Neoperla pangi Huo, Du & Zhu, 2021

Huo, Qingbo, Du, Yuzhou, Zhu, Binqing & Yu, Lei, 2021, Notes on Neoperla sinensis Chu, 1928 and Neoperla anjiensis Yang & Yang, 1998 with descriptions of new species of Neoperla from China (Plecoptera: Perlidae), Zootaxa 5004 (2), pp. 288-310 : 299-300

Neoperla pangi Huo, Du & Zhu , sp. nov.

( Figs. 21–25 , 31 )

Type material: Holotype: ♂ ( ICYZU), China, Anhui Province, Guangde City, Yangtan Town, Jiufang Village , 30.68°N, 119.19°E, 2020–V–2, leg. Pang Zheng-Ping. Paratype: 1♂, ( ICYZU), the same location and data as the holotype .

Adult habitus: General body color dark brown. Distance between ocelli ca. 1.5X as wide as diameter of one ocellus. Head pale brown to yellowish, with a large dark spot covering ocellar area to the clypeus, but with a paler medial round spot; antennae and palpi dark brown. Pronotum mostly dark brown except posterolateral margins lighter, trapezoidal, with rugosities present. Wings translucent, veins dark brown; legs dark brown except base of femora and middle of tibiae paler. Cerci pale brown ( Fig. 21 ).

Male: Forewing length ca. 12.5 mm, hindwing length 10.0 mm, body length 9.5 mm. Abdomen pale brown to yellowish, except the lateral plates and medial terga 5-7 mostly dark brown. Tergum 7 sclerotized, anterior margin bilobate, with a pair of fingerlike procces; posterior margin with a sclerotized, slightly raised, process, bearing few sensilla in a patch. Tergum 8 with a short triangular process, with several ventral spines on apex. Tergum 9 slightly sclerotized. Hemitergites 10 with apical sensilla patch ventrally. Hemitergal processes sclerotized, fingerlike, slightly curved outward ( Figs 22–23 ). Aedeagal tube plump and sclerotized dorsally, curved ventrad, tip hook-like. Aedeagal sac about 1.2X longer than tube, with two rows of dorsal spines that become larger from base to apex, and a wide, distinct ventral band formed of scaled short spines; apex blunt and completely covered by large spines; the U-shaped apical inner sclerite short and with numerous dense teeth ( Fig. 24 ).

Female, Egg and Nymph: Unknown.

Distribution: China (Anhui Province) ( Fig. 31 ).

Etymology: The species name refers to the collector, Mr. Pang Zheng-Ping who provided the materials for this study.

Diagnosis: This new species is similar to above two species, but the fingerlike procces on male tergum 7, the aedeagal sac fully covered by large apical spines and sparser ventral spine patches are distinctive.

Remark: This species inhabits small streams besides the local villages ( Fig. 25 ). The above species could be considered as members of the montivaga -group. Moreover, the females of N. sinensis and N. huangshana mostly match the Neoperla hoabihnica -complex. Two congeners that share the similar aedeagal morphology, N. pangi and N. tuberculata , may also belong to the same complex.

Figures

FIGURE 21. Neoperla pangi sp. nov. A male habitus (dorsal above and ventral below); B male head and pronotum.

FIGURE 22. Neoperla pangi sp. nov., male terminalia. A dorsal; B lateral.

FIGURE 23. Neoperla pangi sp. nov., male terminalia. A the procces on terga 7–8; B left tergum 10.

FIGURE 24. Neoperla pangi sp. nov., aedeagus. A aedeagal tube; B aedeagal sclerite; C everted aedeagus, hand sketch.

FIGURE 25. Habitat of Neoperla pangi sp. nov. (Photos provided by Pang Zheng-Ping).

FIGURE 31. Distribution map of these above Neoperla species in China.