Protonemura potatsoensis Qian & Xiang & Bai 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Qian, Yu-Han
name: Xiang, Jin-Hong
name: Bai, Xue
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Plecoptera
Nemouridae
Protonemura
Protonemura potatsoensis

description: Protonemura potatsoensis Qian & Bai sp. nov.
Figs. 1–11
Type Material. Holotype male: CHINA, Yunnan, Diqing, Shangri-la City, Potatso National Park, N 27°52′17.8″, E 99°54′26.96″, 3879 m, 11.IX.2017, leg. Yu-Han Qian, Qian Xiao, Jia-Hao Chen (SWFU). Paratypes (7 male, 6 females): same data as the holotype (SWFU).
Etymology. This epithet is derived from the type locality of Potatso National Park.
Diagnosis. Males of this species are distinguished by the 4–5 long, black spines on the outer lobe of the paraproct and two small acute projections at the tip of the epiproct. Females are distinguished by a bell-shaped pregenital plate and a fishtailed-shaped sclerite at the posterior of the ridge which is situated beneath the anterior of the pregenital plate.
Adult habitus (Figs. 1). Head dark brown, compound eyes black and protruded; antenna slender. Pronotum trapezoid, wider than length, rugosities scattered. Wings macropterous, translucent with transparent spots, veins slight brown, margins of wings fringed with short bristles. Legs lightly brown.
Male (Figs. 2–9). Forewing length 6.4–7.0 mm, hindwing length 5.2–6.0 mm (n=6). Tergum IX slightly sclerotized, postmedian margin with several (about 21–25) tiny sclerotized spines. Tergum Ⅹ strongly sclerotized, middle area membranous in dorsal view, sunken below the epiproct and some long spines on the either side. Hypoproct long, broad basally and gradually tapering to end. Vesicle length ca. 1/2 length of hypoproct. Paraproct divided into three lobes: inner lobe sclerotized and slender; median lobe wider, gradually tapering to end, apex with a long, black spine; outer lobe a broad sclerotized strip, surrounded the cerci, somewhat swollen apically, inner side of apex membranous, outer side sclerotized and with 4–5 long, black spines. Epiproct long and swollen, the apex bifurcates with two small acute projections in dorsal view, a membranous structure protrudes from the apex in lateral view, dorsal sclerite protruded, forming a semicircular ridge and bearing many black long spines. Cercus short and pilose.
Female (Figs. 10–11). Forewing length 8.0– 8.5 mm, hindwing length 6.8–7.5 mm (n=6). Body coloration and the cervical gills are similar to the male. Pregenital plate of sternum VII slightly produced and elevated. Subgenital plate bell-shaped, about 1/3 hidden beneath the pregenital plate; inner part of subgenital plate under sternum VII is a sclerotized ridge across the middle of oval-shaped internal sclerites, a fishtailed-shaped sclerite on the posterior of ridge. Sternite IX dark brown and slightly elevated in lateral view.
Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Yunnan, China.
Remarks. The male of the new species is similar to P. biintrans Li & Yang, 2008, P. fansipanensis Sivec & Stark, 2009, P. datongensis Li, Murányi & Yang, 2017 and P. longispina Zhao & Du, 2020 in having similar paraproct. In P. biintrans, tergum VIII with a circular median indention at posterior margin; outer lobe of paraproct with 3 black apical spines; apex of epiproct without protrusion or flagellum (figs. 41–45 in Li & Yang, 2008). In P. fansipanensis, tergum IX with deep emarginate mesally; outer lobe of paraproct with ca. 9 prominent spines, median lobe shorter than outer lobe (figs. 1–4 in Sivec & Stark, 2009). In P. datongensis, the outer lobe of the paraproct is slender and blade-like with 3 sharp apical spines (figs. 3–4 in Li et al., 2017). In P. longispina, the outer lobe of paraproct has ca. 14 long sclerotized spines and the epiproct has a short flagellum (figs. 3–6 in Zhao & Du, 2020). However, the new species can be separated by the tergum VIII and IX lacking a median indentation at the posterior margin, the outer lobe of paraproct with 4–5 black long spines, the median lobe being subequal to the outer lobe, and the apex of epiproct with having two small acute projections in dorsal view with a membranous structure protruding from the apex in lateral view.
description: Published as part of Qian, Yu-Han, Xiang, Jin-Hong & Bai, Xue, 2024, A new species and a newly record species of Amphinemurinae from Yunnan, China (Plecoptera, Nemouridae), pp. 405-412 in Zootaxa 5447 (3) on page 406, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5447.3.6, http://zenodo.org/record/11150040