Owlfly - Ululodes macleayanus

Moved

Moved from Ululodes.

… v belov, 18 September, 2012 - 2:19pm

Owlfly....

This is an Owlfy - Order Neuroptera, Family Ascalaphidae. Giving that its eyes are seperated by a groove, it would be in the subfamily Haplogleniinae. It doesnt appear to have the same wing shape or body length as the picture of Ascaloptynax appendiculatus in Ross H. Arnett Jr.'s American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico, so I would guess that this is a specimen of Ascalobyas albistigma, which is also found in Texas.

… Michael Garcia, 30 August, 2006 - 10:04am

Ululodes

Eye divided by a groove indicates genus Ululodes, according to the key in Arnett's American Insects (1), excerpting from the guide page for the family:
Genus Ululodes has divided eyes:

Genus Ascaloptynx (sometimes the one North American species is listed under Haplogenius) has undivided eyes:

… Cotinis, 30 August, 2006 - 1:15pm

Ululodes arizonensis...

I see were I switched things now. But after reviewing the 3 species of Ululodes found in Texas(quadripunctatus, macleayanus, arizonensis), I would describe this as Ululodes arizonensis based on the color of the stigma. U. quadripunctatus has uniformly white stigma, U. macleayanus has green or light brown stigma, and U. arizonensis has very dark stigma, as shown in this pictur

… Michael Garcia, 30 August, 2006 - 6:19pm

Stigma?

When you refer to the dark stigma, do you mean the little dots at the end of the wings? It's hard to tell from the photos, but looking at it up close, it was almost as if the wings repeated the lines and look of the antennae, maybe as some sort of defensive coloration pattern?

… Deborah Carroll, 1 September, 2006 - 10:57am

You are correct...

The stigma are the spots on the end of the wings. I've never noticed their relation with the veins looking like the antennae before. This most likely isn't defensive, though. Most all winged insects with stigma have the main wing vein linking with the stigma.

… Michael Garcia, 1 September, 2006 - 1:10pm