Neoperla schlitz, Stark & Sivec, 2008

Stark, Bill P. & Sivec, Ignac, 2008, New Stoneflies (Plecoptera) From Asia, Illiesia 4 (1), pp. 1-10 : 5-6

Neoperla schlitz sp. n.

( Figs. 12-13 )

Material examined. Holotype ♂ from India, Kerala State, Calicut District, Chambra Peak Area , 3500 ft., May 1970, T.R. Susai Nathan ( ZMA).

Adult habitus. General color pale yellow without distinctive pigment pattern.

Male. Macropterous, forewing length 11 mm. Process on tergum 7 narrowed from base to a broad, slightly emarginate apex; apicolateral margins of process heavily armed with enlarged, sensilla basiconica ( Fig.12 ). Mesal field of tergum 8 bears a small flat sclerite, truncate on posterior margin, and armed with a patch of sensilla basiconica. Tergum 9 with a pair of small sensilla patches near posterior margin. Hemitergal finger lobes slender, relatively short and convergent to tips. Aedeagal tube mostly membranous but bearing a ventral patch of small spinules and a larger dorsolateral patch of small spinules ( Fig. 13 ); everted sac bears a ventral patch of large, triangular spines, a dorsal patch of smaller spines set on a short, rounded lobe, and a subapical patch of variably sized spines which encircle the cylindrical apical lobe; apex of cylindrical lobe bare.

Female. Unknown.

Larva. Unknown.

Etymology. The species name, used as a noun in apposition, honors the Limnologische Fluss-Station des Max-Planck-Instituts für Limnologie, formerly located in Schlitz, Germany.

Diagnosis and Discussion. Zwick (1981) recognized seven Neoperla species from South India and five of these were reported from Kerala District. None of these species have the 7 th tergal process similar to N. schlitz , but the aedeagus of N. nitida Kimmins is similar in lobing pattern and general armature although they differ in details ( Zwick 1981).

Figures

Figs. 12-13. Neoperla schlitz. 12. Male abdominal terga 7-9, 13. Male aedeagus, lateral aspect.