Species Meleoma signoretti - Signoret's Green Lacewing

Signoret's Golden-eye (in Fitch, 1865)

Meleoma signoretii [!] - subsequent spelling (unavailable under Article 33.4 and therefore not applicable under 33.2.1)

Meleoma signoretti Fitch, 1865

Body green, head often paler. Antennae shorter with strongly cylindrical with scapes broadly separated (around the width of each base), base of flagellum black. Female with four spots on the frons forming a broad "ʌ" shape. Male with a broad, irregular dark mark covering the frons and a prominent, protruding process between the antennae.(1)

♀

♂

(north)eastern (Canada: BC, MB, NS, ON, QC; United States: DC, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV)(2)

There are several other species known for their contrasting proximally-black antennae (with all but one of the following also having pale heads):

Ceraeochrysa lineaticornis has longer antennae, black stripes on the antennal scapes, and an unmarked face. Occasionally, this species has slight lines on the sides of the prothorax not found in Chrysopa nigricornis.

Chrysopa nigricornis has shorter antennae (comparable to M. signoretti), unmarked antennal scapes, paired dark spots on the face (typically 1 pair, but if 2 pairs they form a broad "v" on either side of the clypeus), and very small dark spots toward the anterior of the prothorax.

Leucochrysa pavida has longer antennae, a golden head and regions of the thorax, red stripes on the antennal scapes, a red stripe on the gena, dark stripes on the sides of the prothorax, and conspicuously darkened pterostigmas (characteristic of its genus).

Fitch, Asa. 1865 First and second report on the noxious, beneficial, and other insects of the state of New-York. Transactions of the New York State Agricultural Society, 14: 82