A review of the genus Neopsocopsis (Psocodea, “Psocoptera”, Psocidae), with one new species from China

Abstract A review of species of the genus Neopsocopsis Badonnel, 1936 is presented. Four species are redescribed, viz. Neopsocopsis hirticornis (Reuter, 1893), Neopsocopsis quinquedentata (Li & Yang, 1988), Neopsocopsis profunda (Li, 1995), and Neopsocopsis flavida (Li, 1989), as well as the description of one new species, Neopsocopsis convexa sp. n. Seven new synonymies are proposed as follows: Pentablaste obconica Li syn. n. and Pentablaste clavata Li syn. n. of Neopsocopsis hirticornis, Pentablaste tetraedrica Li syn. n. of Neopsocopsis longiptera, Neoblaste schizopetala Li syn. n. and Neoblaste flavae Li syn. n. of Neopsocopsis profunda, Blastopsocidus pini Li syn. n. and Pentablaste lanceolata Li syn. n. of Neopsocopsis flavida. Neopsocopsis hirticornis (Reuter, 1893) is recorded from Japan and China for the first time, and Neopsocopsis longiptera Vishnyakova, 1986 is newly recorded from China. Illustrated keys to adult males and females are presented.


introduction
The psocopteran genus Neopsocopsis is a small group in the subfamily Amphigerontiinae, formerly characterized by head-covering glandular setae, female fore wing brachypterous, and male hypandrium with three lobes (one median lobe and two lateral lobes) and 2 internal apophyses (Badonnel 1936;Günther 1974;Smithers 1972). In 1986, Vishnyakova redefined the genus, pointing out the existence of macropterous female specimens. Afterward, Yoshizawa (2010) synonymized the Chinese genus Pentablaste Li with Neopsocopsis and considered the genus to be a well defined monophyletic group, mainly based on genitalic characters. The type species, Neopsocopsis hirticornis (Reuter, 1893), is widely distributed in the Palaearctic Region ranging from East Asia to West Europe, and the remaining bulk of species occurring in the Oriental Region, principally in Japan and China. Badonnel (1935) described Neopsocus pyrenaicus based on a single female specimen collected from France, with the character states: 1) body-covering glandular setae and 2) a brachypterous fore wing. Later, in 1936, after reexamination of the accompanying male specimens collected with Np. pyrenaicus, Badonnel separated Neopsocopsis from Neopsocus as a new genus on the basis of distinct male venational and genitalic characters, with N. pyrenaicus as the type species. In 1938, Badonnel moved the Finland species Psocus hirticornis Reuter, 1893 (=P. bastmannianus Enderlein, 1918) to Neopsocopsis and considered N. pyrenaicus as a subspecies of N. hirticornis, and later proposed it as a new junior synonymy (Badonnel, 1982). Afterward, macropterous females of N. hirticornis were found from Europe (Günther 1980(Günther , 1991Hedström 1989). Meinander (1981) described a second species from Egypt, N. aegyptiacus, which was proposed as a junior synonym of Blaste (Euclismiopsis) medleri New by Lienhard (1986). Vishnyakova (1986) and Yoshizawa (2010) described N. longiptera (from Russia) and N. sakishimensis (from Japan), respectively. Yoshizawa (2010) also treated the Chinese genus Pentablaste Li, 2002 as a new junior synonym of the genus Neopsocopsis, which raised the species of the genus to 19.

Material and methods
All specimens treated in this paper were from Entomological Museum of China Agricultural University (CAU), Beijing, China, and Hokkaido University Insect Collection (SEHU), Sapporo, Japan. Specimen preparation and measurements were undertaken following Liu et al. (2011). Images of fore wings were taken with a Canon EOS 500D digital camera attached to a stereoscopic microscope. Remarks. The genus Neopsocopsis is placed in the subfamily Amphigerontiinae mainly based on the following characters: male 8 th sternum broadly sclerotized and fused to hypandrium, with lateral margins overlapping clunium (Yoshizawa et al. 2011); hypandrium symmetrical with various projections; phallosome free posteriorly; female subgenital plate with prominent egg guide plate and ventral valve of gonapophyses tapering distally (also observed in some other genera of Psocinae). Neopsocopsis can be easily distinguished from genera in Amphigerontiinae by the 5-lobed hypandrium as well as the carinate and dentigerous lateral lobes, which are considered to be an autapomorphy of the genus. In addition, the shape and sclerotization pattern of the female subgenital plate are also distinct in Amphigerontiinae. Described based on a single male specimen from China, Pentablaste pentasticha (Li, 1990) apparently lacks the above characters, and it appears to correspond more closely to the generic characters of Neo-blaste in genitalic details. However, classification of this species cannot be confirmed until more samples are analyzed, and we do not discuss P. pentasticha in this work.
One Indonesian genus, Javablaste Endang, Thornton & New, 2002, shared many generic characters of Neopsocopsis and was different from the latter by 1) female with normal fore wing, 2) subgenital plate with transverse sclerotized bar at mid line and 3) male hypandrium with lateral spinous lobes (Endang et al. 2002). However, as discussed above, the brachypterous fore wing is not a stable character of Neopsocopsis. Later, in 2010, Endang and New recorded three new species of Javablaste from Sumatra, Indonesia, including J. darmayasai Endang & New, 2010, in which the second condition was not observed. In addition, there is little difference between the terms "tuberculate" or "spinous" in reference to the lateral lobes of the hypandrium. According to Endang and New (2010), the Chinese species, N. flavida, was pointed out to be very similar to species of Javablaste with minor genitalic differences. It is strong possible that Javablaste is also a junior synonym of Neopsocopsis.

