Flavoperla galerispina, Mo & Wang & Li, 2020

Mo, Raorao, Wang, Guoquan & Li, Weihai, 2020, A new species of Flavoperla Chu, 1929 (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of southern China, Zootaxa 4732 (4), pp. 565-572 : 565-571

Flavoperla galerispina sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–5 )

Adult habitus. Biocellate. Male adult color yellow, and paler in alcohol. Head pale yellow with a Y-shaped yellow markings interrupted medially between ocelli, anterolaterally extending along M-line, bearing a small subtriangular patch forward of M-line; antennae brown, scape paler; palpi pale brown; head slightly wider than pronotum ( Figs. 1a , 2a ). Pronotum yellow, rectangular, with paler rugosities; corners obtuse. Wing membrane pale yellow, veins yellow; legs, abdominal segments and cerci yellow.

Male ( Figs. 1a , 2–3 ). Forewing length 7.7–8.9 mm. Hindwing 6.7–7.7 mm. Tergum 10 with quadrangular epiproct sclerite lying between, and caudal to paired sclerotized triangular spines ( Figs. 2 b–2c); epiproctal sclerite divided by small membranous triangular area. Paraprocts curved forward, hook-shaped, pointed and tips dark brown. Hammer bell-shaped, basal half broad, tapering to a nipple-like brown pigmented apex in ventral aspect with sclerotized anterior extensions; apex swollen and curved upward in lateral view ( Figs. 3a, 3 c–3d). Everted aedeagus ( Figs. 2b, 2d , 3 a–3c) dorsally bearing a membranous oval unpigmented structure with a notch tip, surrounded by four swellings ( Figs. 2b, 2d ); venter quadrate, mostly membranous without pigmented apex, strongly constricted ⅓ of the base bearing a cap-shaped patch of brown triangular spines ( Figs. 3 a–3c).

Female ( Figs. 1a , 4 a–4d). Forewing length 9.6–10.0 mm, hindwing length 8.6–8.7 mm. Habitus generally similar to male except body color darker. Abdomens of collected females full of mature eggs. Subgenital plate broadly rounded, reaching beyond midpoint of sternum 10. Sternum 9 slightly sclerotized, deeply emarginate medially and distinctly flanged anteriorly. Sternum 10 poorly sclerotized.

Egg ( Figs. 4 e–4f, 5). Length 0.38–0.43 mm, width 0.26–0.31 mm (N=6). Outline oval shape with distinct opercular line, widest in subequatorial area towards opercular end. Anchor mushroom-shaped, with globular bodies evenly distributed and not grouped. Collar short but distinctly flanged, with heavy meshwork of large irregular shaped follicle cell impressions (FCIs) towards collar rim. Chorionic surface covered with shallow and distinct punctations throughout, FCIs recognizable only on collar end. Micropylar orifices sessile, much larger than punctations, set on subequatorial line.

Type material. Holotype: male ( HIST), CHINA: Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guilin City, Multinational Autonomous County of Longsheng , at gate of Huaping National Nature Reserve , 25°37’37’’ N, 109°54’41” E, 734 m, 2019.VIII.31, light trap, Guoquan Wang, Raorao Mo, Liangxin Liu, Fengping Qin, Yingying Mo . Paratypes: 4 males and 1 female ( HIST), same data and date as holotype ; 2 females ( HIST), same location as holotype, 2019.VIII.30, light trap .

Etymology. The specific name refers to the cap-shaped ventral patch of brown triangular spines of aedeagus. Latin “galerus” means cap and “spina” means spine.

Distribution. China (Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region).

Remarks. The aedeagus of the male of the new species is unique among all known species of Flavoperla , and easily distinguishes it from congeners. The broadly rounded subgenital plate of the female of F. galerispina is similar to F. basomarginata Chen, 2019 , a species recently described from Sichuan Province of southwestern China, and two Vietnamese species, F. dao and F. hmong described by Stark & Sivec (2008). However, F. galerispina may be easily separated from these species by the head pattern and male structures. In addition, details of hammer of sternum 9 and triangular caudal spines of tergum 10 of the F. galerispina is most similar to that of F. basomarginata . However, the new species can be distinguished from F. basomarginata by the brownish Y-shaped head pattern, hook-shaped paraprocts and unique patch of spines on the base of aedeagus.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Flavoperla galerispina sp. n. a. Adult of male, dorsal view. b. Adult of female, dorsal view.

FIGURES 2. Flavoperla galerispina sp. n. (male). a. Head and pronotum, dorsal view. b. Terminalia and aedeagus, dorsal view. c. Terminalia after cleared, dorsal view. d. Aedeagus, caudal view.

FIGURES 3. Flavoperla galerispina sp. n. (male). a. Terminalia and aedeagus, ventral view. b. Aedeagus, caudal view. c. Terminalia and aedeagus, lateral view. d. Hammer after cleared, lateral view.

FIGURE 4. Flavoperla galerispina sp. n. (female). a. Terminalia, ventral view. b. Terminalia after clear, ventral view. c. Terminalia, lateral view. d. Terminalia after clear, oblique lateral view. e. Eggs, lateral view. f. Entire egg, lateral view.

FIGURE 5. Flavoperla galerispina sp. n. (eggs). a. Entire egg, lateral view. b. Collar end, apical view. c. Collar end, lateral view. d. Anterior end, lateral view. e. Anterior end, apical view. f. Micropyle (arrow).