Capnioneura atlasica Vinçon, 2014

Vinçon, Gilles, Alami, Majida El & Errochdi, Sanae, 2014, Contribution To The Knowledge Of The Moroccan High And Middle Atlas Stoneflies (Plecoptera, Insecta), Illiesia 10 (3), pp. 17-31 : 25

Capnioneura atlasica Vinçon sp. n.

( Figs. 17-20 , 23 )

Material examined. Types. Holotype male: Morocco, High-Atlas , N. slope of Tizi n’Test Pass , 22 Km above Ijoukak, Idni Forest House , Oued Nfiss tributary, 1430 m, 22.01.200 6, deposited in the Zoological Museum of Lausanne, Switzerland ( ZML) . Paratypes: 3♂, 3♀, same locality and date, deposited in the ZML. Other specimens, same locality, 22.01.200 6, 18♂, 6 larvae, 24.02.199 6, 2♂, 4♀, are held in the Vinçon collection. N. slope of Tizi n’Test Pass , Goundafa Kasbah , above Ijoukak village , 24.02.199 6, 6♀; Oued Agoundiss at Ijoukak , 1200 m, 22.01.200 6, 1♀. S. slope below Tizi n’Test Pass, near Imdersen Restaurant, brook, 1700 m, 22.01.200 6, 16♂, 14♀, 3 larvae ( VIN) . S.W. Chichaoua, Imi n’Tanoute Pass, brook, 22.01.200 6, 3♀; above Irchalen below Zaouïa Tamaroute village, brook, 1700 m, 22.01.200 6, 1♂, 1♀ ( VIN) . The specimens reported from the High-Atlas ( Bouzidi & Giudicelli 1994) are also assigned to C. atlasica sp. n. since they most probably also belong to this species.

Description. Small sized species: body length: ♂ 4.2 – 6.0 mm, ♀ 5.5 – 7.8 mm. ♂ slightly brachypterous: anterior wing 2.6 – 3.6 mm. ♀ normally winged: anterior wing 6.3 – 7.3 mm. Body brown; head with dark brown granulations on the occiput, dark marking between lateral ocellus, compound eye and base of antenna. Antenna dark brown. Pronotum with dark markings. Legs brownish with longitudinal darker strips.

Male ( Figs 17-20 ). Tergite VII-VIII with rounded posterior membranous field and strong anterior sclerotized strip. Tergite IX similar but with narrower anterior sclerotized strip. Tergite X: wide anterior sclerotized strip getting narrower medially; heartshaped median membranous field ( Fig. 17 ). Epiproct strongly raised upwards; with rounded base and long slightly curved expansion; apex rounded with triangular anterior tooth ( Fig. 19 ). Paraproct shaft long, blade-shaped, getting thinner toward its sharp apex ( Fig. 18, 19 ). Specillum hook-shaped, ending in sharp point ( Fig. 18 ). Cercus with thick base and strong tooth on inner side ( Figs 17, 19 ).

Female ( Fig. 23 ). Tergite I-VIII with wide median membranous area. Tergite IX-X fully sclerotized. Sternite VII: wide sclerotized plate with subtriangular posterior expansion that nearly reaches the middle part of sternite VIII. Sternite VIII with median membranous area, partly crossed by the projection of sternite VII; two anterior dark spots on inner edge of lateral plates. Sternite IX with median sub-triangular sclerite flanked by two lateral dark expansions. Tergite X: paraprocts nearly triangular; cerci very short and rounded.

Affinities. Male closely related to C. petitpierreae by the shape of specillum, paraproct blades and epiproct; nevertheless, epiproct with short apical expansion in lateral view ( Fig. 19 ) instead of long gently curved expansion in C. petitpierreae ( Fig. 22). The paraproct shaft ends in rectilinear apex ( Figs 18, 19 ) while it is slightly curved frontward at tip in C. petitpierreae ( Figs 21, 22). Apex of specillum sharper in C. atlasica than in C. petitpierreae ( Figs 18 , 21). The female genitalia of C. atlasica are conspicuously different from those of C. petitpierreae , especially the shape of the sclerotized plate on sternite VII ( Figs 23 , 24).

Distribution. A micro-endemic species which is restricted to the western extremity of the Moroccan High-Atlas ( Fig. 25 ).

Ecology. A cold stenothermic, crenophilic species. The adults were collected in winter (I-II).

Etymology. The name of C. atlasica sp. n. refers to the Atlas, the wonderful mountain range where it occurs.

Figures

Figs. 17-20. Capnioneura atlasica sp. n. 17: male abdominal tip in dorsal view, 18: paraproct shaft and specillum, 19: male abdominal tip in lateral view, 20: male abdominal tip in ventral view. Figs. 21-22. Capnioneura petitpierreae. 21: paraproct shaft and specillum, 22: male abdominal tip in lateral view.

Fig. 23. Capnioneura atlasica sp. n.: female abdominal tip in ventral view. Fig. 24. Capnioneura petitpierreae.: female abdominal tip in ventral view.

Fig. 25. Distribution of Capnioneura atlasica sp. n. and C. petitpierreae in western Maghreb.