Plectrocnemia qianshanensis Morse, Zhong & Yang

Morse, John C., Zhong, Hua & Yang, Lian-fang, 2012, New species of Plectrocnemia and Nyctiophylax (Trichoptera, Polycentropodidae) from China, ZooKeys 169, pp. 39-59 : 43-45

Plectrocnemia qianshanensis Morse, Zhong & Yang sp. n. Fig. 4

Plectrocnemia qianshanensis Li 1998: 68-69, figs 3.56-3.59, nomen nudum.

Type material.

Holotype male, PRC, Jiang-xi Province, Qian-shan County, Shi-long, 27.20°N, 114.08°E, 24-vii-1993, collected by Lu Liang; deposited in NAU.

Paratypes.

PRC, Jiang-xi Province: Mt. Jiu-lian National Nature Preserve, confluence of Huang-niu-shi & Da-shui-keng Streams, 1.2 km SE of Dun-tou Village, 24.5256°N, 114.4225°E, 546 m elevation, 09-vi-2005, Coll. Sun Chang-hai, 2 males (NAU).

PRC, An-hui Province: Qi-men County, 29.8°N, 117.7°E, Peng-long Township, Yang Village, 122 km on Provincial Road, 25-viii-2002, Coll. Hu Ben-jin, Lu Shuang, 1 male (NAU).

PRC, Shaan-xi Province: Fu-ping County, Long-cao-ping Village, 1100 m elevation, 03-vi-1998, coll. Sun Chang-hai, 1 male (NAU).

Diagnosis.

The male genitalia of this species are similar to those of Plectrocnemia plicata and Plectrocnemia wui in the shape of the posterolateral margins of sternum IX, with a conspicuous division at the middle, in the inferior appendages being broad and truncate in lateral view. However, in this new species, although the preanal appendages are narrow and parallel-sided as in Plectrocnemia cryptoparamere , these appendages are distinctly shorter than tergum X (subequal in the other 3 species). The posterior dorsolateral corners of sternum IX are rounded on each side in this species (blunt and rectilinear in Plectrocnemia plicata and Plectrocnemia wui , acute in Plectrocnemia cryptoparamere ). A subphallic sclerite is present in this new species (absent in the other 3 species). Like Plectrocnemia cryptoparamere , the ventromesal process of each inferior appendage is triangular in ventral view and broadly connected basally with the body of the appendage (digitate and deeply separated from the body of the appendage in Plectrocnemia plicata and Plectrocnemia wui ), but the main body of each inferior appendage is apically truncate in ventral view in this species (rounded in the other 3 species). As in Plectrocnemia plicata and Plectrocnemia wui , the phallus of this species bears paramere spines (parameres are lacking in Plectrocnemia cryptoparamere ). The new species has the mesoventral process of each preanal appendage forked (unforked in the other 3 species).

Description of adult male.

Head brown with antennae and palpi pale yellow, pronotum light brown, meso- and metanota brown with yellowish warts, forewings greyish brown. Length of body with folded wings: 6.0-6.5 mm. (n=4).

Male genitalia. Tergum IX semimembranous apically, fused with semimembranous tergum X (t.X), these fused terga as long as inferior appendages (Figs 4A, 4C). In ventral view (Fig. 4B) anteromesal margin of sternum IX narrowly excised, posteromesal margin broadly excised; in lateral view (Fig. 4A) sternum IX subtriangular, anterior margin broadly rounded and projecting anterad; posterior margin sinuate, with upper half protruding posterad beyond lower half. Intermediate appendages absent. Preanal appendages slightly shorter than fused terga IX and X, about 4 times as long as wide in lateral view (Fig. 4A), each parallel-sided, with rounded apex; mesoventral process of each preanal appendage heavily sclerotized, divided into upper and lower branches at middle and both curved dorsad, with upper branch nearly vertical and apically blunt in lateral view, lower branch slightly more slender and acute, and exceeding slightly beyond apex of preanal appendages; subphallic sclerite long, its paired apices almost reaching tips of inferior appendages in lateral view, in caudal view (Fig. 4E) united basomesally with each other, each with setose, thumb-like apex directed caudolaterad. Inferior appendages each about 1.5 times as long as its mid width, narrowed at base and with distal margin broad and sinuously truncate in lateral view (Fig. 4A); in ventral view (Fig. 4B) ventromesal process of each inferior appendage quadrate, with mesal end covered with tiny teeth (Figs 4B, 4D); vertical mesal plate with basal digitate process (dig.pro.) conspicuous, slender, simple, hooked laterad; in caudal view (Fig. 4D) mesal plate well developed with 2 stout apicodorsal setae on elongate process, and additionally with 1 short, blunt, setose lobe between elongate process and basal digitate process. Phallus with broad phallobase, more-slender and parallel-sided phallicata, pair of long, paramere spines (para.); pair of phallotremal sclerites (or phallic sclerites) slender, about as long as phallicata (Fig. 4F).

Female and immature stages.

Unknown.

Etymology.

The species is named after the holotype locality.

Distribution.

East Palearctic and Oriental Biogeographic Regions, China (Jiang-xi, An-hui, Shaan-xi).