Neoperla emeishana Li & Wang

Li, Weihai, Wang, Ying & Wang, Rongfeng, 2017, Taxonomic notes on Neoperla (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from Sichuan Province of China with the description of two new species, Zootaxa 4221 (2), pp. 191-204 : 192-197

Neoperla emeishana Li & Wang , sp. nov.

( Figs. 3–4 , 7 a, 7c)

Male ( Figs. 3–4 ). Forewing length 18.6–19.5 mm. General body color brown. Distance between ocelli ca. wide as diameter of the ocellus. Head mostly orange with dark brown areas covering ocelli and forward of M line, lateral margins and anterior portion of frons pale, the pigmentation between ocelli quadrate or slightly extended forward ( Figs. 3 a–b); compound eyes black; antennae brown. Pronotum brown, anterior margin and median portion darker, with scattered rugosities ( Figs. 3 a–b); wing membrane subhyaline, veins brown; legs mostly brownish. Abdomen yellow brown, hemiterga darker.

Terminalia . Posterior process of tergum 7 subquadrate and elevated in lateral view, with many small dorsal and marginal sensilla basiconica ( Figs. 3 c–d). Tergum 8 with tongue-like upcurved process, with small spines at distal margin ( Figs. 3 c–d). Tergum 9 without sensilla patches but two median clusters of long hairs. Hemitergal processes of tergum 10 sclerotized and slightly bent ventrally at middle. Aedeagal tube plump and dorsal surface sclerotized, ventroapically with a pair of dorsally directed projections covered by tiny spines ( Figs. 3 e, 4a). Aedeagal sac about 3X longer than tube and apical half strongly curved ventrad nearly forming a loop in well treated type, spinules occur on most of the surface except the basal third, dorsal spinules are slightly larger ( Figs. 4 b–c); a transverse dorsal projection covered by spines present at basal third that is triangular in lateral view ( Figs. 4 c–d).

Female ( Figs. 7 a, 7c). Forewing length 19.5–21.0 mm. Generally similar to male, median portion of sternum 8 gently sclerotized, posterior edge of sternum 8 slightly produced, posteromedial part forming a small, rounded produced subgenital plate. Vagina rounded; spermatheca stalk slender and short, ca. half length of spermatheca, spermatheca sausage like and gently curved, apex slightly narrowing and rounded.

Eggs. Available females were void of eggs.

Type material. Holotype: male ( HIST), China: Sichuan Province, Emeishan City, Emeishan Mountain, Zero Kilometer , Longdong Lake , 2009 . VI.29, light trap, Junchao Wang; paratypes: 2 males ( CAUC), same data as holotype ; 6 males, 4 females ( HIST), China: Sichuan Province, Emeishan City, Emeishan Mountain, Zero Kilometer , Longdong Lake , 2010. VI.30, light trap, Junchao Wang ; 2 males ( HIST), China: Sichuan Province, Emeishan City, Emeishan Mountain, Zero Kilometer , Longdong lake , 2009. VI.29, light trap, Feiyang Liang.

Etymology. The epithet refers to the type locality, Emeishan Mountain.

Distribution. China (Sichuan Province).

Diagnosis and remarks. The new species is unique among members of the N. lushana subgroup of montivaga group in having the aedeagal tube ventroapically with a pair of dorsally directed projections ( Figs. 3 e, 4c). The armature of aedeagal sac of the new species is similar to N. magisterchoui Du, 2000a , but N. magisterchoui bears two pairs of apical projections on the aedeagal tube, whereas N. emeishana only one pair of such projections. Neoperla emeishana is also separated from the other two similar sympatric species, N. caii and N. quadrata by the ventrally curved aedeagal sac ( Fig. 3 c) and a transverse dorsal projection covered by spines present at basal third of the sac ( Fig. 4 d). Both N. caii and N. quadrata have dorsally curved aedeagal sac, and the dorsal patches of spines are present at least over midlength, never forming a projection like N. emeishana (comparing Fig. 2 a and fig. 37 in Murányi et al. 2015).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Neoperla caii sp. nov., a. Male aedeagus, lateral view. b. Aedeagal sac, lateral view. c. Aedeagal sac, ventral view.

FIGURE 3. Neoperla emeishana sp. nov., male. a & b. Head and pronotum, dorsal view, showing variation. c. Terminalia, dorsal view. d. Terminalia, lateral view. e. Aedeagus before full eversion, lateral view.

FIGURE 4. Neoperla emeishana sp. nov., male. a. Aedeagus before full eversion, ventral view. b. Aedeagal sac, apical half, dorsal view. c. Aedeagus, lateral view. d. Aedeagus, tube and base of sac, dorsal view.

FIGURE 7. Female terminalia, ventral view. a. Neoperla emeishana sp. nov.. b. Neoperla bilineata Wu & Claassen, 1934. c. Vagina and spermatheca of Neoperla emeishana sp. nov..