Soyedina alexandria, Grubbs, 2006

Grubbs, Scott A., 2006, Soyedina Alexandria And S. Calcarea (Plecoptera: Nemouridae), New Stonefly Species From The Eastern Nearctic Region And Notes On The Life Cycle Of S. Calcarea., Illiesia 2 (6), pp. 39-49 : 43

Soyedina alexandria sp. n.

( Figs. 28–31 )

Material examined. Holotype ♂ and paratype ♀, U.S.A., Williamson Co., spring into Pinewood Branch, Leipers Fork , West Fork Harpeth River, 4 km W Leipers Fork, 15 March 2003, S. A. Grubbs and D. E. King ( INHS) ; Paratypes, Tennessee: Cheatham Co., spring into unnamed tributary to Harpeth River, 6 km W Ashland City, 1 March 2003, S. A. Grubbs and D. E. King, 2♂, 5♀ ( WKU) ; Sumner Co., spring into Liggett Branch, Station Camp Creek , 6 km SE White House, 1 March 2003, S. A. Grubbs and D. E. King, 6♂, 8♀ ( WKU, BYU, INHS) ; Williamson Co., same as holotype, 1♂, 4♀ ( WKU) .

Male. Forewing length 7.0–7.5 mm; body length 5.0– 5.5 mm. Body color, wings, absence of gills, cerci, hypoproct, and epiproct ( Fig. 28 ) as in S. vallicularia . Paraproct with two lobes; inner lobes small, narrow, and lightly sclerotized; outer lobes noticeably robust and enlarged, darkly sclerotized, broadest at base, narrowed very slightly at distal fourth, apical portion with slightly convex tip, inner and outer shoulders rounded, with outer shoulder raised slightly above inner shoulder ( Figs. 29–30 ).

Female. Forewing length 7.5–9.0 mm; body length

5.0–7.0 mm. Body, leg, and wing coloration similar to male. Subgenital plate well‐ developed; base broad, extending from posterior of seventh sternum entirely over eighth sternum and approximately ¼ over ninth sternum; apical portion darker than basal portion and ending in broadly‐ rounded to moderately‐ pointed tip ( Fig. 31 ).

Diagnosis. Soyedina alexandria is distinguished from S. vallicularia by the outline of the outer lobe of the paraproct. Although moderately variable in shape, the outer paraproct lobe of S. vallicularia is much narrower in lateral profile than the robust shape exhibited by S. alexandria . The apical portion of the epiproct of S. alexandria is much broader than S. vallicularia . Both the epiprocts and the female subgenital plates of S. alexandria and S. vallicularia are inseparable. The SEM micrograph of the subgenital plate of S. alexandria shows that while this structure may appear more pointed in some specimens, this is simply a manifestation of the outer margins sometimes folding under the plate.

Etymology. Soyedina alexandria is named in honor of my daughter Alexandria Arlene.

Figures

Figs. 28−31. Soyedina alexandria, TN: Sumner Co., spring into Liggett Branch, Station Camp Creek. 28. Male, SEM micrograph, dorsal view of epiproct (350x). 29−30. Male, SEM micrographs, lateral view of left paraprocts (200x). 31. Female, ventral view.