Velia (Cesavelia) lii sp. nov.

Figs 1 a, b, 2 a, b, g, h, 3 a, 4 a, b, g, h, m, p, q

Material examined.

Holotype: apterous ♂, China • Xizang Province, Linzhi City, Motuo County, Bangxin Village: 29.5763°N, 95.4643°E; 1360 m a. s. l.; 2024-VIII-19; Zihe Li leg. (NKUM) . Paratypes: 1 apterous ♀, same data as holotype (NKUM) .

Diagnosis.

Body large (length 7.73–7.90, width 2.00–2.50), mainly brown. Connexiva of apterous female slightly curved in dorsal view, with bright yellow stripes along almost entire connexiva except posterior part of connexivum VII in both sexes (Figs 1 a, b, 2 a, b, g, h), connexival spines sharp and caudally directed in male, dorso-caudally directed in female (Fig. 2 a, b, g, h); abdominal segment VIII of male stout and ventrally concave (Fig. 4 a, b); proctiger of male broad, shield-shaped, posterior margin rounded (Fig. 4 g); paramere broad, strongly curved, with thick setae on external side, apices sharp (Fig. 4 m); endosoma of male stout, apical ends of lateral sclerites distinctly constricted, dorsal sclerites weakly sclerotized, translucent and curved, secondary ventral sclerite slender, accessory sclerite absent (Fig. 4 p, q); proctiger of female broad, diamond-shaped (Fig. 4 h).

Comparative notes.

Velia (Cesavelia) lii sp. nov. is most similar to V. bui in appearance. It can be distinguished from other species of Cesavelia by the following characters: the absence of the accessory sclerite in the male endosoma distinguishes this species from V. tomokunii J. Polhemus & D. Polhemus, 2003, V. championi Tamanini, 1955, and V. mitrai Basu, Subramanian & D. Polhemus, 2013 (Fig. 4 p, q); the shape of the male proctiger (Fig. 4 g) distinguishes this species from V. bui Jin, Fu & Ye, 2023, V. longiconnexiva Tran, Zettel & Buzzetti, 2009, V. anderseni Tran, Zettel & Buzzetti, 2009, V. laticaudata Tran, Zettel & Buzzetti, 2009, and V. yunnana Tran, Zettel & Buzzetti, 2009; and the bright yellow stripes along almost the entire connexiva except the posterior part of connexivum VII in both sexes (Figs 1 a, b, 2 a, b, g, h), and the prominent sub-apical tooth on the ventral side of the male metafemur, which is significantly larger than the sub-basal one (Fig. 3 a), distinguish this species from V. sinensis and V. tonkina D. Polhemus & J. Polhemus, 2003 . Due to the fact that V. steelei Tamanini, 1955 is only known from the macropterous female, and only the apterous female and male of V. lii sp. nov. have been collected to date, a comparison between the same forms is impossible (Tamanini 1995 a). However, we note that V. steelei possesses long, erect setae on the extensor sides of the meso- and metatibia, these being longer than the tibial width (Tran et al. 2009). This characteristic is considered diagnostic (Tran et al. 2009) and is not found in V. lii sp. nov., thereby allowing for the distinction between these two species. Furthermore, the differences of the dorsal sclerites and lateral sclerites of the male endosoma distinguish V. lii sp. nov. from Velia (Cesavelia) motuoensis sp. nov. (Fig. 4 p, q vs. Fig. 4 r, s); and the larger body size and the differences of yellow stripes along the connexiva distinguish it from Velia (Cesavelia) yiliangensis sp. nov. (Fig. 2 a, b, g, h vs. Fig. 2 e, f, k, l).

Description.

Apterous male (holotype). Measurements. Body: length 7.73, width 2.00. Head: length 0.91, width: 1.16. Antenna: 5.75 (1.98 + 1.26 + 1.23 + 1.28), length of antennal segment I about 1.71 times head width. Pronotum: width about 0.98 times its length (length 1.68, width 1.65). Lengths of leg segments (femur: tibia: tarsus (tarsal segment I + segment II + segment III)): fore leg: 2.47: 2.47: 0.96 (0.13 + 0.27 + 0.56); middle leg: 3.40: 3.90: 2.21 (0.10 + 1.20 + 0.91), length of mesotarsus II about 1.32 times length of mesotarsus III; hind leg: 3.40: 4.25: 2.07 (0.10 + 1.13 + 0.84), maximum width of metafemur: 0.42, length of metatarsus II about 1.35 times length of metatarsus III.

