Neopanorpa liuxingyuei, Wang, 2021

Wang, Ji-Shen, 2021, Neopanorpa (Mecoptera: Panorpidae) from the Himalayas and adjacent regions, with descriptions of three new species, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 61 (1), pp. 203-212 : 206-207

Neopanorpa liuxingyuei sp. nov.

( Figs 2–10 )

Type material. Hඈඅඈඍඒඉൾ: CHINA: T ංൻൾඍ: 3, Shigatze Prefecture, Yadong County,Kambu Maqu (Yadong River), 27°19′47″N, 89°00′06″E, 2250 m, 05.viii.2020, leg.Yu-Chen Zheng ( DALU).Pൺඋൺඍඒඉൾ: 1 ♀, same data as the holotype ( DALU).

Diagnosis. The new species closely resembles Neopanorpa contracta Cheng, 1953 , but can be differentiated from the latter by the following characters: in males, 1) hypovalves greatly divergent in the distal half (versus nearly parallel); 2) parameres slender, and smoothly tapering towards an acute apex (vs. thick at base, greatly constricted in distal 1/3 with a slightly enlarged and rounded apex); 3) dorsal aedeagal processes broad and semi-foliate (vs. narrow and blade-like); and in females, 4) medigynium with posterior arms slightly convergent in distal half (vs. nearly parallel).

Description. Measurements (mm). Male (holotype): AtL 15.3, AbL 13.2, BL 18.5, FL 16.0, FW 3.5, HL 14.1, HW 3.2. Female (paratype): AtL 14.1, AbL 8.8, BL 1.4, FL 15.8, FW 2.9, HL 13.8, HW 2.7.

Male. Head ( Fig. 2 ). Vertex, ocellar triangle and occiput shining black. Rostrum dark brown with genal area yellowish brown, maxillae and labial palps yellowish brown with blackish apices. Antennae black with 46 flagellomeres.

Thorax ( Fig. 2 ). Pronotum dark brown with three stout setae on each side of anterior margin. Meso- and metanotum mostly black with small brown spot on each side of posterior portion. Pleura and legs yellowish with apex of tibia and distal tarsomeres black.

Wings ( Fig. 2 ). Narrow basally with rounded apex. Membrane subhyaline and tinged with grayish brown; markings brown; pterostigma dark brown; veins mostly dark brown with distal cross-veins whitish. Forewing apical band broad and faded, with small hyaline spot above ending of M 1; pterostigmal band dense in anterior half and faded in posterior half, with basal branch narrow and apical branch broad; hyaline spot at termination of M 3; posterior portion of apical band and apical branch of pterostigmal band merged; area between apical and pterostigmal bands whitish and distinctly lighter than remainder of wing; marginal spot elongated posteriorly and nearly connected with basal branch of pterostigmal band; basal band represented by small spot proximal to ending of CuP; basal spot absent; Sc extending to pterostigmal area; R 1 simple; Rs six-branched with R 2 trifurcated, R 2a bifurcated near wing margin; M 4 greatly bent at m-cu; 1A ending far before origin of Rs (ORs); one cross-vein between 1A and 2A. Hindwings similar to forewings with more reduced markings.

Abdomen ( Figs 2, 4 ). T1–T5 black, S1–S5 brown, pleura sordid white. Notal organ on T3 triangular in basal half and finger-like in distal half, extending beyond approximate middle of T4; postnotal organ on T4 rounded. T6 black and cylindrical. A7 reddish brown basally and gradually darkening towards apex, greatly constricted at base and broadening towards truncated apex; A8 similar to A7 but slightly curved at base and beveled at apex.

Male genitalia ( Figs 5–8 ). Genital bulb stout, oval, mostly reddish brown with distal half dark brown. Epandrium (T9) broad, slightly constricted in distal 1/4, with pale and narrowed apex, and slightly emarginated terminally; epandrial lobes stout. Hypandrium (S9) with short and broad basal stalk and split into pair of hypovalves; hypovalves approximately three times as long as basal stalk of hypandrium, narrow in basal 2/5 and slightly broader in distal 3/5, tapering to subacute apex, bearing sparse long bristles along inner margin, extending slightly beyond base of gonostyli. Gonostyli slightly shorter than gonocoxites, slender, with large basal lobe and subtriangular median process. Parameres slender, extending slightly beyond apex of gonocoxites, with slightly curved, hook-like apex; stalk of parameres fused basally, dorsal bridge detached with lateral processes; ventral aedeagal valves pale and V-shaped distally; dorsal aedeagal processes broad and semi-foliate, two processes closely aligned along inner margin but slightly divergent at acute apex; lateral processes acute and triangular.

Female. Similar to males in general appearance but with denser wing markings ( Fig. 3 ). Female genitalia ( Figs 9, 10 ). Subgenital plate oval with deep V-shaped emargination terminally, and bearing long stout setae marginally. Medigynium with poorly developed main plate; posterior arms slender and twisted in basal half, and slightly spatulate in distal half; axis stout, approximately as long as posterior arms, with apodemes greatly divergent basally.

Etymology. The new species is named after Dr. Xing-Yue Liu, for his constant encouragement of the author and great support for the current study.

Distribution. Indo-Malayan Realm: China: Tibet (Yadong) ( Fig. 1 ).

This species was collected along the river Kambu Maqu only a few hundred meters northwest from the Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve, Bhutan. It is highly possible that this species also occurs in northwestern Bhutan.

Figures

Figs 2–10. Neopanorpa liuxingyuei sp. nov. 2, 4–8 – male. 3, 9, 10 – female. 2, 3 – habitus, dorsal view; 4 – abdomen, left-lateral view; 5, 6 – genital bulb, ventral and dorsal views, respectively; 7, 8 – aedeagal complex, ventral and left-lateral views, respectively; 9 – subgenital plate, ventral view; 10 – medigynium, ventral view.

Fig. 1. Distribution of 21 Neopanorpa species from the Himalayas and adjacent regions. Localities are denoted by color patterns, and species names are indicated by rectangular frames.