Rhopalopsole faciursina Qian & Du

Qian, Yu-Han & Du, Yu-Zhou, 2017, Two new species of Rhopalopsole (Plecoptera: Leuctridae) from China, Zootaxa 4273 (2), pp. 296-300 : 298-299

Rhopalopsole faciursina Qian & Du , sp. nov.

Figs. 9–11 & 12–16 .

Material examined. Holotype male, Yunnan Province, Pinbian County, Mt. Dawei , 22°57’47.16”N, W- 103°41’9.24”E, 2019m, 6 Sep 2016, Leg. Qin Huang & Yu-Han Qian ( SFUIC) . Paratypes: 10 males, the same data as holotype ( SFUIC) .

Adult habitus. Head brown, wider than pronotum; posterior ocelli closer to compound eyes, antennae and palpi brown. Pronotum brown, quadrate, longer than wide, all angles rounded with several black irregular stripes. Legs brown. Wings hyaline and veins yellowish brown.

Male. Tergum 9 mostly sclerotized, a U-shaped weakly sclerotized area medially, medial hind margin extending outwards and forming a triangular strongly sclerotized sclerite with knob-like tiny granular surface ( Fig. 9 ). Subgenital plate of stermum 9 wider than long and rounded apically, basally a tongue-like vesicle with dense hairs ( Fig. 10 ). Central sclerite of tergum 10 strongly sclerotized and laterally anterior of central sclerite with weakly sclerotized sclerites, extending gradually downwards ( Figs. 9, 10 ), pair of transverse triangular sclerites with anterior edge strongly sclerotized strongly ( Figs. 9, 11 ). Sclerotized lateral processes of tergum 10 lacking sclerotized apex, trapezoid-shaped with rounded angles and a triangular depression in medially at the lower edge in lateral view ( Figs. 11 , 12 ). Epiproct thick with erect, hook-like, tip acute ( Figs. 9, 11 , 13 ). Subanal lobes flat and short, narrow basally and expanding to a rounded apex, a small triangular membrane region in the middle of the apex ( Figs. 9, 10 , 14, 15, 16 ). Cerci bent upward, lacking spines ( Figs. 9, 11 ).

Female. Unknown.

Etymology. Latin “faci” means face; Latin “ursina” means bear. The name “ faciursina ” refers to the shape of central sclerite of tergum 10.

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to members of the R. shaanxiensis group ( Sivec et al. 2008). The male of R. faciursina appears most similar to R. sipang Sivec & Harper, 2008 known from Mt. Sipang in Sa Pa Fan of northwestern Vietnam. In R. sipang there is an irregular weakly sclerotized area at the anterior medial portion of tergum 9, the lateral plate of tergum 10 is rectangular, and there is a basal indentation in lateral view, the subanal lobes are divided into two lobes, an upper lobe enclosed in a lower lobe. The male of R. faciursina has an U-shaped weakly sclerotized area on the central portion of tergum 9, the lateral plate of tergum 10 is ladder-shaped with a triangular depression in medially at the lower edge in lateral view ( Fig. 12 ), and a small triangular membrane region medially at the apex of subanal lobes ( Figs. 14, 15, 16 ). This new species is also similar to R. damrakae Sivec & Harper, 2008 known from Doi Inthanon, Chiang Mai Province of Thailand, but can be distinguished by the shape of central plate of tergum 10 and subanal lobes. In R. damrakae there is a narrow central plate is flanked by large swollen lateral sclerites, and the subanal lobes also divided into two lobes. In R. faciursina , central plate is large and rectangle in shape, and laterally central plate anteriorly with weakly sclerotized sclerites, extending gradually downwards. In addition, the subanal lobes of R. faciursina are not divided into two lobes.

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 11. Rhopalopsole faciursina, sp. nov. 9. Terminal abdominal segments of male, dorsal view. 10. Terminal abdominal segments of male, ventral view. 11. Terminal abdominal segments of male, lateral view.

FIGURES 12 – 16. 12. Lateral processes of tergum 10, lateral view. 13. Epiproct, lateral view. 14. Subanal lobes, ventral view. 15. Subanal lobes, dorsal view. 16. Subanal lobes, lateral view.