Neoperla spinistrumata Zeng, Huo & Du, 2025

Zeng, Liang-Liang, Huo, Qing-Bo & Du, Yu-Zhou, 2025, A new species and a new record of Neoperla Needham (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from Yunnan, China, Zootaxa 5618 (3), pp. 446-450 : 447-448

Neoperla spinistrumata Zeng, Huo & Du , sp. nov.

Figures 1–2

Male. General color yellowish brown ( Fig. 1 ). Head pale brown, with a dark spot over the ocelli and a second small spot anteromedially on frons; The pronotum is nearly trapezoidal in shape, featuring pointed anterior angles and rounded posterior angles, with a slightly rough surface texture. Antennae and palpi yellow brown; legs pale brown except distal femora darker. Wing membrane brownish, veins brown.

Body length 17 mm. Terga 1–6 unmodified. Tergum 7 features a posteromedial portion elevated into a broad, rectangular process that slightly extends rearward. This area exhibits a varied quantity and density of sensilla basiconica distributed across its surface. Tergum 8 possesses a slender, erect, and recurved medial tongue-like process, which is adorned with apical teeth. Tergum 9 is straightforward in structure and does not possess a sensilla patch. The hemitergal processes of tergum 10 are sclerotized, short, and exhibit a slight medial upward curve ( Fig. 1 ).

The penis tube is short and stout, featuring a spiny patch at the end of a weakly sclerotized area on its dorsal surface, with additional sclerotization evident on the ventral side near the base ( Fig. 2 ). The endophallus is elongated and tubular, bending toward the ventral side. At the base on the ventral surface, there are a pair of spiny lobes. Additionally, on either side near the base of the endophallus, there is a membranous projection that is densely covered with spines on its dorsal surface. The entire endophallus is covered with very fine spines, while the spines on the dorsal surface are slightly larger. Additionally, six humps are located on the dorsal surface of the mid to posterior section of the endophallus.

Female, egg, larva. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype: male ( ICYZU), China: Yunnan Province, Zhaotong City, Daguan County, Shapo Village , 27.774485° N, 103.888737° E, 1980.Ⅴ.12, Jiansheng Li.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the spine-like processes located on the endophallus.

Distribution. China (Yunnan)

Remarks. The shape of the penis in N. spinistrumata sp. nov. closely resembles that of N. magisterchoui Du, 2000 (see figs. 6–11 in Li et al, 2011), with both species featuring spiny lobes on the ventral and lateral surfaces near the apex of the penis tube. However, N. spinistrumata sp. nov. can be distinguished from N. magisterchoui by the presence of six humps on the dorsal surface of the mid to posterior section of the endophallus. The taxonomic position of this species within the N. lushana -group is uncertain. While this group typically has paired spiny lobes or a single divided lobe ventrally on the aedeagus, N. spinistrumata possesses unique membranous projections near the endophallus base and is densely spined dorsally. This morphological distinction challenges its inclusion in the group and we tentatively exclude it from the N. lushana -group pending further study.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Neoperla spinistrumata sp. nov., male holotype. A: adult of male, dorsal habitus view; B: head and pronotum, dorsal view; C: abdominal terminalia, dorsal view.

FIGURE 2. Neoperla spinistrumata sp. nov., male holotype, everted penis. A: dorsal view. B: lateral view. C: ventral view.