Neurhermes
Genus of insects
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Neurhermes is a genus of dobsonflies in the family Corydalidae.
| Neurhermes | |
|---|---|
| |
| Adult Neurhermes nigerescens | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Megaloptera |
| Family: | Corydalidae |
| Genus: | Neurhermes Navás, 1915 |
Description
Questions about whether Neurhermes and Protohermes are separate genera have been raised repeatedly, with several species being transferred between the two.[1] Neurhermes can be differentiated from Protohermes by presence of protrusions from the sternite plate.[2] Geologic uplift likely resulted in speciation across mainland southeast Asia, followed by dispersal to Sundaland.
Species in Neurhermes and some in Protohermes were originally placed in the deprecated genus Hermes.[3] The color patterns have been described as an example of Batesian mimicry of toxic zygaenid moths.[1] Neurhermes males produce large nuptial gifts of gelatinous spermatophores, but have small mandibles and limited sexual dimorphism compared to many other dobsonflies.[4] Unlike most other dobsonflies, Neurhermes are active during the day, possibly meaning the dark wing color is more related to preventing hybridization with other sympatric genera.[5]
Nanocladius asiaticus have a commensal relationship with many Asian Corydalidae species, and Neurhermes maculipennis serves as the host in the Malay peninsula.[6]
Taxonomy
Neurhermes, when it is recognized as a valid genus, contains the following species, which are otherwise considered to belong to the genus Protohermes:[7]
- Neurhermes costatostriatus (van der Weele, 1907)
- Neurhermes differentialis C.-k. Yang & D. Yang, 1986
- Neurhermes maculiferus (Walker, 1853)
- Neurhermes maculipennis (G. Gray in Cuvier, 1832)
- Neurhermes nigrescens X.-y. Liu et al., 2015
- Neurhermes selysi (van der Weele, 1909)
- Neurhermes sumatrensis (van der Weele, 1909)
- Neurhermes tonkinensis (van der Weele, 1909)
