Epeorus ( Proepeorus ) rhithralis Braasch, 1980

Epeorus ( Proepeorus) rhithralis Braasch, 1980 View in CoL

Figs 5G–H View Figure 5 , 6G View Figure 6 , 15E View Figure 15 , 16L View Figure 16

Epeorus rhithralis Braasch, 1980, p. 60 View in CoL , Figure 4 View Figure 4 (b–l) (nymph). Types: nymph, from

Nepal.

Materials examined

20 nymphs, Daping Village ( 103°5′44.32″N, 22°55′59.6″E), Jinping County, Yunnan Province, collected by Zhen-Xing MA, 20-X-2020; 8 nymphs, Wola Village ( 102°51′ 31.2588″N, 23°3′40.81″E), Jinping County , Yunnan Province, collected by Zhen-Xing MA, 21-X-2020 .

Diagnosis and remarks

E. ( P.) rhithralis is differentiated from other congeners by the paired tubercles on terga ( Figure 5 View Figure 5 (g,h)), pointed denticles on posterior margin of terga ( Figure 6 View Figure 6 (g)) and colouration pattern of femur ( Figure 5 View Figure 5 (g)). This species most resembles Epeorus inthanonensis Braasch & Boonsoong, 2010 by having similar paired tubercles and pointed denticles on posterior margin of abdominal terga. As mentioned in the research of Braasch and Boonsoong (2010), E. ( P.) rhithralis can be separated from E. inthanonensis according to different size of gill I: E. inthanonensis has smaller gill I than gill II–VI, while E. ( P.) rhithralis with gill I larger than all other gills. However, according to figures from original description of E. ( P.) rhithralis ( Braasch, 1980: Figure 4 View Figure 4 (j–l)), its gill I is slightly expanded anteriorly and obvious smaller than gill III. Considering that the colouration pattern of the femur of specimens in China is same as E. ( P.) rhithralis (with one median spot surrounded by irregular marking, see Braasch 1980: Figure 4 View Figure 4 (g)) but significantly different from that of E. inthanonensis (only with one median spot, see Braasch and Boonsoong 2010: fig. 75), this species in China is temporarily designated as E. ( P.) rhithralis . Adults are unknown.

Distribution

China ( Yunnan), Nepal.