Neoperla luhohonis, Zwick & Zwick, 2023

Zwick, Peter & Zwick, Andreas, 2023, Revision of the African Neoperla Needham, 1905 (Plecoptera: Perlidae: Perlinae) based on morphological and molecular data, Zootaxa 5316 (1), pp. 1-194 : 34-36

8. Neoperla luhohonis n. sp.

( Figs. 37–41 )

Material studied: Democratic Republic of the Congo: Holotype ♁: B. Congo, Luhoho Riv., Bunyakiri [-2.09, 28.57], 1100m IX-6-57 \ E.S. Ross & R.E. Leech collectors ( CAS; CASENT 8413127 ).

Habitus. Faded, light ochre to yellow, the transverse interocellar spot distinct, frontoclypeus and pronotum with traces of brownish tinge. Legs pale, flagellum slightly brownish, basal cercus segments pale, distal ones missing. Wings yellowish, R light brown.

Male ( Figs. 37–41 ). WL 11.5mm. Hind tibia unmodified. T7 with a pale caudal field behind a pale transverse stripe near middle. In the center of the pale area lies a weak triangular sclerite, its flat tip projects over the caudal edge, is slightly uplifted and on the underside beset with numerous SB. Several SB project along the sides of the process. The pale middle of T8 is occupied by a wide weak sclerite which caudally narrows to a band continuing onto the soft anterior area in the middle of T9, between the divided ends of antecosta 9 ( Fig. 37 ). The pilose lateral areas and the median furrow on T9 are weakly expressed but there is a flat sclerite at the caudal end of the furrow. The large Ht10 have a straight long and slender spike-like process. The hemitergal callus is very large, square, dorsally shallowly excavate, the medial edge faintly raised. Sternites unmodified, no large setae.

The penis is a straight tube ( Fig. 38 ). Dorsodistally is a patch of external teeth closely appressed to the tube, they point distad ( Fig. 40 ). The base of the wide endophallus is bare for a short stretch, distally follows a ring of spines, the ventrolateral ones small, the dorsal ones are large hooks pointing basad ( Fig. 41 ). During manipulation the endophallus was accidentally torn, the endophallus remains attached to the penis tip and is not everted but the rather large spines are visible by transparency (detail in Fig. 39 ). The bare end of endophallus resembles a flagellum.

Female. Unknown.

DNA. No data.

Notes. The male abdominal tip resembles the primitive transvaalensis -group. In this respect N. kalengonis , also from the Kivu-area, and N. rostrata from Angola are similar. The type localities of the first two species on the slopes of Mt. Kivu are not very far from each other but drain into different catchments, the Luhoho River into the Congo River, the Kalengo River into Lake Kivu (Viets & B̂ttger 1974). The penes of the three species in question are longer and more tubular than penes in the core-group around N. transvaalensis ; N. luhohonis has a less dense endophallic armature of larger spines than the compared species.

Etymology. The name is an adjective derived from the name of the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 33–41. Neoperla rostrata n. sp. and N. luhohonis n. sp., the male holotypes: N. rostrata, 33, tergites 6–10; 34, penis with evertedendophallus,Scales are1.0mm forthe abdomen,100µm forthe penis.;35, 36, details of armatureare tothe samescale. N. luhohonis, 37, abdominal tip in dorsal view, not to scale; 38, the partly everted penis in side view, the endophallus remains attached to the accidentally detached distal portion (39). 40, 41, enlarged details, to the same scale. Solid lines show location of enlarged details, the broken line connects points originally connected before the rupture. Scales are 100µm.