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Cueta punctatissima

Posted on by Ryan Tippett

View the above photo record (by Alice Altenroxel) in LacewingMAP here.

Myrmeleontidae (Antlions)

Cueta punctatissima

(Gerstaecker, 1894)

Identification

Size: Small (Wingspan around 58mm)

Flesh-coloured antlions with dark brown patterning and stripes on the abdomen and thorax. The wings are clear with numerous, small dark brown speckles.

There are several other similar looking species in the genus. Cueta punctatissima is easily confused with C. trivirgata, but generally seems to have more spotting in the wings.

Larvae: All Cueta larvae are pinkish in colour, and are impossible to distinguish from one another.

Cueta punctatissima – Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal
Photo by Garth Aiston
Cueta punctatissima – Lubombo District, eSwatini
Photo by Kate Braun

Habitat

Cueta punctatissima inhabits grassy savanna and woodland habitats.

Habitat – Ithala Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal
Photo by Ryan Tippett

Behaviour

Adults are nocturnal and they are regularly attracted to lights. They are active during Summer and have been recorded from December to April.

The pit-building larvae occur in hard soil in completely exposed situations.

Cueta punctatissima – Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga
Photo by H. Bernitz

Status and Distribution

Cueta punctatissima is fairly common and widespread in southern Africa, extending northwards into central Africa.

Distribution of Cueta punctatissima. Taken from the LacewingMAP database, November 2022.

Taxonomy

Order: Neuroptera Family: Myrmeleontidae Subfamily: Myrmeleontinae Tribe: Nesoleontini Genus: Cueta Species: punctatissima

Cueta punctatissima – Mahlahla Game farm, Limpopo
Photo by Vaughan Jessnitz

Further Resources

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

Acknowledgements:

The use of photographs by Alice Altenroxel, Garthb Aiston, H. Bernitz, Kate Braun 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. Cueta punctatissima. Biodiversity and Development Institute, Cape Town.
Available online at http://thebdi.org/2022/11/18/cueta-punctatissima/

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!