Anacroneuria marshalli, Stark, 2007

Stark, Bill P., 2007, Anacroneuria Marshalli (Plecoptera: Perlidae), A New Stonefly From Argentina, And Two New Records From Ecuador, Illiesia 3 (17), pp. 171-173 : 172-173

Anacroneuria marshalli sp. nov.

( Figs. 1-5 )

Material examined. Holotype ♂ from Argentina, Salta, 15 km W Chicoana, Canyado Gotera , February 1992, S.A. Marshall ( UGIC).

Adult habitus. General color brown patterned with yellow. Head and pronotum damaged, partially obscuring pattern; head with dark quadrangular area over ocelli extending forward to M-line; M-line represented by pale oval area; pale brown pigment extends forward of M-line and darker pigment occurs on lappets ( Fig. 1 ). Pronotum apparently almost uniformly brown. Wing membrane pale brown, veins amber except R-vein dark brown. Legs brown with narrow, black, apical femoral band.

Male. Forewing length 8 mm. Hammer a short, wide thimble shaped structure with basal diameter greater than height ( Fig. 2 ). Aedeagal apex a simple scoopshaped structure with truncate tip and low V-shaped dorsal keel ( Figs. 3-5 ). Hooks chelate, ventral membranous lobes well developed.

Female. Unknown.

Larva. Unknown.

Etymology. The patronym honors Stephen Marshall, collector of the holotype.

Diagnosis. Anacroneuria marshalli appears to be part of a complex of Andean species including A. montera Stark & Sivec , A. canchi Stark & Sivec , and A. pastaza Stark ( Stark & Sivec 1998; Stark 2001). The former species has a distinctive large dark area covering the posterior half of the head, and the aedeagal apex is turned sharply ventrad beyond the hooks, whereas the latter species is generally similar to A. marshalli in pigment pattern but lacks chelate hooks, has a broader aedeagal apex and the hammer is much “taller” than in the new species. Although A. canchi has chelate hooks, it also has a much shorter aedeagal tip which barely projects beyond the hooks, and the apex is also angled sharply ventrad. This species also has a narrow, inclined plane type of hammer rather than the short thimble shape found in A. marshalli .

Figures

Figs. 1-5. Anacroneuria marshalli structures. 1. Head, partially reconstructed, 2. Male abdominal sternum 9, 3. Male aedeagus, ventral aspect, 4. Male aedeagus, lateral aspect, 5. Male aedeagus, dorsal aspect.