Neurhermes

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)