Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

Neopanorpa dispar  Issiki & Cheng, 1947

Diagnosis:  Vertex of head and meso- and metanota entirely black.  Forewing with only three small dark spots basal of pterostigmal band; apical band enclosing three clear apical spots.  Female genital plate with long axial portion.

Geographical Distribution:  This species has been collected at Rimogan (= Fushan Forest Research Centre, Ilan County, 24°45.597’N, 121°35.267’E, 668 m), 13 May 1933, Shiraki, 1♀ (NTU); and Chaojih (= Asahi), 5000 ft. [1524 m], 28 June 1927, S. Issiki, 1♀ (NTU).

Temporal Distribution:  The two known specimens were collected during a short time frame at the end of June until mid July.

Ecology:  The area of Fushan is now a park-like area of forests and trails.  It is an area of intermediate elevations with high humidity and relatively warm temperatures.

Biology:  Nothing is known of immature stages and life history.

Notes:  This species has entirely dark vertex and meso- and metanota.  It is one of three species of Neopanorpa from Taiwan that have females with long axial portions of the genital plate (N. dispar, N. makii, and N. similis).  Males of N. dispar are unknown, but males of the other two species both have a distinctive constricted area “petiolate” at the base of the hypovalves.

 
           In the original description Issiki & Cheng (1947) mention the Fushan specimen as allotype and the Asahi specimen as paratype, but never designated a holotype.

References: 

Byers, G.W.  1994.  Taiwanese species of Neopanorpa (Insecta: Mecoptera: Panorpidae).  Annals of the Carnegie Museum  63(2):185-192.

-----.  2002.  Mecoptera from Taiwan.  Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society  75(4):252-258.

Issiki, S. and F.-Y. Cheng.  1947.  Formosan Mecoptera with descriptions of new species.  Memoirs of the College of Agriculture, National Taiwan University  1(4):1-17.