Neoperla curvilobata, Mo & Wang & Li, 2020

Neoperla curvilobata View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–3 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 )

Adult habitus ( Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 a–1b). Body color dark brown. Head dark brown; M-line paler; lateral margins and anterior portion of frons brown; tentorial callosities distinct, yellow and oval; palpi and antennae dark brown; the distance between ocelli ca. 1.5X as wide as the diameter of the ocellus; head wider than pronotum. Pronotum trapezoidal, brown, with scattered, darker rugosities; anterior corners sharp while posterior corners rounded. Wings brown and transparent, veins dark brown; legs dark brown except yellow brown basal femora; cerci brown, apex darker.

Male ( Figs. 1–3 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 ). Forewing length ca. 13.8 mm. Hindwing length ca. 12.0 mm. The posteromedial area of tergum 6 with several sparse sensilla basiconica. Posterior process of tergum 7 trapezoidal, covered with many sensilla basiconica. Tergum 8 with tongue-shaped upcurved process, with many sensilla basiconica at distal margin. Tergum 9 with two paramedial patches of long hairs, without sensilla patches. Hemitergal processes of tergum 10 sclerotized and finger-like, upcurved medially ( Figs. 1c View FIGURE 1 , 2 View FIGURE 2 a–2c). Aedeagal tube plump, with sclerotized dorsal surface and a short hook-like Y-lobe forked near midlength; arm of Y-lobe without apical spines, about as long as stalk ( Figs. 2 View FIGURE 2 d–2e, 3a–3d). Aedeagal sac about as long as tube, strongly curved ventrad forming an open loop with a blunt tip, and mostly covered with spines except for ventral surface mostly lacking spines ( Figs. 3a, 3 View FIGURE 3 e–3f).

Female. Unknown.

Type Material. Holotype: male ( HIST), China: Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning City , Wuming County, Liangjiang Town , Neichao , Neichao River above Neichao Ming Hotel , 220 m, 23°29.664'N, 108°21.622'E, 2018.V.5, light trap, G.Q. Wang. GoogleMaps

Etymology. The name refers to the strongly bent ventral lobes of aedeagus. Latin “curvus” means bent, and “lobus” means lobe.

Distribution. China ( Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region).

Remarks. The single specimen, the holotype of the new species, is most similar to N. delphina Li, Mo & Wang, 2020 and N. wui Yang & Yang, 1990 , in having similar terminalia and the hook-like Y-lobe of aedeagus. The new species may be separated from the two above species by aedeagal sac almost fully covered with distinctly, larger brown spines. In N. delphina , aedeagal sac only has indistinct, fine spinules in the apical half. In N. wui , the aedeagal sac is partially covered by stout spines. In addition, head patterns, apparently differ (figs. 1a, 2a in Li et al. 2020; Fig. 6a View FIGURE 6 , fig. 1 in Yang & Yang, 1990; figs. 4a in Wang et al. 2013b and Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 a–1b).

The type locality is near the vicinity of the capital city of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region . This partially mountainous region borders Vietnam and the Gulf of Tonkin. This region is rich in Plecoptera diversity .