Habrophlebia linae El Alami, Sartori & Vuataz, 2025

Alami, Majida El, Vuataz, Laurent, Yaagoubi, Sara El & Sartori, Michel, 2025, Integrative taxonomy of the genus Habrophlebia Eaton, 1881 in Morocco (Ephemeroptera, Leptophlebiidae): new species, redescriptions, and morphological-mitochondrial discrepancies, Zootaxa 5642 (5), pp. 401-426 : 410-415

Habrophlebia linae El Alami, Sartori & Vuataz sp. nov.

https://zoobank.org/ 10E7AF77-C3BC-4BDE-B8A2-0FDC4D8CA38E

Figs 2B , 6– 8 , 9E–G , 12B

Habrophlebia sp. in El Alami 2002, Khadri et al. 2017, El Bazi et al. 2017

Habrophlebia sp. 2 in El Alami et al. 2022a [partim]

Material examined. Holotype: one nymph on slide ( GBIFCH01314432 ), MOROCCO, Chefchaouen Province, Talassemtane National Park , S6, Oued Madissouka; 35°10'27''N, 5°08'18''W; alt. 1377 m; 4.VII.2021; M. El Alami team leg.; MZL.

Paratypes. MOROCCO, Chefchaouen Province,same data as holotype,2nymphs in ethanol( GBIFCH00892907 ), 1 nymph on slide ( GBIFCH01118421 ), MZL, and 10 nymphs in ethanol, 2 nymphs on slide, LESCB; same locality as holotype, 10.VI.2021, 3 nymphs in ethanol ( GBIFCH00892908 ), 2 nymphs on slide ( GBIFCH01144263 , GBIFCH01314491 ), S. El Yaagoubi leg., MZL; same locality as holotype, 2.VI.2022, one nymph in ethanol ( GBIFCH00892909 ), one nymph on slide ( GBIFCH01550999 ), S. El Yaagoubi leg., MZL; same locality as holotype, 6.V.2005, 10 nymphs in ethanol ( GBIFCH00892910 ), one nymph on slide ( GBIFCH01118434 ), M. El Alami leg., MZL. Larache Province, S21, Oued Stah, Loc. Tazroute ; 35°16'34.47"N, 5°31'53.08"W; alt. 778 m; 2.V.2021, 2 nymphs in ethanol ( GBIFCH01523589 ); 1 nymph on slide ( GBIFCH01118420 ); S. El Yaagoubi leg., MZL. 3 nymphs in ethanol, 2 nymphs on slide, S. El Yaagoubi leg. LESCB; same locality, 24.IV.2024, 11 nymphs in ethanol ( GBIFCH01523590 ), one nymph on slide ( GBIFCH01550991 ), S. El Yaagoubi, Y. El Kourchi & M. Sartori leg., MZL .

Description. Nymph.

Coloration. Nymph. Body length of final instar, excluding caudal filaments, 4 to 6 mm for male and 6 to 8 mm for female. Cerci as long as body length. General dark brown coloration with light brown and yellowish markings mainly on abdominal terga. The whole cuticle is shagreened.

Head. General coloration yellowish to light brown; paler area round compound eyes and lateral ocelli; dark brown patch between ocelli extending laterally in front of compound eyes but not reaching clypeus distally. Upper part of male eyes reddish brown. Antenna with light brownish pedicel, scape and filament whitish to yellowish ( Fig. 2B ).

Labrum rectangular ( Fig. 6A ), ca 2× wider than long; dorsal surface covered distally with scattered stout setae, proximally with long and thin setae; anterior margin with a row of stout, long and spatulate setae medially; U-shaped emargination with four flat, irregularly sized denticles; ventral surface with two tufts of strong and long setae in the median area.

Mandibles similar to other Habrophlebia species ( Fig. 6B ). 6–7 long and thin setae below the mola of the right mandible.

Maxilla stocky, subapical row of 6 to 8 pectinate setae ( Fig. 6C ); maxillary palp with three segments, segment 1 and 2 subequal in length, and longer than segment 3; segment 3 triangular, 1.4 to 1.7× longer than wide at base; all setae on palp segments stout and entire ( Fig. 6E ).

Hypopharynx with very robust superlinguae terminated by a fairly long membranous digitation ( Fig. 6F ).

Labium ( Fig. 6D ) with rhomboid glossae, outer margin and apex with short, broad setae; paraglossae laterally enlarged, covered with fine and long setae on the dorsal surface; with long, thick setae on the outer margin; labial palp with three segments, inner margin of segment 1 strongly expanded near the middle, ca 1.2–1.3× longer than maximum width, segments 2 as long as segment 3, ca 0.7× length of segment 1; segment 3 ca 1.7× longer than broad at base, conical shape and inner margin with a row of longer and robust setae.

Thorax. Pro- and mesonotum yellowish brown, with greyish brown maculae, particularly on lateral margins and 3 light brown oval or rounded large maculae on prothorax ( Fig. 2B ).

