Protohermes karubei sp. nov.

(Fig. 5, 35–39)

Diagnosis. In appearance of this new species there is a pair of black markings on lateral portion of the vertex, largely covering the postocular plane, and a pair of longitudinal black markings on pronotum, and the forewing is entirely grayish with a few whitish markings. Genitalia of this species are characterized by the male ninth sternum with a pair of rather elongate and attenuate posterior lobes, the relatively short male ectoproct, and the male tenth gonocoxite without posterodorsal inflation.

Description. Male. Body length 18 mm; forewing length 36 mm, hindwing length 32 mm.

Head (Fig. 5) yellowish brown; clypeus yellow, laterally pale brown; vertex laterally with a pair of large blackish brown markings, which extend from inner posterior margin of compound eyes to occiput; post-ocular spine rather short. Compound eyes blackish brown; ocelli yellow, medially margined black, lateral ocelli close to median ocellus. Antenna blackish brown with scape and pedicle yellow. Mouthparts yellow; mandible with distal half black.

Thorax (Fig. 5) yellow; pronotum with a pair of black longitudinal markings near lateral margins, area between black markings slightly darkened; meso- and metanota laterally blackish brown. Thoracic pilosity white, much longer on meso- and metathorax. Legs yellowish brown, with short dense yellowish setae; tibiae and tarsi slightly darker, tarsal claws pale reddish brown. Wings hyaline, with several whitish markings. Forewing grayish, with 5–6 ovoid markings along CuA, 2 rather small ovoid markings along distal half of posterior branch of MP, and a rather small round marking at distal 1/3; pterostigmatic area smoky brown. Hindwing slightly paler than forewing, without any whitish marking. Veins dark brown except for those in pale markings yellow. Rs 7 to 8- branched; MA bifurcate; 7–8 crossveins between R and Rs; anterior branch of MP 4-branched, posterior branch of MP 2-branched.

Abdomen blackish brown with genitalia mostly yellowish brown. Ninth tergum (Fig. 36) subtrapezoidal, with arcuately incised anterior margin and truncate posterior margin. Ninth sternum (Fig. 37) medially short, posterior margin deeply incised subtrapezoidal, forming a pair of posterior lobes, which are rather broad proximally and strongly narrowed distally. Ninth gonostylus (Fig. 37) slender unguiform, directed posteriad in lateral view, with tip slightly incurved. Ectoproct (Figs. 36–38) band-like, ~2.0 times as long as ninth tergum, proximal half broadly flattened, slightly curved inward and dorsad. Tenth gonocoxite (Fig. 39) arched, posteromedially with a fringe of long setae; lateral lobes digitiform, straightly directed posterolaterally.

Female. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype 3, “ MALAYSIA: Sabah, Mt. Kinabalu, Mesilau, 21.III.2009, H. Karube” (HFIC).

Distribution. Malaysia (Sabah).

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to Dr. Haruki Karube from the Kanagawa Prefecture Museum of Natural History (Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan) because of his kind donation of many valuable megalopteran specimens.

Remarks. This new species appears to be closely related to P. uniformis in having the pronotum with one pair of longitudinal black markings and the male tenth gonocoxite with no posterodorsal inflation but a fringe of long setae. However, the new species can be separated from P. u n i f o r m i s by the large markings on the vertex, the grayish wings, and the relatively short male ectoproct (~2.0 times as long as ninth tergum) which narrowed toward the apex. In P. uniformis the vertex markings are much narrower than those in P. k a r u b e i, the wings are slightly brownish, and the male ectoproct is nearly 3.5 times as long as ninth tergum and broadly flattened at the apex.