Mallada basalis

Mallada basalis
Mallada basalis from New Zealand
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Neuroptera
Family:	Chrysopidae
Genus:	Mallada
Species:	M. basalis
Binomial name
Mallada basalis Walker, 1853
Synonyms
Anisochrysa paradoxa Nakahara, 1955[1] Mallada delmasinus Navás, 1935[2] Chrysopa delmasi Navás, 1927[3] Chrysopa delmasi var. densata Navás, 1927[3] Mallada stigmatus Navás, [1925][4] Chrysopa skottsbergi Esben-Petersen, [1924][5] Chrysopa tagalica Banks, [1914][6] Chrysopa formosana Esben-Petersen, 1913[7] Chrysopa latotalis Banks, 1910[8] Chrysopa olatatis Banks, 1910[8] Chrysopa jolyana Navás, 1910[9] Chrysopa microphya McLachlan, 1883[10] Chrysopa basalis Walker, 1853[11]

Mallada basalis is a species of green lacewing in the family Chrysopidae,[12] first described by Francis Walker in 1853.[11] No subspecies are listed in the Catalog of Life.[13] The species was detected on mainland New Zealand in the 2010s.

Description and ecology

Mallada basalis in Auckland (2020).

Mallada basalis has a length of 10–15 mm, and typically has a pale green colour.[12] Its translucent, veined wings are iridescent in natural sunlight.[12] Specimens can be identified by a green pterostigma present in the hind wings that is not present in Chrysopidae of a similar appearance.[12]

Distribution and habitat

Mallada basalis has been identified on the Eastern states of Australia, the Philippines, Taiwan, the Ryukyu Islands, Micronesia and Polynesia (including an outlier population on Easter Island).[12] Mallada basalis has been seen living in both suburban and native flora environments.[12]

The first confirmed sighting of Mallada basalis in New Zealand was in 1940 on the Kermadec Islands, though evidence of the species may go back as far as 1908.[14] In 2010, a specimen was identified on Tiritiri Matangi Island in the Hauraki Gulf, and the first specimen in Auckland was identified in 2016.[12] By 2020, Mallada basalis was present across the Auckland and Northland Regions.[12] As of 2020, it is unclear if this species self-introduced to New Zealand, or if it was introduced due to human activity.[12] The impact of this species on New Zealand is currently unknown. No native Chrysopidae species have been previously described from mainland New Zealand; their presence may control agricultural pests such as aphids and mealybugs, or pose a risk to native insect life.[12] Many lacewing species were imported to New Zealand between the 1920s and 1970s, however none successfully established populations in the country.[15]

References

1. Nakahara, W. (1955) "New Chrysopidae from Formosa." Kontyû 23:143–147.
2. Navás, L. (1935) "Neurópteros exóticos." 2.a serie., Memorias de la Real Academia de Ciencias y Artes de Barcelona (3)25:37-–59.
3. Navás, L. (1927) "Insecta orientalia." V Series., Memorie dell'Accademia Pontifica dei Nuovi Lincei, Rome (2)10:11–26.
4. Navás, L. (1924) "Comunicaciones entomológicas. 7. Neurópteros del Museo de Berlín.", Revista de la [Real] Academia de Ciencias Exactas Fisico-Quimicas y Naturales de Zaragoza (1)9:20–34.
5. Esben-Petersen, P. (1921–1940) "More Neuroptera from Juan Fernandez and Easter Island." Pp. 309–313 in The Natural History of Juan Fernandez and Easter Island, C. Skottsberg, ed. Vol. 3. Almqvist and Wiksells, Uppsala.
6. Banks, N. (1913) "On a collection of neuropteroid insects from the Philippine Islands"., Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 15:170–180.
7. Esben-Petersen, P. (1913) "H. Sauter's Formosa-Ausbeute. Planipennia II, Megaloptera and Mecoptera", Entomologische Mitteilungen 2:222–228, 257–265.
8. Banks, N. (1910) "Some Neuroptera from Australia.", Psyche 17:99–105.
9. Navás, L. (1910) "Névroptères nouveaux de l'Orient.", Revue Russe d'Entomologie [=Russkoe Entomologicheskoe Obozrenie] 10:190–194.
10. McLachlan, R. (1883) "Neuroptera of the Hawaiian Islands – Part II. Planipennia, with general summary.", Annals and Magazine of Natural History (5)12:298–303.
11. Walker, F. (1853) List of the specimens of neuropterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Part II.—(Sialides–Nemopterides). British Museum, London.
12. Early, John W. (2019). "Establishment of the green lacewing Mallada basalis (Walker, 1853) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) on mainland New Zealand". Records of the Auckland Museum. 54: 81–86. doi:10.32912/RAM.2019.54.5. ISSN 1174-9202. JSTOR 26850638. Wikidata Q104814756.
13. Bisby F.A., Roskov Y.R., Orrell T.M., Nicolson D., Paglinawan L.E., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., Baillargeon G., Ouvrard D. (red.). "Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2011 Annual Checklist". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
14. Wise, K. A. J. (1972). "Neuroptera of the Kermadec Islands". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum. 9: 269–272. ISSN 0067-0464. JSTOR 42906185. OCLC 9986845768. Wikidata Q58676929.
15. Wise, K. A. J. (1995). "Records Concerning Biological Control of Insect Pests by Neuropteroidea (Insecta) in New Zealand". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum. 32: 101–117. ISSN 0067-0464. JSTOR 42906455. OCLC 947969039. Wikidata Q58677493.