The Apertochrysa prasina group (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), with a key to the European species Author Duelli, Peter 0000-0001-8862-8262 Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zu ̈ rcherstrasse 111, CH- 8903 Birmensdorf ZH, Switzerland. peter. duelli @ wsl. ch; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0001 - 8862 - 8262 peter.duelli@wsl.ch Author Henry, Charles S. 0000-0001-7297-9703 Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Unit 3043, 75 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT 06269 - 3043, USA. charles. henry @ uconn. edu; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0001 - 7297 - 9703 charles.henry@uconn.edu text Zootaxa 2022 2022-05-09 5134 1 61 91 journal article 55630 10.11646/zootaxa.5134.1.3 a13639ac-223e-4ffe-9cae-007a1b397482 1175-5326 6531298 4B68EA16-6738-431E-BFFF-4CF9FB4FBB41 Introduction to the keys on the following pages Excluded in all keys here is Apertochrysa ariadne (Hölzel) , an endemic species on the Greek Island of Crete , lacking the black dot between the antennae ( Fig. 13 ) which characterizes the prasina group. On mainland Europe, prasinoids without a visible black dot between the antennae were assigned to Ap1 . (ccv = costal crossvein; im cell = intramedian cell, black portion of surrounding veins given in %, black portion can be in one piece, or in scattered pieces; furwing = double number of setae per ccv, as compared to non-furwings or females; sutures = subantennal sutures above genae) Key for preserved males of the Apertochrysa prasina group (no live colors) 1 Ventral abdomen black ( Fig. 16 )................................................................... ventralis - Ventral abdomen green or whitish. ( Fig. 15 )................................................................ 2 2 Males with furwings (> 9 setae on longest ccv) Fig. 8 )........................................................ 3 - Males without furwings (<9 setae visible) (as in Fig. 9 )....................................................... 5 3 im cell> 80% dark; ccv 100% dark ( Fig. 19 ; no red suture)........................................... abdominalis - im cell 12–40% dark; ccv 30–100% dark (as in Fig. 9 ); red suture............................................. Ap2 - im cell <15% dark; ccv 30–50% dark ( Fig. 12 )............................................................. 4 4 Male forewing> 13.0 mm; palps with dark rings; no red sutures........................................ prasina s.s. - Male forewing <13.0 mm; palps yellowish ( Fig. 1 ); red suture......................................... benedictae 5 ccv 100% dark; brown dots on yellow vertex; scape with lateral black stripes; im cell 30–70% dark, black portion in several pieces ( Fig. 6 ).................................................................................... zelleri - ccv 30–100% dark; no lateral stripes on scape; no vertex dots.................................................. 6 6 Vertex yellow, im cell 12–25% dark, usually in one piece; no dots on scape or vertex; dots on thorax mostly brown (Mediterranean species) ( Figs. 2 , 11 )................................................................................. Ap1 - Vertex green, im cell 12–40% dark, usually in several pieces; sometimes caudal black scape dots, dots on thorax mostly black ( Figs. 3 , 5 )......................................................................................... Ap3 Key for live colored males of the Apertochrysa prasina group (live, frozen, or freshly preserved) 1 Ventral abdomen black ( Fig. 16 )................................................................... ventralis - Ventral abdomen green or whitish ( Fig. 15 )................................................................. 2 2 Males with furwings (> 9 setae visible on longest ccv) ( Fig. 8 )................................................. 3 - Males without furwings (<9 setae visible on longest ccv) ( Fig. 9 )............................................... 6 3 Red or brown suture ( Fig. 2 )............................................................................ 4 - Pale or black suture ( Fig. 3 )............................................................................. 5 4 Brown dots on caudal scape; body very pale bluish-green; palps pale brown; only southern France and Spain ( Figs. 1 , 7 )............................................................................................... benedictae - No dots on scape; body bluish or grass green; palps with dark rings............................................ Ap2 5 ccv <60% dark; im cell <12% dark ( Fig. 12 )....................................................... prasina s.s. - ccv 100% dark; im cell> 70% dark ( Figs. 18 , 19 )................................................... abdominalis 6 Pale sutures; green vertex ( Fig. 3 )...................................................................... Ap3 - Red or brown sutures; yellow vertex ( Fig. 2 )................................................................ 7 7 Brown dots on yellow vertex; lateral black stripes on scape; im cell 30–70% dark, in several pieces; ccv 100% dark ( Fig. 6 )................................................................................................ zelleri - No lateral stripes on scape; no dots on vertex; ccv 30–100% dark............................................. Ap1 Key for preserved females of the Apertochrysa prasina group (no live colors) 1 Ventral abdomen black ( Fig. 16 )................................................................... ventralis - Ventral abdomen green or whitish ( Fig. 15 )................................................................. 2 2 Gradate crossveins pale; im cell ≤ 12% dark, no colored suture ( Fig. 12 ); forewings> 15.5 mm ............... prasina s.s. - Gradate crossveins darker than longitudinal veins; im cell ≥ 12% dark........................................... 3 3 Palps pale ( Fig. 1 ); scape dots; red suture (southern France and Spain )................................... benedictae - Palps with dark rings. ( Figs. 2 , 3 )......................................................................... 4 4 ccv 100% black; im cell> 80% black; interantennal spot mostly Y-shaped; sometimes lateral black stripe on scape ( Figs. 4 , 18 , 19 )....................................................................................... abdominalis - ccv 100% black ( Fig. 6 ); im cell 30–70% dark, in several pieces; lateral black stripe on scape; brown vertex spots; red suture............................................................................................... zelleri - ccv 30–100% dark; im cell 12–40% dark; no lateral stripe on scape.............................................. 5 5 Sutures not colored; im cell 12–40% black, in two or more pieces; most dots and marks dark brown or black, on abdomen often in double rows; sometimes with black dots on caudal scape ( Figs. 3 , 5 , 15 )...................................... Ap3 - Sutures colored; im cell 12–40% dark, usually in one piece; no scape dots........................................ 6 6 Two species with preserved females difficult to separate: - Vertex bright yellow; so far only in Mediterranean habitats ( Figs. 2 , 11 )........................................ Ap1 - Vertex green, rarely yellow; Europe and Asia ( Fig. 14 )...................................................... Ap2 Key for live-colored females of the Apertochrysa prasina group 1 Ventral abdomen black ( Fig. 16 )................................................................... ventralis - Ventral abdomen green or whitish ( Fig. 15 )................................................................ 2 2 Subantennal suture red or brown ( Figs. 2 , 6 )................................................................ 3 - Subantennal sutures pale or black ( Fig. 3 ).................................................................. 6 3 Scape with lateral stripes; im cell 30–70% dark; ccv 100% black ( Fig. 6 )..................................... zelleri - Scape without lateral stripes; im cell 12–40% dark; ccv 30–100% dark........................................... 4 4 Pale bluish-green; vertex with brown spots; palps pale ( Fig. 1 )......................................... benedictae - Bluish or grass green; no spots on vertex; palps with dark rings................................................. 5 5 Vertex yellow; spots on thorax reddish, brown, rarely black; Mediterranean species ( Figs. 2 , 11 )… Ap1 ................. - Vertex green or yellowish; spots on thorax brown or black ( Fig. 14 ) … Ap2 6 im cell> 70% black; ccv 100% black; sutures pale or black ( Figs. 18 , 19 )................................ abdominalis - im cell <70% black; ccv 30–100% dark; sutures pale......................................................... 7 7 Vertex yellow; Mediterranean species ( Figs. 2 , 11 )......................................................... Ap1 - Vertex green; im cell <12% dark, always in one piece ( Fig. 12 )......................................... prasina s.s. - Vertex green; im cell> 12% dark, black portion mostly in several pieces ( Figs. 3 , 15 )............................. Ap3