Neoperla pirus, 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 : 19

4 Egg without trace of a collar. Egg pear-shaped, diameter almost doubles near midlength ( Figs. 158–160 ).................................................................................. 28 N. pirus n. sp.

4' Anchor pole of egg surrounded by a sclerite ring (e.g., Figs 156–157 ) or with a proper collar. Eggs subspherical or of regular ovoid shape....................................................................... 5

5 Base of vagina with transverse folds (tf), SSt forming approximately 1 ring (e.g., Figs. 181, 186, 188 )............................................................................. N. pilulifera-complex , p. 70

5' No transverse folds in base of vagina........................................................... 6

Figures

FIGURES 154–160. Neoperla plicata n. sp. and N. pirus n. sp.. N. plicata: 154, female from Makokou, genital situs, genitalia flipped back from S8 which is shown upside down; 155, egg of same; 156, diagrammatic section through anchor pole of same; 156 egg of ♀ from Odzala N. P.. N. pirus: 158, genital situs and egg of ♀ holotype, plus semitransparent detail of a second egg (NEOP064). Scales are 100µm. a, anchor; c, collar; cf, concertinated transverse folds; ls, lateral sclerite; sa, spermatheca; SSt, spermathecal stalk; V, vagina.

FIGURES 181–192. ♀♀ of the Neoperla pilulifera-complex. N. pilulifera n. sp.: 181, genital situs, ♀ from Ghana, Ankasa Reservation; 182, egg of same, arrows show micropyles; 183, 184, collar and micropyle of ♀ from Gabun, Belinga; 185, “teleskoping” collar of ♀ from Schouteden, Koteh / Belinga. N. occulta n. sp.: 186, 187, genital situs and egg, Central African Republic, Bayanga. N. nichollsi n. sp., 188–192: 188, 189, genital situs and egg (Liberia, 8 mi NW Belefuanai, S fork S.Paul R., 11.8.66, Ross & Lorenzen diagrammatic, from photographs) (NEOP057); 190–192 are anchor pole regions of an intact and of 2 teratological eggs, all from the same ♀. In 186–188 ♀ situs and eggs to the same scales, respectively. The scale in 181 is 100µm, others figures as indicated, or not to scale. a, anchor; od, oviduct; rd, receptacular duct; sa, spermatheca; SSt, spermathecal stalk.