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Palparellus nyassanus

Posted on by Ryan Tippett

View the above photo record (by Ingmar Van der Brugge) in LacewingMAP here.

Palparellus nyassanus

(Navás, 1911)

Identification

Size: Medium-Large

A very striking and attractive species.

Larvae: The larvae are unknown.

Palparellus nyassanus – Dinokeng, Gauteng
Photo by Marita Beneke
Palparellus nyassanus – Boshoek, Gauteng
Photo by Ingmar Van der Brugge

Habitat

Palparellus nyassanus is a tropical savanna species. Adults inhabit long grass, usually among rocks and boulders.

Behaviour

Palparellus nyassanus is sometimes attracted to lights. Adults are nocturnal and often rest in a hanging position among tall grass.

Adults are active during early to mid-summer and are been recorded from August to January.

Nothing is known about the larvae of this species.

Palparellus nyassanus – Near Tshipise, Limpopo
Photo by John Wilkinson

Status and Distribution

Palparellus nyassanus is known from Limpopo, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North West provinces. It extends beyond South Africa into Botswana and northwards to Zimbabwe and Malawi. It is an uncommon species.

Distribution of Palparellus nyassanus. Taken from the LacewingMAP database, July 2022.

Taxonomy

Order: Neuroptera Family: Myrmeleontidae Subfamily: Palparinae Tribe: Palparini Genus: Palparellus Species: nyassanus

Palparellus nyassanus – Venetia Nature Reserve, Limpopo
Photo by Vaughan Jessnitz

Further Resources

Virtual Museum (LacewingMAP > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name)

Acknowledgements:

The use of photographs by Ingmar Van der Brugge, Marita Beneke and Vaughan Jessnitz is acknowledged. This species text has benefited enormously from comments made by Mervyn Mansell on records he has identified in LacewingMAP. We acknowledge his important contribution.

Recommended citation format for this species text:

Tippett RM 2022. Palparellus nyassanus. Biodiversity and Development Institute, Cape Town.
Available online at http://thebdi.org/2022/08/30/palparellus-nyassanus/

Palparellus nyassanus – Near Tshipise, Limpopo
Photo by John Wilkinson
Ryan Tippett
Ryan Tippett
Ryan is an enthusiastic contributor to Citizen Science and has added many important and interesting records of fauna and flora. He has been a member of the Virtual Museum since 2014 and has currently submitted over 12,000 records. He is on the expert identification panel for the OdonataMAP project. Ryan is a well-qualified and experienced Field Guide, and Guide Training Instructor. He has spent the last 18 years in the guiding and tourism industries. Ryan loves imparting his passion and knowledge onto others, and it is this that drew him into guide training in particular. Something that he finds incredibly rewarding is seeing how people he's had the privilege of teaching have developed and gone on to greater things. His interests are diverse and include Dragonflies, Birding, Arachnids, Amphibians, wild flowers and succulents, free diving and experiencing big game on foot. With this range of interests, there is always likely be something special just around the corner!