Neoperla proxima, Zwick & Zwick, 2023

Zwick, Peter & Zwick, Andreas, 2023, Revision of the African Neoperla Needham, 1905 (Plecoptera: Perlidae: Perlinae) based on morphological and molecular data, Zootaxa 5316 (1), pp. 1-194 : 124-125

56. Neoperla proxima n. sp.

( Figs. 318–319 , 328–329 )

Type material: Holotype J, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Kongo, Odzala Nat. Park [1.19°N, 14.85°E; 560m], 29.9.– 3.3.1997 leg. V.Sinaev ( NEOP257 ; ZMHUB). 2 paratype J, the same data ( ZMHUB and SMNS). Republic of Angola. 1♀ paratype, Angola, prov. Uíge, Finca 7°38’08.6’’S, 14°56’25.8’’E 645m, 24.x.2013, at light, leg. M.Nuss ( NEOP258 , SMTD; slide PZ17.46 ). Republic of Cameroon: 8♀ paratypes: 2°47’19.04’’N, 11.97896 E, Cameroon, S-Reg., Sangmélima 17km on road to Dja River NEbN Mintom, 570m asl, 4 Nov.2011, MV-lamp, A.Zwick & D.Bartsch ( NEOP259 , NEOP260 , NEOP261 , NEOP262 , NEOP263 , NEOP264 , NEOP265 , NEOP266 ; SMNS).

Additional material studied: Democratic Republic of the Congo: 1♀: Coll. Mus. Congo W.Kivu Lubongola pr. Shabunda [-2.98693, 27.55371] V-1939 Dr. Hautman ( SMNS ex MRAC) . 3♀: Rep. Congo P.N. d’Odzala, Mbdanza XI.1992 G. Carpaneto ( SMNS, gift R. Fochetti; slides Z16/19&20). 1 J , 1♀: B. Congo, 12 ml. N of

Matadi [5.85N, 13.46E] VII-28-1957 E.S.Ross & R.E.Leech ( CASENT 8413072 and CASENT 8413079;slide Z18.37). Republic of Ghana: 2♀: Ghana, Volta Region, Agumatsa waterfalls, St. 10, 19.11.1993, J. Kjaerendsen light trap; Ref. No. 2 (slide GH10/6). Republic of Guinea: 3♀: Niandan [9.17°N, 10.07W], Bambaya , 15.10.1984 (gift Élouard, slide 86/14, SMNS) .

Habitus. WL 9.7–10.0 mm. Ochre to light brown, including wings and appendages. Ocellar rings narrow, only a brown spot between ocelli.

Male ( Figs. 318–319 ). As for complex. Mediocaudal process of T7 a small button-like structure with some SB. HT10 long, slender, in dorsal view straight, a distinct small button at tip ( Fig. 318 ).

Penis ( Fig. 319 ) stout, straight in dorsal, sinuous in side view, middle bulging ventrad. The large dorsal notch at the tube apex with many strong conical teeth, tips pointing caudad. Endophallus with long bare base, strongly curved, tip crossing over tube. A band of strong teeth covers most of convex face to near the end. Sides are bare, distal half of ventral face with about seven rows of stout teeth. Size of teeth and number of rows decrease caudally, the short tip is bare.

Female ( Fig. 328 ). As for the complex. SSt longer than in other members of the complex forming almost 2 rings, narrow end-section is a slender tail.

Egg ( Fig. 329 ). Oval, 1.8 times longer than wide, on average 378µm long in specimens from the Congo, 424µm in the Guinean female. Anchor pole wider than operculum, walls of cells low. About 20 straight striae, sulci wide, surface irregularly punctate, rough. Costae are distinct ridges but not flanged, their fine ends form a delicate network on the narrow conical operculum.

Variation. Females from Cameroon (identified by DNA) are apparently juvenile, they have no or vague marks on S8. Both marks are distinct in specimens from the Congo and Guinea. Egg size and collar width may be characteristic of individual populations.

DNA ( Figs. 492 , 497). A total of ten specimens from Cameroon, the D. R. Congo, and Angola were sequenced, including the male holotype from the D. R. Congo with only a partial COX1 DNA barcode fragment, which might be responsible for the basal-most placement of this specimen. This sampling represents the largest part of the geographic spread of this species and provides very strong support (94.4/100/100) for monophyly. The species is very strongly supported (69.1/100/100) as sister to N. dubia Klapálek. Both sexes are represented, but female samples are vastly more abundant.

Notes. Ranges of N. proxima n. sp. and N. dubia overlap.

Etymology. The closest (Lat. proxima ) relative of N. dubia , an adjective in female gender.

Figures

FIGURE 492. Simplified overview of codon-model maximum likelihood phylogram based on 356 mitochondrial genome and COX1 DNA barcode sequences (all-NT). Terminal labels include information on the species only. Clades of particular interest highlighted with colours that correspond to the clades in other trees. The full tree is shown in Figs 493-498.

FIGURES 313–322. Males in the Neoperla dubia-complex: N. dubia Klapálek (from Makak, Cameroon): 313, terminal segments, dorsal view; 314, 315, enlarged centre of tergites 7 and 8, dorsal and lateral; 316, contracted, 317, everted penis with detail of distal armature (not to scale, from Ikom, Nigeria). Neoperla proxima n. sp.: 318, abdominal tip in dorsal view; 317, tip of penis with everted endophallus (D. R. Congo, Odzala N. P.). Neoperla vicina n. sp.: 320, 321, abdominal tip, dorsal and lateral views; 322, penis tip with everted endophallus in lateral view, and a detail of external spines in oblique lateral view (D. R. Congo, Bukavu). Scales in 317 and 322 are 100µm, scale in 320 is 0.5mm. The tergites, hemitergite 10 and the cercus are labeled.

FIGURES 323–331. Neoperla dubia-complex, femalesand eggs.N.dubia Klapálek:323, genital situs; 324, eggwith moderately raised costae (Ghana, Agumatsa waterfalls); 325–327, egg with flanged costae (D. R. Congo, Odzala N. P.). Neoperla proxima n. sp.: 328, genital situs (D. R.Congo, N of Matadi), 329, egg (Cameroon, Sangmelina). Neoperla vicina n. sp. (D.R. Congo): 330, female situs, 331,egg, arrow points at end of raised part of costa (paratype, Walikale, Z2101). Scales are 100µm, similar structures shown to the same scale. Top view of egg (326) based on combined halves of a photograph. Sa, spermatheca; SSt, spermathecal stalk; V, vagina.