Neoperla spinaloba, Stark & Sivec, 2008

Stark, Bill P. & Sivec, Ignac, 2008, New Species And Records Of Neoperla (Plecoptera: Perlidae) From Vietnam, Illiesia 4 (3), pp. 19-54 : 38-39

Neoperla spinaloba sp. n.

( Figs. 62‐66 , 115‐117 )

Material examined. Holotype ♂ and 8 ♂, 7 ♀ paratypes from Vietnam, Lao Cai, Sapa, large waterfall on road from Sapa to Lai Chau, 8 May 1995, D. Currie, B. Hubley, J. Swann, ROM 956022 (Holotype and 4 ♂, 6 ♀ paratypes ROM; other paratypes IEBR, BPS). Additional paratypes: Vietnam: Sapa , Fan Si Pan Mountain , 1600 m, 22‐29 April 1995, L.F. 1 ♂ ( ZMB). Lao Cai, 12 km along road from Sapa to Lai Chau, 22 ° 21’ N, 103 ° 46’ E, 29 April‐12 May 1999, B. Hubley, ROM 992004 , 6 ♂ (pinned, ROM). Same site but 30 April‐12 May 1999, B. Hubley, ROM 992006 , 5 ♂ (pinned, ROM).

Adult habitus. Biocellate. Head with dark pigment extending from center of occiput, over ocelli and forward to M‐ line; anterior to M‐ line a dark triangular area occurs ( Fig. 62 ). Pronotum brown with darker rugosities.

Male. Forewing length 13‐14 mm. Process of tergum 7 a raised plateau with posterior corners slightly projecting. Process of tergum 8 an erect, curved tongue shaped structure. Tergum 9 without sensilla patches ( Fig. 63 ). Hemitergal lobes slender and curved at midlength. Aedeagal tube plump, poorly sclerotized, and bearing a ventroapical pair of prominent spiny lobes ( Fig. 64 ). Aedeagal sac cylindrical and slightly longer than tube; sac armed, except basally, with small spines and two patches of larger spines near apex.

Female. Forewing length 16.5‐17.5 mm. Subgenital plate a small truncate tab ( Fig. 65 ). Vagina somewhat T‐ shaped; triangular shaped sclerite underlies spermathecal base ( Fig. 66 ). Spermathecal stalk short, slender, spermatheca sausage shaped and curled beyond midlength; accessory gland near tip expanded apically into a large sausage shaped structure.

Egg. Barrel shaped. Length ca. 0.37 mm, width ca. 0.23 mm. Collar sessile with smooth side rim; area surrounding collar with irregular, scale‐ like impressions attached to rim and to primary striae ( Figs. 115‐117 ). Chorion striate with striae closely packed; each pair of primary striae enclose a pair of secondary striae; sulci reduced, visible near lid where a single row of shallow pits occurs in each sulcus. Lid covered with small, shallow pits; follicle cell impressions absent. Micropyles subequatorial, sperm guides absent, but some micropyles associated with irregular, abnormal appearing striae.

Larva. Unknown.

Etymology. The species name refers to the spiny aedeagal lobes.

Diagnosis. This species is very similar in color pattern to N. nebulosa and the two species co‐ occur. The aedeagus is similar to that of N. quadrata Wu & Claassen , N. lushana Wu (sensu Zwick & Sivec 1980), and N. nebulosa (described above). The latter species is easily separated on the basis of the short aedeagal sac oriented at an angle from the tube but separation from the other species requires careful examination of aedeagal armature. The aedeagal sac of N. lushana has the ventromesal row of spines reduced to a few organized in a short row and these are intersected near the apex by a relatively straight transverse row of similar large spines ( Zwick & Sivec 1980). Both N. spinaloba and N. quadrata have a long linear ventromesal patch of slightly enlarged spines; in the latter species there are no additional enlarged spines on the sac apex or subapex (Stark unpublished) whereas in N. spinaloba a prominent subapical ventromesal patch of ca. 20 relatively large spines and a smaller patch of dorsomesal spines occurs.

Figures

Figs. 62‐66. Neoperla spinaloba. 62. Head and pronotum, 63. Male terminalia, 64. Aedeagus, 65. Female terminalia, 66. Vagina and spermatheca.

Figs. 112‐117. Egg micrographs. 112‐114. N. song. 112. Egg, 113. Collar, 114. Lid. 115‐117. N. spinaloba. 115. Egg, 116. Collar, 117. Lid.