Identification keys
Pentablaste pentasticha (Li, 1990) is not included in the key as re-examination of the species and its possible relationship with Neoblaste were not possible for this study.
Diagnosis. Medium sized psocids. Fore wing hyaline with brownish coloration; Rs and M fused for very short distance, meeting at point or connected by crossvein. Male: 8 th sternum strongly sclerotized and fused to hypandrium; epiproct swollen with tiny projection at middle of anterior margin; hypandrium 5-lobed with posteromedian lobe convex distaromedially, internal lobes rod-like and distally forked. Female: subgenital plate with egg guide distally round, slightly sclerotized, pigment arms forming flat V-shaped regions and expanded laterally.
Discription. Male. Head creamy brown; compound eyes grayish black, ocelli black with grayish black ocellar field; antennae and labrum brown; maxillary palpi brown with distal segments dark colored. Thorax brown with dark brown markings on mesonotum; legs brown, with tarsi and distal part of tibia dark brown. Abdominal segments mostly creamy white, with apical regions dark brown. Fore wing (Fig. 1A) hyaline with brownish tinge, pterostigma dark brown with dark brown band along proximal margin; veins brown, except for Rs fork and M-Cu 1a fusion hyaline. Venation: Rs and M fused for very short distance, meeting at point or connected by crossvein; distal margin of discoidal cell straight; first and second sections of Cu 1a almost equal length, diverging at angle about 120°. Hind wing hyaline with brownish coloration; veins brown.

Discussion.
The new species appears to be closely related to N. hirticornis (Reuter, 1893), N. sakishimensis (Yoshizawa, 2010) and N. flavida (Li, 1989) based on similarity of the hypandrium with posteromedian lobe convex distaromedially. However, it can be easily separated from them by the larger body size, by the structure of male clunium, and by the shape and sclerotized pattern of the female subgenital plate. The new species is distinguished from all the other Neopsocopsis species by the characteristic shape of the internal lobes of hypandrium.  , 12.v.1962 (FS Li). Japan: 1♀, Kanagawa Pref., Yokohama C., Serigatani, 7.iv.2011 (Y Hoshino); 2♀, same locality and collector, 12.iv.2011.
Female genitalia: Subgenital plate (Fig. 3E) with egg guide round distally, basally invaginated; pigment arms forming flat V-shaped regions and expanded laterally, posteriorly forked. Gonapophyses (Fig. 3F) with ventral valve distally tapering to slender tip; dorsal valve broad with pointed distal process; outer valve oval, with posterior lobe broad and well pointed. Internal plate (Fig. 3G) with brown coloration around spermathecal opening and marginally, with rod-like dark brown sclerotization anteriorly.
Discussion. Pentablaste clavata was described by Li (2002) based on one male and one female from Hebei, with the characters of the fore wing Sc ending at R and the crossvein Rs-M. Pentablaste obconica is the type species of Li's genus Pentablaste, which is the most widely distributed species of China. Neopsocopsis hirticornis is the type species of Neopsocopsis, distributed mainly in Europe. After reexamining all the specimens, we found they all have similar genitalia, but the crossvein Rs-M is not a stable character to distinguish P. clavata from the others. Thus we consider P. obconica and P. clavata be new junior synonyms of N. hirticornis. Females of N. hirticornis are mostly brachypterous (Vishnyakova 1986;Lienhard 1998), but a few macropterous females have also been recorded (Günther 1980(Günther , 1991Hedström 1989). Females collected in Japan (new distributional record) are all brachypterous, but those from China are all macropterous. Therefore, there might be some genetic differences between Chinese and other populations of N. hirticornis but, in the absence of more distinct differences, we treat them as a single species. This species is similar to Neopsocopsis sakishimensis Yoshizawa, 2010 from Japan, however N. hirticornis can be distinguished by the larger body size and by the genitalic characters. Vishnyakova, 1986 http://species-id.net/wiki/Neopsocopsis_longiptera Neopsocopsis longiptera Vishnyakova, 1986: 350. Pentablaste tetraedrica Li, 2002: 1371 Material examined. Pentablaste tetraedrica -Holotype ♂: China, Hebei Prov., Pingquan Co., Guangtoushan Reg., 2.vii.1986 (FS Li). Other material examined. China: 2♂3♀, same locality and collector, 2.vii.1986; Japan: 1♂1♀, Fukuoka Pref., Hisayama C., Yamada, 5.vi.1994 (K Yoshizawa).

