Neoperla plicata, Zwick & Zwick, 2023

Zwick, Peter & Zwick, Andreas, 2023, Revision of the African Neoperla Needham, 1905 (Plecoptera: Perlidae: Perlinae) based on morphological and molecular data, Zootaxa 5316 (1), pp. 1-194 : 72-74

27. Neoperla plicata n. sp.

( Figs. 154–157)

Type material. ♀ holotype: Gabonese Republic: Ngounyé Prov. , forest opening of logging road 1°41.924’S 10°44.728’ elev. 147m, 22.ii.2018 light trap S.M.Bybee & Y.M.Pacheco ( BYU; NEOP066 , slide Z18.97) . ♀ paratype: Gabun, Makokou , 3.4.1963, H. Coiffait [ NEOP065 ; only slide remaining in SMNS). ♀ paratype: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Odzala Nat. Park [1.19°N, 14.85°E; 560m], 29.9.– 3.3.1997 leg. V.Sinaev [Slide ZMB 12 /8; MfNB]

Habitus. WL 11.2mm. Ochre, the large heart-shaped spot over ocelli with an extension along the occipital suture. Surrounding dark yellow areas extend to inner edge of eyes, tentorial calluses also yellow. Frontoclypeus dark, with lighter M-line. Exposed portions of thoracic nota dark ochre. Wings strongly infuscate, C darker than costal space and other veins. Antenna entirely dark, cercus dark except basal segment. Femora (in hindleg at least the basal half), tibiae and tarsi dark.

Male. Unknown.

Female ( Fig. 154). A transverse brown area in the anterior half of S8 surrounds a pale anchor pattern. Vagina long, parallel, caudally with concertina-like transverse folds, anterior half with long straight lateral sclerites. SSt coiled, forming ~2 rings, long basal section with narrow spine band along convex side and longitudinal folds on concave membranous side.

Egg ( Figs. 155–157). Size 360*225µm, ovoid, poles narrow, not striate. Collar narrow and short, without cells. Surface with very fine irregular punctation, in optical section a radial line across the chorion is seen under each puncture. Micropyles located around base of conical operculum. Micropyle orifices resemble chorion punctures in size and are difficult to see. Anchor with very short stem, cap unusually large, flipped back, largely covering the anchor pole ( Figs. 156, 157), the diameter of the expanded cap is similar to maximum egg width ( Fig. 155).

DNA ( Figs. 491–492, 494). The female holotype and female paratype from Gabon were sequenced for the COX1 DNA barcode fragment and with the genome-skimming approach, respectively. They cluster together with maximum support (100/100/100), and the species is very strongly supported (75.4/99/99) as sister to N. caeleps n. sp..

Notes. The anchor pattern on S8 is located far in front. Eggs differ from other members of the piluliferacomplex by slender shape, small collar, and an unusually large anchor with short stem. However, the anchor cap is often missing, only fragments of the short stem remain. Neoperla excisa Klapálek, 1909 has similar eggs but with an anchor pole much wider than the operculum, anchor stem of average length, female with long pointed nail on S8 and a vagina without transverse basal folds.