Neoperla occulta Zwick & Zwick 2023, n. sp.
Creators: name: Zwick, Peter
name: Zwick, Andreas
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Plecoptera
Perlidae
Neoperla
Neoperla occulta

description: 33. Neoperla occulta n. sp.    
(Figs. 179–180, 186–187)  
 Neoperla africana — Zwick 1973b: 382, figs 1,2; partim; not africana Klapálek, 1909.   
 Type material. Holotype J, Central African Republic, 25.10.2008 18h-5h 03°05’20.6” N 16°10’43.0” E, bord du fleuve Sangha (NEOP061), Paratypes, 2♁, 3♀ Central African Republic, near Bayanga, 2°28’49.5”N 16°12’55.9”E, 22.11.– 1.12.2010 (NEOP062, NEOP058, NEOP059, NEOP060, NEOP063; 25.10.– 1.12.2010, all preserved dry, pinned slides; SMNS). 1♀ paratype, Republic of Liberia, 8 mi NW Belefuanai, S fork S.Paul R., 11.8.66, Ross & Lorenzen (CASENT 8413023).   
 Additional material studied. Republic of Cameroon: 2♁, 1♀ Cameroun, 14 mi NE Bétaré-Oya [5.59N, 14.08E], 930m, 3.X.66 Ross & Lorenzen (CASENT 8413021). Central African Republic, near Bayanga: 4♁, 14- XI-2010, nuit, UV, 18h30-3h30, Molongo, village, bords fleuve Sangha 02°27’11.6”N 16°04’58.7”E 343 m; 1♁, 02-XII-2010, nuit, UV, sol, clairière, proche camp lac 1 02°28’42.1”N 16°13’13.9”E 405 m (SMNS). Democratic Republic of the Congo: 1♀, Bokuma [- 0.666S, 21.016E], 2.4.41, D.Hulstaert; 1♀, Musée du Congo Bassin Lukuga IV-VII-1934 De Saeger; 1♀, Musée du Congo Mongupa [2.41, 20.77] Lisala 22-IX-1922 A. Collart; 1♀: Likimi [2.777N, 20.765E], IX.1929, A. Collart (MRAC). Republic of Ghana, leg. Endrödy-Younga: 4♁, Banda-Nkwanta, N 8.22, W 2.09, 122 m, 5.–29.9-1965, light trap, on savanna; 2 ♁, 1♀, Bui Camp [8.38N, - 2.37W], 27.10.– 1.12.1965 (HNHM & SMNS, genitalia slides). Republic of Liberia, 38 mostly immature ♀, 1♀ slide>Z23.01, 8 mi NW Belefuanai, S fork S. Paul R., 11.8.66, Ross & Lorenzen (CASENT 8413023).   
 Habitus. Male WL 8.7–10.7mm, female 10.5–11.7mm. A light ochre species with a black spot across the ocelli. Tips of antenna and cercus dark, femora light, basal 4/5th of tibia and entire tarsus dark, male hind tibia widened slightly.   
 Male (Figs. 179–180). Similar to N. pilulifera n. sp., except process on T7 less sharply pointed and tip of HT10 shorter and straight. No external spines on penis. Membranous zone between tube and endophallus with only few distally pointing spines in a sparse regular row, bare section of endophallus ~1/4 of total length. About 10 slender sharp-tipped hooks stand dorsally and laterally on the membrane at the penis tip (Figs. 179–180).   
 Female (Fig. 186). S8 unmodified, no sclerites, no pigmentation. Vagina resembling N. pilulifera n. sp., but the spermathecal stalk seems to be more slender. Egg (Fig. 187). Body (without collar) ~1.36 times longer than wide, poles rounded, both of the same width. Average size is 304*209µm, including the 19µm long collar which projects from the anchor pole as a narrow tube corresponding to only 12% of egg width. Rim slightly flared, no or vestigial cells. The stem of the mushroom-shaped anchor is thin, cap of normal shape.   
 Notes. Males of N. pilulifera n. sp. and N. occulta n. sp. are easily distinguished by their penes. In contrast, separation of females is difficult, even when eggs are available. Eggs of N. occulta n. sp. look more slender and parallel but distinction from N. pilulifera n. sp. is best based on the narrowness of the N. occulta n. sp. collar of only 12% of maximum egg width. The distinction was validated by biometry of eggs from specimens identified by DNA.   
 DNA (Figs. 492, 494). A total of six specimens from the Central African Republic were sequenced, representing only a small part of the distribution of this species. All sequences are only the COX1 DNA barcode fragment, including from the male holotype. The sequences are identical and support near maximally (99.9/100/100) the monophyly of this species, which is genetically very distinct (i.e., long branch). This species is very strongly supported (92.5/97/98) as sister to N. nichollsi n. sp.. Both sexes are well represented.   
 Etymology. For a long time, there seemed to be only one kind of female (the working name sp. 11 was used on many labels) for two very distinct males, N. pilulifera n. sp. and N. occulta n. sp.. Females of N. occulta n. sp. remained hidden (Lat. adjective occultus) until revealed by DNA sequencing.
description: Published as part of Zwick, Peter & Zwick, Andreas, 2023, Revision of the African Neoperla Needham, 1905 (Plecoptera: Perlidae: Perlinae) based on morphological and molecular data, pp. 1-194 in Zootaxa 5316 (1) on pages 81-83, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5316.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8154005