Haploperla valentinae sp. n.

(Figs. 9-18)

Material examined. Holotype ♂, 3 ♂ and 5 ♀ paratypes from China, Sichuan Province, Pitiao River, Balangshan Pass, 2700-4000 m, 1-4 June 1991, H.B., I. Sivec (PMSL, 1 paratype-BPS). Additional specimen: Type locality, same collecting data, 1 larva (PMSL).

Adult habitus. General color pale yellow patterned with pale brown. Pronotum bearing an obscure pale brown, median band, meso and metanotae dark brown U-patterns with a strong mesal prong (Figs. 11, 14). Abdomen with a median longitudinal brown band from segments 1-8, but terga 1 and 8 with brown areas reduced to small anterior spots; brown areas on terga 2-7 cover most of tergal length but include a pair of small, circular pale areas on each segmental band. Legs and wings pale.

Male. Forewing length 6 mm. Tergum 9 without posterior lobe, but bearing a mesal patch of short, thick setae (Fig.12). Epiproct short, length ca. 186 µm and about as wide as long (Figs. 9, 12); outline subtriangular with rounded margin in dorsal aspect; margin strongly sclerotized but posterodorsal area membranous and clothed with sparse patch of short, brown setae (Figs. 9-10, 13, 17).

Female. Forewing length 7 mm. Subgenital plate slightly produced as a small rounded lobe clothed with long setae (Fig. 15). Intersegmental area posterior to sternum 9 bearing a large median microtrichia patch.

Larva. Body length ca. 7 mm. General color brown, pattern questionable due to pharate adult features. Pronotum bearing well developed setal rows on anterior and posterior margins, but interrupted on lateral margins leaving a large gap (Fig. 16). Cerci with ca. 12 segments; each segment with prominent dorsal and ventral seta in lateral aspect (Fig. 18).

Etymology. The species name honors Dr. Valentina Teslenko, Vladivostok for her numerous contributions to the knowledge of Plecoptera .

Diagnosis. Haploperla lepnevae and H. ussurica, the two species reported from China, both have triangular epiprocts with narrow tips (Zhiltzova & Zwick 1971) and H. zwicki Stark & Sivec, known from Thailand, has a much more distinctly pigmented pronotal disk than the new species.