Aphelocheirus pemae Millan

Aphelocheirus pemae Millán, L'mohdi & Carbonell n. sp.

(Fig. 1).

Type locality: Morocco, Oriental Region, Moulouya River, Berkane Province; near the old bridge connecting Berkane and Ras El Ma (R612); Elevation: 14 m. a.s.l. Geographic coordinates: 35°03'N, 02°26'W (Fig. 2).

Type material. Holotype: male (brachypterous) labeled: “R612, O. Moulouya (Berkane), 18/05/2014.Taybi AF & Mabrouki Y legs.” [red printed]. Preserved in 99% etOH (MNCN). Paratypes (all brachypterous): label data same as holotype (1 female CEAM; 1 female LEBEA); “18(0)TR 2 SEPT. OCT, O. Fès (Fès); 02/10/1981. Dakki, M leg.” (1 male ISRM). Geographic coordinates: 34°04'N – 04°55'W. All paratypes are preserved in 99% ethanol and provided with the respective red printed labels.

Description. Brachypterous male. Size (n=2): Length 8.51 (8.51–8.59); width of pronotum 4.22 (4.22–4.30); maximum width 5.52 (5.52–5.61). Broadly oval, widest at abdominal segment IV.

Colour: Grayish brown with narrow yellowish margins in dorsal view. Head, including antennae, yellowish, eyes blackish. Dorsum of pronotum and abdomen grayish with moderate yellowish lateral bands. Centre of scutellum, meso- and metanota slightly yellowish. Legs yellow. Venter grayish centrally with lateral parts yellowish.

Head: length 1.61 (1.61–1.64); greatest width 1.80 (1.80–1.83); anterior distance between eyes 1.50 (1.50– 1.53); synthlipsis 1.01 (1.01–1.04), shortest distance between eyes 0.70 (0.70–0.71), length of eye 0.90 (0.90– 0.91). Dorsal surface of interocular area finely alveolate. Eyes anteriorly slightly wider than posteriorly, outer margin distinctly sinuate, inner margin straight. Length of antennal segments 1–4: 0.11, 0.19, 0.25, 0.40. Labrum evenly rounded apically, length of rostrum 3.12 (3.12–3.13), attaining middle coxae.

Thorax: Pronotum length (midline) 1.22 (1.22–1.23), maximal length (anterolateral corner to posterior margin) 1.71 (1.71–1.72), anterolateral and posterolateral angles obtuse, surface rough, with base slightly sinuate in middle. Scutellum with median length 1.10 (1.10–1.12); basal width 2.31 (2.31–2.45); rough; lateral margin indistinctly sinuate, narrowly glabrous, with rounded apex slightly more broadly glabrous. Hemielytra rough, reduced and nearly attaining base of tergum III; smallest distance between hemielytra 0.3, clavus not differentiated; margin of embolium narrowly glabrous with an obtuse point caudolaterally. Prosternum with a weak median carina anteriorly ending in widened tip. Inner margin of propleuron broadly incised to accommodate coxa, caudomedial angle with small, blunt medially-directed point; with a poorly-defined notch anterior to medially-directed point. Mesosternum with weak median carina, ventral margin bifid in lateral view, with anterior tip small; mesoxiphus thickened with small mediocaudal point. Metasternum not carinate, metaxiphus with distinct mediocaudal point.

Legs: Anterior leg, femur length 2.01 (2.01–2.10), width 0.70 (0.70–0.75); tibia length 1.80 (1.80–1.84). Middle leg, femur length 2.21 (2.21–2.30), width 0.70 (0.70–0.76); tibia length 1.80 (1.80–1.85). Posterior leg: femur length 2.62 (2.62–2.71), width 0.70 (0.70–0.75); tibia length 3.10 (3.10–3.14). Anterior and middle legs from trochanter to tarsi with thick pads of light hairs on ventral surface. Pilosity of coxae less conspicuous, all femora and tibiae with scattered small spines, thickest and most distinct on dorsal (outer) side of middle tibia and hind tibia and tarsus. Middle and hind tibiae with apical row of medium-sized spines. Hind tibia and tarsus with well-developed swimming hairs.

Abdomen: Terga rough; lateral margins narrowly glabrous, 6–8 small spines on segments III–V, posterolateral angles with progressively larger spines; tergum V largest, covering most of terga VI–IX; tergum VI with posterolateral angle not elongated; VII with a large, blunt posterolateral angle.

Male genitalia: Aedeagus without apical spines (Fig. 1 B). Left paramere with rounded heel and curved tip in lateral view; almost parallel in dorsal view (Fig. 1 C). Right paramere with pronounced and pointed heel, tapering forward, slightly sinuate and curved apically; in dorsal view curved to left (Fig. 1 D). Both parameres with abundant pilosity in distal third.

Brachypterous female (Fig. 1 A). Colour and vestiture generally as in male holotype. Size slightly larger (n=2, 8.95–9.00). Terga V and VI undivided, VII divided into two valves with blunt mediocaudal points. Operculum blunt, with well-developed lateral hair tufts, apical pilosity not developed into a distinct tuft.

Macropterous form. Unknown.

Variability. Generally, the variation of most features is very weak. The old male from Sebou basin (collected in 1981 and preserved in ethanol) seems to have a generally darker body colour, similar to the dark pattern previously observed in A. aestivalis and A. murcius: yellowish head and antennae, dark greyish thorax and abdomen with very thin yellowish lateral bands (Carbonell et al., 2011).

Distribution. Known only from Sebou and Moulouya river basins.

Ecology. The new species has been found in clean running waters, coarse (mainly cobble) substrate and well preserved riparian vegetation from wider reaches of open rivers (Fig. 2).

Etymology. The name refers to a combination of the first syllable of Pepa and María, first names of Andrés Millán’s wife and daughter, respectively.