Legs whitish to light brown; dorsal surface of femora washed with greyish macula; tarsi and tibiae generally lighter.

Fore legs ( Fig. 7A ) femora elongated, ca 2.6× longer than wide, dorsal surface covered with long, entire and pointed setae; fore tibiae subequal in length to femora, outer margin without setae, inner margin with several rows of long stout and feathered setae especially near apex; tarsi 0.5× length of tibiae, outer margin with few long and thin setae, inner margin with long and pointed entire setae.

Middle legs similar to fore legs, femora ca 2.9× longer than wide, dorsal surface of femora with numerous and long entire and pointed setae; tibiae and femora of subequal length; tarsi 0.4 to 0.5× length of tibiae.

Hind legs ( Fig. 7B ) with femora ca 3.2× longer than wide, dorsal surface covered with stout, pointed and feathered setae ( Fig. 7E ); ventral surface with few stout setae; hind tibiae as long as hind femora, outer margin with long, stout, pointed setae; inner margin with stout, long, pointed setae, entire and feathered; tarsi 0.4–0.5× length of tibiae, outer margin naked or with 1–2 long and thin setae, inner margin with long, stout, pointed setae. Claw with 13 to 15 long, thin, pointed denticles ( Fig. 7C ), the last three apically reduced in size ( Fig. 7D ).

Abdomen. Tergites grey to dark brownish with characteristic light patterns ( Fig. 2B ). Tergites I–II dark brown, and with an oblong sagittal macula, leaving two lateral light areas; posterior marking less visible on tergites III–IV, more conspicuous on tergites V–IX; posterior light mark sometimes absent on tergites VIII–IX; tergite X light brown. Sternite I greyish brown; sternites II−VIII yellowish to light brown with lateral and posterior brown bands, and two parasagittal nervous ganglia greyish brown; sternites IX–X lighter brown. Posterolateral expansions only on segments VIII and IX. Posterior margin of tergite X with well-developed narrow and pointed spines, ca 3–4 times longer than wide at base; tergite IX with narrower and shorter spines; regular shape and size of posterior spines on tergites VII to V, with regular spines decreasing in size, bordered with submarginal microdenticles; tergites IV–I with barely visible spines, slightly more developed than the microdenticles bordering them ( Figs. 8D–G ).

Gills present on segments I–VII; all gills long and large; first gill ( Fig. 8A ) with ventral lamella bearing 3 or 4 filaments, dorsal lamella with 3–4 filaments, gills II−VII ( Figs. 8B–C ) with 3–4 and 3–7 filaments on the ventral and dorsal lamella, respectively. Cerci and terminal filament yellowish brown, light brown in mature nymphs.

Eggs. General shape ovoid; chorionic surface uniformly decorated with sinuous, non-punctuated longitudinal ribs, variable in length; some connected in the equatorial or subequatorial region, anastomosed and giving rise to a Y-like configuration and others entire; micropyle in subequatorial area with margins slightly elevated ( Figs. 9E–G ).

Imago. Unknown.

Etymology

This new species is dedicated to the first author’s daughter, Lina, for her encouragement and assistance with sampling during some field trips.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Habrophlebia spp., nymphal habitus. A, Habrophlebia abietis sp. nov. B, Habrophlebia linae sp. nov. C, Habrophlebia vaillantorum Thomas, 1986. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURE 6. Habrophlebia linae sp. nov., mouthparts. A, labrum. B, right mandible. C, maxilla. D, labium. E, maxillary palp. F, hemi hypopharynx. Scale bars: A, E, F: 100 µm; B, C, D: 200 µm.

FIGURE 7. Habrophlebia linae sp. nov., thorax. A, fore femur. B, hind femur. C–D, tarsal claw. E, setae on dorsal face of hind femur. Scale bars: A, B: 200 µm; C, E: 50 µm.

FIGURE 8. Habrophlebia linae sp. nov., abdomen. A, gill I. B, gill III. C, gill V. D–G, posterior margin of abdominal tergites IX, VIII, VII, and VI respectively. Scale bar: 100 µm.

FIGURE 9. Habrophlebia spp., egg structure in optical microscopy (A, B, C, E) and scanning electronic microscopy (D, F, G). A–B, Habrophlebia abietis sp. nov. C–D, Habrophlebia dakkii El Alami, Sartori & Vuataz, 2023. E-G, Habrophlebia linae sp. nov. from Madissouka (E, F) and oued Stah (G).

FIGURE 12. Habrophlebia spp., setae on hind tibia (outer margin up, inner margin down). A, Habrophlebia abietis sp. nov. B, Habrophlebia linae sp. nov. C, Habrophlebia dakkii El Alami, Sartori & Vuataz, 2023. D, Habrophlebia vaillantorum Thomas, 1986. E, Habrophlebia eldae Jacob & Sartori, 1984. F, Habrophlebia lauta McLachlan, 1884. Scale bar: 50 µm.