Neoperla yunnana Li &Wang

Wang, Guoquan, Murányi, Dávid & Li, Weihai, 2014, Two new species of dark Neoperla (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from Oriental Realm of China, Zootaxa 3872 (1) : -

Neoperla yunnana Li &Wang , sp. nov.

( Figs. 10–17 , 19 )

Adult habitus. General body color dark brown. Distance between ocelli about 2X as long as diameter of the ocellus. Head dark brown, areas after compound eyes and antennae brown, anterior part of frons pale brown between dark U-shaped marking ( Fig. 10 ); compound eyes black; antennae scape brown, flagellum dark brown but basal ca. 15–25 segments pale brown to brown, mouthparts brownish. Pronotum brown with darker markings ( Fig. 10 ); wing membrane brownish, veins dark brown; legs with femora pale brown with tip dark brown, tibiae brown with proximal margin brownish, tarsi brown to dark brown ( Fig. 13 ). Abdominal segments brown but terminalia dark brown and cerci brown.

Male. Forewing length 8.4–8.6 mm. Tergum 7 with posterior margin produced into a short triangular process, covered with several marginal sensilla basiconica ( Figs. 11 & 12 ). Tergum 8 with no process but covered by small median spine patch below a narrow anteromedian sclerite ( Fig. 11 ). Tergum 9 with two patches of sensilla basiconica and long hairs. Hemitergal processes of tergum 10 strongly sclerotized, with a median curve at basal third ( Figs. 11–12 ). Aedeagal tube with a prominent spherical mesoventral and a pair of large claviform dorsoapical projections, all bearing fine spinules on their apex, and a small subapical projection in dorsal aspect without spines located ( Fig. 14–15 ). Aedeagal sac plump, strongly curved ventrally touching the ventral projection of the tube, the apex in top view tri-lobed and most of the surface covered with spinules ( Figs. 16–17 ).

Female. Forewing length 10.2–10.4 mm. General color pattern similar to males except terminalia. Subgenital plate slightly produced with indistinct median notch at posterior margin. Sternum 9 with anterior portion pale brown, median portion forming a trapezoidal pale area, posterior half with two broad dark brown lateral bands ( Fig. 19 ).

Type material. Holotype: male ( HIST), China: Yunnan Province, Baoshan, Mount. Baihualing Nature Reserve, 1575 m, 25.4538 N, 98.8467 E, 2013. VII.15, Xuankun Li. Paratypes: 4 males, 2 females ( HIST), 2 males ( CAUC), 2 males ( HNHM), same data as holotype.

Etymology. The species is named after the province it occurs.

Distribution. China (Yunnan Province).

Diagnosis and remarks. The male of the new species is readily distinguished from other N. montivaga group species by the aedeagal tube having a pair of claviform dorsoapical projections ( Fig. 15 ), a single small subapical dorsal projection, and an additional mesoventral projection. The partial sclerotization of the aedeagal tube supports the inclusion of N. yunnana in the montivaga species group. The aedeagal structure is similar to that of N. similiserecta Wang & Li, 2012 from Guangdong Province of China. However, the mesoventral processes on aedeagal tube in N. similiserecta are paired and much smaller in contrast to the single and large process of N. yunnana . In addition, the general color including the head pattern and sac armatures of the two species are different. Neoperla similiserecta has yellow brown head pattern with two small brown marks and the sac of N. similiserecta is slender bearing spinules and granules over much of the sac except the apex (compare figs. 10, 14 in Li et al. 2012 and Figs. 10 , 16–17 ). The new species is also similar to N. erecta Stark & Sivec 2008 from Lao Cai Province, Vietnam in aedeagal type. However, in N. erecta , the aedeagal tube lacks a mesoventral processes, the sac armature covers most of the surface of the sac and the head is mostly pale with dark quadrate spot over ocelli (compare figs. 23 & 25 in Stark & Sivec 2008 and Figs. 10 , 14 & 16 ).

Yunnan Province, the most southwestern region of China and is bordered by Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar, and is characterized by mountainous areas. The collecting site is located in the southern Gaoligong Mountains. The light traps was operated with the aid of a generator on the road approximately half way to the peak near an unnamed stream, not far from the Wenquan Scenic spot near Baihualing Village.

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 13. Neoperla yunnana Li & Wang, sp. nov., male. 10. Head and pronotum, dorsal view. 11. Terminalia, dorsal view. 12. Terminalia, lateral view. 13. Legs, lateral view.

FIGURES 14 – 17. Neoperla yunnana Li & Wang, sp. nov., male aedeagus. 14. Uneverted aedeagus, lateral view. 15. Uneverted aedeagus, ventral view. 16. Everted aedeagus, lateral view. 17. Everted aedeagus, ventral view, showing details of sac apex.

FIGURES 18 – 19. Female terminalia. 18. Neoperla tadpolata Li & Murányi, sp. nov., ventral view. 19. Neoperla yunnana Li & Wang, sp. nov., ventral view.