Neoperla erinaceus, 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 : 17-18

11 Penis tube and endophallus of similar length, endophallus almost straight, with spines spreading in all directions, some are large and hook-shaped ( Figs. 102–107 )....................................................... 22 N. erinaceus n. sp.

11' Length relation between penis tube and endophallus variable but endophallus curved backward to ventral side, armature on dorsal and ventral sides separate, different................................................................. 12

12 Penis tube and endophallus of similar width, endophallus distally not very narrow and pipe-like...................... 13

12' Endophallus much narrower than penis tube, distal part pipe-like and with very long rows of minute spines, often only 2–3 rows which are visible also in the non-everted condition (e.g., Fig. 240 )............................................. 14

13 Armature begins at base of endophallus, right beyond penis tip (e.g., Figs. 118 , 137 )............. N. africana -group, p. 50

13' A bare section between penis tip and armature on endophallus (e.g., Fig. 164 )............... N. pilulifera -complex, p. 70

Figures

FIGURES 102–107. Neoperla erinaceus n. sp., ♁ holotype: 102, 103, tergites 7–10, not to scale; 104, penis with everted endophallus, a white arrow indicates the location of the detail in Fig. 105; 106, 107, endophalli of the paratypes. Scale lines are 100µm, penes to same scale. cb, convergent bands of teeth; dat, dorso-apical teeth; ep, epiproct; is, isolated sclerite. Lines connect corresponding areas on the endophalli.

FIGURES 238–243. Neoperla spio (Newman), ♁: 238–241, holotype: abdominal tip in dorsal and lateral views, penis in ventral and lateral views, endophallus partly everted (not to scale); 242, ♁ from Ghana, cleared penis in lateral view (the scale is 100µm); 243, enlarged ventral view of another Ghanaan specimen.

FIGURES 114–122. Neoperla africana Klapálek: ♁ from Makokou, Gaboon: 114, 115, abdominal tip, dorsal and lateral view; 116, 117 contracted penis, dorsal and lateral; 118, partly everted endophallus, lateral. 119–121, the lectotype ♁: 119, Klapálek’s labels; 120, penis, endophallus artificially everted; 121, base of same, white arrow points at the transverse short spine group. 122, male from Ghana, Volta region, Wli Falls, black arrow points at the recurrent tube inside the penis. Scales are 100µm, others not to scale. ll, lateral line; n, membranous notch; rt, recurrent tube; sl, sleeve of dense scale-like spinules; so, soft ventrobasal region of penis tube; sr, short spine row.

FIGURES 135–142. Neoperla panafricana n. sp., male abdominal tip and penis with everted endophallus: 135–137, holotype from Mkozi R. NEOP158; 138, Guinea (no details); 139, Namibia, Kunene R.; 140, R. S. Afr., Legalameetse, NEOP154; 141, Ivory Coast, Férédougouba; 142, Senegal, Touba, NEOP131. The scale is 200µm, all penes to similar scales.

FIGURES 161–168. Neoperla amoena n. sp.. ♁ holotype: 161–163, habitus and abdominal tip (not to scale; NEOP070); 164–166, penis, only 164 to scale; ♀ paratype from Bamako: 167, 168, genital situs and egg. Scales are 100µm. bbs, bare basal stretch; tf, transverse folds; sa, spermatheca; SSt, spermathecal stalk; V, vagina.