Neoperla sungi Cao & Bae

Cao, Thi Kim Thu, Ham, Soon Ah & Bae, Yeon Jae, 2007, Description of three new species of Neoperla (Plecoptera: Perlidae) and a historical review of tropical Southeast Asian Perlidae, Zootaxa 1453, pp. 41-54 : 42

Neoperla sungi Cao & Bae sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–6 )

Description. Male body length 8.0 mm; antennae 8.1 mm; forewings 9.4 mm; hindwings 8.2 mm. General body color pale yellow with brown to dark brown markings.

Head ( Fig. 1 ) pale yellow, interocellar area dark brown. Ocelli two, relatively large, located close to each other, positioned at rear of head, and margined in black. Antennal scape and pedicle pale yellow; flagellum brown.

Pronotum with pale yellow background and symmetrical brown rugosities. Wings ( Figs. 2, 3 ) hyaline; veins pale yellow; forewing Rs with 3 branches; forewing C–Sc with 15 crossveins. Hindwing 3A unforked. Tarsi, foretibiae, midtibiae, and proximal part of hindtibiae brown, otherwise pale yellow.

Abdominal tergum VII ( Fig. 4 ) with median, triangular expansion on posterior surface; expansion in lateral view truncate, with spinules along margin; tergum VIII weakly sclerotized, medially with several anteriomedial spinules; tergum IX with median depression, with small spinules and minute hairs along anterior margin. Anterior processes of hemiterga ( Fig. 4 ) straight, relatively long, nearly extending over tergum IX. Sterna unmodified. Aedeagus tube ( Figs. 5, 6 ) length ca. 1.5 mm (ca. 5x width), mostly membranous proximally, but becoming more sclerotized midway and to distal surface, armed with 3 major groups of spinules. In lateral view ( Fig. 5 ), bulb weakly sclerotized, with group of tiny dome–like spinules. In ventral view ( Fig. 6 ), bulb slightly expanded, tube with group of tiny conical spinules in distal half. Inner sac (not everted) as long as aedeagus tube, sac covered with pushpin–like spinules on its basal 2/3. Cerci simple, pale yellow.

Female. Unknown.

Nymph. Unknown.

Egg. Unknown.

Type Material. Holotype: ɗ (SWU–PLE–28, aedeagus dissected), Vietnam, Vinh Phuc Prov., Tam Dao NP, alt. 900 m at waterfall below village, 10.x.1998, Yeon Jae Bae [SWU–AIC]. Paratypes: 2 ɗ (SWU–PLE– 30, ɗ aedeagus dissected), Vietnam, Lam Dong Prov., Bao Loc Pass, Da Mre, alt. 290 m, 23.iii.2002, DHH & VVN [SWU–AIC]. Other Material. 2 ɗ (SWU–PLE–29), Da Nang Prov., Ba Na–Nui Chua, Tuy Loan, 31.iii.2002, DHH & VVN [SWU–AIC].

Etymology. This species is named after the late Prof. Dr. Cao Van Sung of the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources in Hanoi who pioneered ecological and conservational studies in Vietnam.

Diagnosis. On account of general spinules on male abdominal tergum VIII, arranged in a single band, Neoperla sungi sp. nov. can be assigned to the aeripennis – subgroup of the clymene– group, which is endemic to the Oriental region. The male adult of N. sungi is similar to that of N. saraburi Zwick (in Zwick 1988) of Thailand in general body shape, but N. sungi lacks spinule patches on the lateral part of the abdominal tergum VIII ( Fig. 4 ). The external setation of the aedeagus in N. sungi ( Figs. 5, 6 ) is unique among known species of Neoperla and it distinguishes this species from its congeners.

Habitat and biology. Adults of N. sungi were found alongside small mountain streams (alt. 290–900 m) in northern and central Vietnam. The streams were approximately 4 m wide, 10–20 cm deep, and canopied with typical regional flora, including dipterocarp and bamboo; the substrate consisted of boulder (65%), cob-

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Neoperla sungi sp. nov., male adult. (1) Head and pronotum. Scale bar = 0.5 mm. (2 & 3) Right forewing and hindwing. Scale bar = 2 mm. (4) Dorsal terminalia. Scale bar = 0.5 mm. (5 & 6) Lateral and ventral aedeagus. Scale bar = 0.5 mm. b = bulb, t = tube.