14. Neoperla pickeri n. sp.

(Figs. 69–73)

Type material studied: Republic of Uganda, Holotype ♀ [NEOP043, slide MP.10], 1♀ paratype, 1 ♀ exuviae: Leba Gorge 15°0’32.13’’S 13°11’54.92’’E, M.Picker 10/1/17 (SMNS).

Habitus. A large species, WL 19.5 (HT)– 21.2mm (PT). Yellowish, a pointed brown spot between ocelli. Frontoclypeus, pronotum, and scuta between wing bases greyish. Antenna dark, upper side of femora, all of tibiae and tarsi grey, cercus (only base available) pale.

Male. Unknown.

Female (Fig. 69). Sternites and vagina unmodified. Spermathecal stalk as long as the vagina, bag-shaped, the rounded end with coiled spermatheca is wider than the base. Bag internally densely covered with sharp slender scales of various shapes, except along concave edge. Scales form dark bands on folds running parallel to the convex edge. In optical section scales are obliquely inserted in the cuticle, like the tile-shaped scales of other species. The coiled spermatheca has a long duct.

Egg (Figs. 70–73). 393*227µm, ovoid, ≥20 straight striae (Fig. 70). Operculum conical, with deep cells (Fig. 73), anchor pole wide, truncate. The impunctate costae are almost twice as wide as the irregularly punctate sulci which widen around the freely visible micropyles (Fig. 71). The collar is sessile, not set off against the chorion but its direct continuation, lacking cells and is distally slightly incurved, constraining the opening of the shallow anchor cavity. A longitudinal depression on costae can be seen in polar view (Fig. 72). Anchor mushroom-shaped, with long stem.

DNA (Figs. 491–493). Only the female holotype from Uganda was sequenced for the COX1 DNA barcode fragment and its placement as sister to N. coffea n. sp. is well supported (46.6/97/100).

Notes. The spermathecal stalk is distinctive. Nymphal exuviae collected together with the type are dark, frontoclypeus with a pair of round whitish spots, center of thoracic nota light, abdomen uniformly dark.

Etymology. Named for the collector, Mike Picker (Cape Town), in recognition of his pioneer work documenting the presence of more than one Neoperla species in South Africa (Picker 1980), and in gratitude for the gift of material and support of our study.