Neopsocopsis longiptera
Distribution. China (Hebei: new distributional record); Russia; Japan. Discussion. Pentablaste tetraedrica was described based on 3 males and 3 females from China. The species is distinguished from other Chinese species based on the character of the hypandrium posteromedian lobe lacking apically horn-like processes (Li, 2002). Neopsocopsis longiptera was described based on the specimens from the Russian Far East and differed from Neopsocopsis hirticornis (Reuter, 1893) in having a macropterous female and a larger male IO/D (Vishnyakova, 1986). After reexamining the two specimens, we found the main characters of the wings and genitalia are nearly identical. Thus we consider P. tetraedrica to be a new synonym of N. longiptera. (Li & Yang, 1988) http://species-id.net/wiki/Neopsocopsis_quinquedentata Figures 1C, 4 Blastopsocidus quinquedentata Li & Yang, 1988: 79. Neopsocopsis quinquedentata (Li & Yang). Yoshizawa 2010: 36.
Redescription. Male. Head creamy brown; compound eyes grayish black, ocelli black with grayish black ocellar field; antennae and labrum brown, maxillary palpi brown with apical segment lighter. Thorax brown with dark brown spots; legs brown, with band of dark brown marking on femur, tarsi and distal part of tibia dark colored. Fore wing (Fig. 1C) hyaline with light brownish tinge, pterostigma brown; veins brown, except for Rs fork and M-Cu 1a fusion hyaline. Venation: Rs and M fused for very short distance; distal margin of discoidal cell straight; first section of Cu 1a shorter than the second section, diverging at angle about 120°. Hind wing hyaline; veins brown.
Distribution. China (Guizhou). Discussion. Neopsocopsis quinquedentata was described based on one male from Guizhou, with the character of fore wing Rs-M fusion. It can be separated from other species by the hypandrial posteromedian lobe with projection medially, and by the characteristic structures of internal lobes and parameres.
Redescription. Male. Head yellowish, with brown markings; compound eyes grayish black, ocelli black with grayish black ocellar field; antennae and labrum brown, maxillary palpi brown with distal segments dark colored. Thorax brown with dark brown spots; legs pale brown. Fore wing (Fig. 1D) hyaline with yellowish tinge, pterostigma and veins brown, except for Rs fork and M-Cu 1a fusion hyaline. Venation: Rs and M connected by short crossvein or meeting at point; distal margin of discoidal cell straight; first and second sections of Cu 1a almost equal length, diverging at angle about 120°. Hind wing hyaline; veins brown.
Distribution. China (Chongqing, Henan, Hubei, Zhejiang). Discussion. Neoblaste profunda was described by Li (1995) based on specimens from Zhejiang, and Neoblaste schizopetala was described on the basis of one male and one female from Chongqing (Li, 1997). Li pointed out that both species were very similar to Neopsocopsis quinquedentata (Li & Yang, 1988), and could be differentiated by characters of the male hypandrium and phallosome. Neoblaste flavae was described based on a single female specimen from Zhejiang, which was collected with a female of Neopsocopsis profunda and differed from the latter by larger body size and the form of the internal plate (Li 2002). After reexamining all the species, we found there are only minor differences between these three species, e.g. the color markings in fore wings and pigment patterns of the female subgenital plate. Therefore, we consider Nb. schizopetala and Nb. flavae to be two new synonyms of N. profunda. The species can be separated from the other species by the following features: hypandrial posteromedian lobe concave at distal margin with tiny projection medially, subgenital plate with egg guide sharply round distally and sclerotized at basal 1/3. (Li, 1989) http://species-id.net/wiki/Neopsocopsis_flavida Figures 1E, 6 Blastopsocidus flavidus Li 1989: 46. Neopsocopsis flavida (Li). Yoshizawa 2010: 35. Blastopsocidus pini Li 1990: 5, syn. n. Pentablaste lanceolata Li 2002Li : 1377 Material examined. Blastopsocidus flavidus -Holotype ♂: China, Guizhou Prov., Guiyang C., Huaxi D., 9.vi.1981 (FS Li). Blastopsocidus pini -Holotype ♂: China, Guizhou Prov., Guiyang C., Bagongli Reg., 21.viii.1988 (FS Li). Pentablaste lanceolata -Holotype ♂: Guizhou Prov., Guiyang C., Bagongli Reg., 21.viii.1988 (FS Li). Other material examined. China: 13♀22♂, Guizhou Prov., Guiyang C., Huaxi D., 9.vi.1981 (FS Li); 1♂, same locality and collector, 27.v.1981;1♂, same locality and collector, 28.v.1981;7♀3♂, Guizhou Prov., Guiyang C., Bagongli Reg., 21.viii.1988 (FS Li); 1♂, Guizhou of all these species, there are only minor differences among N. flavida, B. pini and P. lanceolata, and it is hardly possible to distinguish them from each other by the genitalic characters. Therefore, we consider B. pini and P. lanceolata to be new junior synonyms of N. flavida. The species is distinguished from the other species by the posteromedian lobe of the male hypandrium convex tapering to a point, by the pigmented pattern of the female subgenital plate and by the narrow dorsal valve of the gonapophyses.