Neoperla tibetensis, Li & Liu, 2019

Li, Weihai & Liu, Ruijun, 2019, A new species of Neoperla (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from southeastern Tibet of China with additions to the knowledge of N. perspicillata Zwick, 1980, Zootaxa 4686 (2), pp. 271-281 : 275

Neoperla tibetensis sp. nov.

( Figs. 3–5 )

Adult habitus. ( Figs. 3 ) Forewing length of males 14.2–14.6 mm, female forewing length 15.4–15.8 mm. General body color brown. Distance between ocelli ca. 1.5X as wide as diameter of the ocellus. Head pale brown, a hat-like black area covering ocelli and extended laterally to inner margin of compound eyes, in front of that marking two reddish brown to brownish areas are present behind the M-line and an equally pigmented bell-shaped marking is present in front of the M-line; compound eyes black; antennae brownish to brown. Pronotum brown with medial portion darker and scattered dark markings ( Fig. 3a ); wing membrane brownish, veins brown; legs brownish but tibia and tarsi of hindlegs dark brown to black. Abdominal segments and cerci brown.

Male terminalia . Tergum 7 with posterior margin produced into a triangular process, covered with several distal sensilla basiconica ( Fig. 3b ). Tergum 8 with triangular medial sclerotized area, not raised as a process but medially with small spines ( Figs. 3b, 3e ). Tergum 9 with three patches of sensilla basiconica, the lateral patches elevated and mixed with long hairs. Hemitergal processes of tergum 10 sclerotized and straight, apex acute. Aedeagal tube moderately sclerotized, apically with a short pale, bald ventral projection ( Fig. 3d ). Aedeagal sac shorter than tube, evenly curved ventrally forming an open loop; dorsal aspect with 4–6 rows of small spines in basal half, 2–3 irregular rows of ventrolateral small spines present medially ( Fig. 4c ).

Female ( Figs. 4a, 4b ). Generally similar to male. Posterior edge of sternum 8 slightly concave, but posteromedial part sclerotized and forming a small, rounded produced subgenital plate. Sterna 9 and 10 with posterior margins slightly produced.

Egg ( Fig. 5 ). 358–362 μm long and 180–185μm wide (N=5). Elongate oval in shape. Anchor mushroomshaped, pedicle stalked and sometimes hidden by anchor plate.Anchor plate covered by dense globular bodies. Collar indistinctly stalked, width ca. 89 μm at rim. Chorion brown, sides of collar with a row of well formed cells, rim smooth, narrow and slightly flanged. Chorion striate, with ca. 13 striae and 12 sulci visible in lateral aspect. Striae slightly notched around micropyles. FCLs on lid indistinct, and apex smooth.

Type Material. Holotype: male ( CAUC), China, Tibet, Motuo County, J.Y. Wang . Paratypes: 1 male, 3 females ( CAUC), China, Tibet, Motuo County, 2014.VII.28 , T.T. Zhang; 5 females ( HIST), China, Tibet, Motuo County, 2014.VII.28 , T.T. Zhang; 12 males and 1 female ( HIST), China, Tibet, Motuo County, light traps, 2015. VIII.5 , J.Y. Wang & Y.S. Zhao; 1 male and 3 females ( HIST), China, Tibet, Motuo County, Beibeng , N 29.14 '45.11'' E95.10 '16.21'', 790 m, 2015.VIII.9 , J.Y. Wang & Y.S. Zhao; 2 males and 2 females ( HIST), China, Tibet, Motuo County, Beibeng , N 29.14 '45.11'' E95.10 '16.21'', 790 m, 2015.VIII.8 , J.Y. Wang & Y.S. Zhao; 1 male ( HIST), China, Tibet, Motuo County, 2015.VII.23 , J.Y. Wang & Y.S. Zhao; 3 males and 10 females ( IZCAS), China, Tibet, Motuo County, Mozart highway 108k (highway from Zhamu Town of Bommi to Motuo ), N 29.48 '00'' E95.44 '56'', 857 m, 2015.VII.27 ; 3 males and 4 females ( HIST), pinned, same highway (108k), 2011.VIII.22 , Z.H. Pan; 1 female ( HIST), pinned, same locality and collector, 2014.VIII.5 ; 1 female ( HIST), same highway, 80k, 2011.VII.21. Z.H. Pan; 1 female, China, Tibet, Beibeng , 2014.VII.27 , Y.Q. Zhang & H. Xu , N 29.15 '26'' E95.09 '26'', 751m, light traps .

Etymology. The patronym refers to Tibet where the type locality is located.

Distribution. China (Tibet).

Diagnosis and remarks. The new species has an aedeagus similar to N. baotianmana Li & Wang, 2012 , known from Henan Province of Central China. However, the male of this species has a different head pattern and aedeagal armature. Neoperla tibetensis is similar to Neoperla sp. 1 ( Zwick 1977) in the head pattern and the aedeagus, but the aedeagal sac of that species was not everted, but the aedeagal tube of N. sp. 1 has no ventrally curved apical projection. Additionally, the specimens of N. sp. 1 may include two different species because their head pattern varies differ substantially (figs. 85-86, Zwick 1977). Our ample material of N. tibetensis exhibits a consistent head pattern.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Neoperla tibetensis sp. nov. (male). a. Head and pronotum, dorsal view. b. Terminalia, dorsal view. c. hindleg, lateral view. d. Aedeagal sac, lateral view. e.Terminalia, lateral view.

FIGURE 4. Neoperla tibetensis sp. nov. (female). a. Head and pronotum, dorsal view. b. Female terminalia, ventral view. c. Aedeagus with everted aedeagal sac, lateral view.

FIGURE 5. Neoperla tibetensis sp. nov. (Eggs). a. Eggs, lateral view. b. Entire egg, lateral view. c. Collar, apical view. d. Lid, lateral view. e. Micropyle (arrow). f. Micropyles.