes. A key to species of these three genera is provided. Meanwhile, we discuss the taxonomic position of the aforementioned three genera and their related genera, i.e., Paraglenurus van der Weele, 1909 and Thaumatoleon Esben-Petersen, 1923, and we consider that they should be placed into Megistopini rather than Nemoleontini.