Neofilchneria cheni Zhang, Li & Li, 2024

Zhang, Yao, Li, Wenliang & Li, Weihai, 2024, A new species of Neofilchneria (Plecoptera: Perlodidae) from China, with supplementary information on N. wanglanga Chen, 2019, Zootaxa 5447 (2), pp. 282-288 : 283-288

Neofilchneria cheni Zhang, Li & Li , sp. nov.

( Figs. 2–5 )

Adult habitus ( Figs. 2–3 ). Body generally dark brown. Head mostly dark brown, occiput medially interrupted by a narrow yellow stripe, posterolateral margins with two fringed dark areas ( Figs. 2a, 2c ). Triocellate, anterior ocellus smaller than posterior ocelli. Antennae evenly dark brown, approximately half the length of the body. Maxillary and labial palpi lighter brown ( Fig. 2d ). Submental gills pale and finger-like ( Fig. 2d ). Meso- and metanota dark brown. Mesosternum Y-arms meeting anterior corners of furcal pits ( Fig. 2d ). Abdominal sterna are dark brown except for progressively smaller, paired light posterolateral areas on segments 1–4 ( Fig. 2b ). Macropterous; wings light brown, veins brown ( Figs. 3a–3b ). Legs generally brown, tibia slightly banded basally and subapically. Abdominal segments generally dark brown. Cerci brown ( Figs. 2a–2b ).

Male ( Figs. 3–4 ). Body length 16.1 mm; forewing length 14.1 mm, hindwing length 11.1 mm. In the forewing, an irregular net present near the apex; six crossveins present between C and ScP; RP with four apical branches; nine crossveins present between M and CuA; eight crossveins present between CuA and CuP; AA1 unforked; AA2 with three branches ( Fig. 3a ). In the hind wing, the apical net simpler than that in the forewing; RP with four apical branches; anal area large, with nine anal branches ( Fig. 3b ).

Pronotal median band brownish to brown, indistinct in coloration; pronotal field covered with brown callosity ( Fig. 2c ). Tergum 9 with a depressed, membranous posteromedian area ( Fig. 4a ). Sternum 9 unmodified, posterior margin light brown ( Fig. 4b ). Tergum 10 divided into two finger-like hemiterga, covered with ventroapical patch spinules. Hemitergal lobes in dorsal view are far set ( Fig. 4c ); in lateral view the hemitergal lobes are distinctly upcurved ( Fig. 4e ). Median area of hemiterga with a deep membranous slit ending before base of epiproct, below where basal anchor, lateral arms, and lever arm are located and partly exposed; paragenital plates brown and divergent near base of epiproct; basal anchor and lateral arms forming a V-shaped sclerite ( Fig. 4c ), anterior to the paragenital plates the sclerite originates from the base of the lever arm ( Fig. 4e ). Epiproct in dorsal view nearly rod-like, with round anterior and posterior margins, posteromedial margin fringed with short setae ( Fig. 4d ); in lateral view, the epiproct is elongate with an anterior hook, long lever arm present inside the membranous pouch near the hinged base of epiproct ( Fig. 4e ).

Aedeagus generally long and tubular with a pair of enlarged mesolateral swellings; apical portion covered with spinules except for a bald dorsoapical portion ( Figs. 4f–4h ).

Female ( Fig. 5 ). Body length 19.2 mm; forewing length 19.1 mm, hindwing length 16.3 mm. Color pattern generally similar to male, but the pronotal medial band is yellow brown ( Fig. 5a ). Subgenital plate originating from posterior margin of sternum 8, covering anterior half of sternum 9. Subgenital plate long, lateral margin nearly straight with weak constriction at midlength; the wide apex with a shallow arcuate notch, the lateral lobes nipple-like. Sternum 9 generally pale with two dark brown round markings. Paraprocts subtriangular ( Fig. 5b ).

Type Material. Holotype male ( HIST), CHINA: Hubei Province, Shennongjia Forestry District, Shennong peak Scenic Area , 2576m, 31.4569 ° N, 110.1919°E, 13.VI.2023, leg. Xulong Chen. Paratype female ( HIST), same data and date as holotype .

Etymology. The species is named after Mr. Chen, collector of the types.

Distribution. China (Hubei Province).

Diagnosis. The new species resembles N. wanglanga Chen, 2019 from Sichuan Province of southwestern China by sharing similar color patterns and abdominalia terminalia but can be distinguished in the adult male stage by the elongate rod-like epiproct in dorsal view, the more upcurved and separated hemitergal lobes, and aedeagal characteristics. For N. wanglanga , the epiproct is elliptical and apically notched in dorsal view and claw-like in lateral view (see figs. 5B–5G in Chen 2019), the hemitergal lobes are moderately curved and reaching apically, and the aedeagus bears a pair of closely set, erect basoventral lobes. The females are also distinctive as follows: the apex of subgenital plate in N. wanglanga is deeply notched and the lateral lobes are subtriangular and slightly hooked whereas the plate in the new species has a shallow distal notch with nipple-like lateral lobes (comparing fig. 7B in Chen 2019 with Fig. 5b ). In addition, the new species is similar to N. erberi Zwick, 1980 in the shape of the hemitergites and the shape of the base of the epiproct, but can be easily distinguished from the latter by the rod-like epiproct in dorsal view and anterior hook in lateral view. In N. erberi , the epiproct is subtriangular in dorsal view and without the hook in lateral view (comparing figs. 23f– 23g in Zwick, 1980 with Figs. 4c–4e ).

Remarks. The type locality is located in the Shennongjia National Nature Reserve’s Shennong Peak Scenic Area. All specimens were collected from a rocky path beside the creek, which has a moderately fast flow and rocky or stony substrate.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Neofilchneria cheni Zhang, Li & Li, sp. nov., holotype male from Shennong peak Scenic Area. a: habitus, dorsal view. b: habitus, ventral view. c: head and pronotum, dorsal view. d: head, pro- and mesosterna, ventral view.

FIGURE 3. Neofilchneria cheni Zhang, Li & Li, sp. nov., holotype male from Shennong peak Scenic Area. a: left forewing, dorsal view. b: left hind wing, dorsal view.

FIGURE 4. Neofilchneria cheni Zhang, Li & Li, sp. nov., holotype male from Shennong peak ScenicArea. a: terminalia, dorsal view. b: terminalia, ventral view. c: terminalia, dorsal view. d: epiproct, dorsal view. e: epiproct, lateral view. f: aedeagus, dorsal view. g: aedeagus, ventral view. h: aedeagus, lateral view.

FIGURE 5. Neofilchneria cheni Zhang, Li & Li, sp. nov., paratype female from Shennong peak Scenic Area. a: head and pronotum, dorsal view. b: terminalia, ventral view.