Nemoura meniscata Li & Yang, 2007

Li, Weihai & Yang, Ding, 2007, Two new species of Nemoura (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) from Henan, China, Zootaxa 1511 (1), pp. 65-68 : 66-68

Nemoura meniscata Li & Yang , sp. nov.

( Figs. 7–12 )

Diagnosis. The cercus is mostly sclerotized, narrow at the base and enlarged toward the tip, with a distinct, dark, crescent-shaped terminal hook. The epiproct is quadrangular and emarginate in dorsal view. Its dorsal sclerite has a distinctly sclerotized margin in its basal half. Two darkly sclerotized, oblique, medial bands converge into a lateral arm that curves inward and then outward to form horn-like structure. The outer lobe of the paraproct has a bulbous distal process bearing several hairs.

Male: Forewing length 6.5–8.0 mm, hindwing length 5.6–6.7 mm. Head and appendages brown. Thorax brown; legs brownish yellow; wings hyaline. Abdomen brown; with mostly pale hairs.

Terminalia ( Figs. 7–12 ): Tergum nine weakly sclerotized except anterior margin distinctly sclerotized, with weak anteromedial, triangular incision; posterior margin with row of stout, black spinules. Sternum nine with claviform vesicle; hypoproct basally oval, abruptly tapering toward triangular tip. Tergum 10 weakly sclerotized except posterolateral margin distinctly sclerotized, with a shallow longitudinal median concavity bearing several rows of tiny spines along anterolateral margin. Cercus mostly sclerotized, narrow at base and enlarged toward tip, with a distinct, dark, crescentshaped terminal hook. Epiproct quadrangular and emarginate in dorsal view, dorsal sclerite with distinctly sclerotized margin at basal half with two darkly sclerotized, oblique, medial bands convergent into a lateral arm, curved inward and then outward to form horn-like structure. Paraproct bilobed: outer lobe slightly sclerotized, sub-quadrangular in shape, with bulbous distal process bearing several hairs; inner lobe slightly sclerotized, slender with pointed tip.

Female: Forewing length 8.0– 9.5 mm, hindwing length 6.9–8.2 mm. Sternum seven with darkly sclerotized, erect and curved, horizontal bars. Subgenital plate with basal part expanded backward onto sternum seven, distal part trapezoi- dal, nearly reaching posterior margin of sternum nine. Posterior margin of sternum nine produced medially, bearing two triangular markings. Cercus membranous.

Type Material. Holotype: male, CHINA: Henan, Nanyang, Neixiang, Baotianman National Nature Reserve , 2006. V. 16, W. Li . Paratypes: 14 males and 42 females, same data as holotype ; 6 males and 25 females, Baotianman National Nature Reserve , 2006. V. 16, W. Li ; 2 males and 5 females, Baotianman National Nature Reserve , 2006. V. 18, W. Li ; 6 males and 5 females, Baotianman National Nature Reserve , 2006. V. 19, Y. Cui ; 7 males and 2 females, Baotianman National Nature Reserve , 2006. V. 20, W. Li ; 1 male, Baotianman National Nature Reserve , 2006. V. 22, Y. Cui ; 2 males and 6 females, Baotianman National Nature Reserve , 2006. V. 28, W. Li ; 3 males and 7 females, Baotianman National Nature Reserve , 2006. V. 29, W. Li .

Distribution. China (Henan).

Etymology. The Latin name of the species refers to the crescent hook on the apex of the cercus and is derived from the Greek “meniskos” for crescent.

Remarks. The new species belongs to the N. cercispinosa complex of Baumann (1975) and is related to N. janeti Wu from Zhejiang based on the shape of the cercus, but may be separated from the latter by the outer lobe of the paraproct with a bulbous distal process. In N. janeti , the outer lobe of the paraproct is triangular ( Wu 1938).

Ecology. This species is often collected at the same locality as N. atristrigata .

Acknowledgments. We are very indebted to Ms. Yusi Cui (Beijing) for collecting specimens and Professor Xiaocheng Shen (Henan) for his help during the survey in Henan. The research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30225009) .

Figures

FIGURES 7–12. Nemoura meniscata sp. nov. (male). 7. Terminalia, dorsal view. 8. Terminalia, ventral view. 9. Epiproct, dorsal view. 10. Epiproct, lateral view. 11. Right paraproct, caudal view. 12. Female terminalia, ventral view.