Color (Figs 1 b, 2 g, h). Body mainly dark brown, with scattered silvery pubescence. Pronotum with a row of black punctures near anterior margin and other punctures scattered on posterior lobe. Median part of anterior pronotal lobe and midline of pronotum dark orange. Sides of abdomen dark brown, with bright orange stripes along almost entire connexiva except posterior part of connexivum VII. Silvery pubescence usually distinctly denser on anterolateral corners of pronotum, lateral corners of metanotum, lateral parts of abdominal mediotergites II, V – VI, sparse on abdominal mediotergites I, III – IV and lateral parts of sternites.

Structure. Body relatively large, covered with dense, short pubescence. Head (Figs 1 b, 2 g, h): triangular, almost perpendicular to thorax, without deflection; anteclypeus and postclypeus with dense, peg-like setae; antennal sockets prominent, antennal segment I much longer than head width, slightly thicker than antennal segments II – IV. Thorax (Figs 1 b, 2 g, h): width and length of pronotum approximately equal, posterior margin of pronotum broadly rounded, lateral parts of pronotum distinctly constricted at mid-length, median part slightly raised and lateral parts of anterior pronotal lobe concave; mesonotum completely hidden beneath pronotal lobe, with hind part of metanotum visible in dorsal view; lateral evaporatoriums slender, with a cluster of suberect, thick setae on each side; legs mainly with decumbent or suberect setae, tarsi of fore legs short, tarsi of middle and hind legs long and slender; profemora moderately incrassate, slightly curved and contracted subapically; mesofemora slender; metafemora (Fig. 3 a) relatively slender, ventrally with two rows of small teeth and two prominent long teeth, the sub-apical tooth significantly larger and more prominent than the sub-basal one, metatibiae ventrally with two rows of small spines. Abdomen (Figs 1 b, 2 g, h): relatively slender; mediotergite I concave laterally, mediotergites II – VII almost flat; connexiva moderately raised, almost parallel, hardly converging, connexival spines short, sharp, caudally pointed; abdominal segment VIII (Fig. 4 a, b) relatively stout, ventrally concave in lateral view, posteriorly with short, dense setae, posterodorsal margin of abdominal segment VIII medially emarginated. Genital segments (Fig. 4 g, m, p, q): relatively large and visible in vitro; proctiger (Fig. 4 g) shield-shaped, posterior margin rounded, with short, sparse setae; paramere (Fig. 4 m) broad, strongly curved, with thick setae on external side, apices sharp; endosoma (Fig. 4 p, q) stout, apical ends of lateral sclerites distinctly constricted, dorsal sclerites weakly sclerotized, translucent and curved, secondary ventral sclerite slender, accessory sclerite absent.

Apterous female. Measurements. Body: length 7.90, width 2.50. Head: length 0.96, width: 1.24. Antenna I – III: (1.87 + 1.22 + 1.27), length of antennal segment I about 1.51 times head width. Pronotum: width about 0.94 times length (length 2.00, width 1.88). Lengths of leg segments (femur: tibia: tarsus (tarsal segment I + segment II + segment III)): fore leg: 2.70: 2.53: 0.98 (0.09 + 0.31 + 0.58); middle leg: 3.65: 4.00: 2.28 (0.11 + 1.24 + 0.93), length of mesotarsus II about 1.33 times length of mesotarsus III; hind leg: 3.65: 4.20: 2.21 (0.16 + 1.18 + 0.87), length of metatarsus II about 1.36 times length of metatarsus III.

Color (Figs 1 a, 2 a, b). Similar to apterous male with following exceptions: silvery pubescence weaker on abdominal mediotergites III – VI (Fig. 2 a).

Structure. Body slightly larger than apterous male. Head (Figs 1 a, 2 a, b): Similar to apterous male. Thorax (Figs 1 a, 2 a, b): similar to apterous male with following exceptions: profemora slender; metafemora slender, ventrally with two rows of small spines, metatibiae ventrally without any spines or teeth. Abdomen (Figs 1 a, 2 a, b): similar to apterous male with following exceptions: relatively stout; connexiva slightly convergent towards abdominal apex, connexival spines long, slender and straight, dorso-caudally directed. Genital segments: gonocoxae and gonapophyses semi-membranous, rami strongly sclerotized; proctiger (Fig. 4 h) broad, diamond-shaped, posteriorly with short, sparse setae.

Macropterous female and macropterous male.

Unknown.

Etymology.

The species is named in honor of Dr Zihe Li, who is the only one to successfully collect the specimens from a hazardous mountain stream.

Habitats.

This species inhabits areas near rocks or the banks of fast-flowing mountain streams (Fig. 5 a).

Distribution.

China (Xizang) (Fig. 6).