Permomerope natalensis Sukatsheva & Mostovski, 2007

Sukatsheva, Irina D., Beattie, Robert & Mostovski, Mike B., 2007, Permomerope natalensis sp. n. from the Lopingian of South Africa, and a redescription of the type species of Permomerope (Trichoptera: Protomeropidae), African Invertebrates 48 (2), pp. 245-251 : 249-250

Permomerope natalensis Sukatsheva & Mostovski , sp. n.

Fig. 2

Etymology: The species name refers to the province of KwaZulu-Natal.

Description: Forewing 12 mm long and 3.7 mm wide, narrow (3.2 times as long as wide), weakly broadened in its apical half, being broadest at the level of terminal branches of MP 3+4. Subcostal space with three oblique cross-veins. Sc weakly curved, with more than 10 long and oblique branches. Pterostigma absent. Sc+R arced towards anterior wing margin, with 6 terminal branches. Veins RS(+MA) and MP with 20 terminal branches. Stem of RS almost 1.8 times as long as stem of MA. MA 3+4 1.4 times as long as MA. RS 1+2 1.3 times as long as RS, with 4 terminal branches. Stem of M 1.3 times as long as RS. MP 1+2 with 2 terminal branches, almost 8 times as long as very short MP 3+4, which ends in 7 branches. Weak cross-veins developed between branches of RS, MA and MP. CuA 3-branched, with its base being noticeably shorter than RS. 2A joins 1A far from its end, 3A short; terminal section of anal veins subparallel to CuP. Postanal space with 6 oblique cross-veins.

Holotype: NMSA, no. 2568a/b, part and counterpart of complete, fairly well-preserved forewing, crossveins may be partly invisible due to the state of preservation. SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: Bulwer Quarry (29.79953 ° S: 29.78657 ° E); Lopingian, Lower Beaufort Group , Normandien Formation (Balfour Formation equivalent).

Comparison: The new species differs from all previously known species in having a noticeably shorter CuA base, a much shorter MA 3+4 (more than 2 times as long as MA in P. australis, 3 times as long as MA in P. karaungirica, and almost 4 times as long as MA in P. ramosa), and in the absence of r–rs near the end of Sc. Additionally, it differs from both P. karaungirica and P. ramosa in having a lesser number of MP branches (11 in P. karaungirica and 13 in P. ramosa).

Figures

Fig. 2. Permomerope natalensis sp. n., holotype NMSA 2568a (counterpart), details of the wing venation and general appearance of the fossil. Scale bar = 1 mm.