Nephoptera (Erdemia) afghana Cejchan, 1969 stat. nov.

(Figs. 11–17)

Cejchan, 1969: 224 as Nephoptera bienkoi afghana.

Type locality. E Afghanistan, Nengrahar [Nangarhar]: Barikot. Holotype. female (MMB).

Distribution. E Afghanistan, Nengrahar: Barikot (Cejchan 1969), Afghanistan, Nuristan, 25 kms N of Barikot (present paper).

Description of male. Fastigium of vertex broad, sloping, 1.6 times narrower than antennal scape in front of lateral ocelli; narrowly rounded at anterior margin, not touch with fastigium of frons, with a dorsal fossa. Anterior half of prozona of pronotum cylindrical, remaining part of pronotum flattened in dorsal view; without lateral carinae; anterior margin of paranota meets with ventral margin under an obtuse angle (at antero-ventral corner); shoulder incision deep; anterior margin of pronotum slightly concave, posterior margin convex in dorsal view (Figs. 12, 13). Tegmina and wings (Figs. 11, 13) fully developed, wings longer than tegmina. Fore coxa without spine. Tympanal organ on the first tibia open and oval on both sides. Mid tibia widened in basal half. Hind tibia with 2 apical spurs on dorsal and ventral sides. Hind femur with 5–7 ventral spines externally. Last abdominal tergite (Figs. 14, 15) strongly elongated and inflated posteriorly, like a balloon, with a small projection on antero-ventral side of the posterior inflated part, and with a small and sharp depression on posterior surface of this inflated part. Cercus (Fig. 16) cylindrical, weakly narrowed apically, strongly and roundly incurved in basal third; apex blunt, rounded without a terminal denticle. Subgenital plate (Figs. 14, 17) narrow and long, without styli; posterior margin with a deep Ushaped median incision which is 1/4 of the length of plate, and with two long and narrow lobes which are almost parallel.

Colouration. Body as in female, light brown with dark brown spots and creamish markings, especially on tegmina, which causes a marbled appearance.

Measurements (mm). Body length 15; pronotum 2.5; tegmina 20; fore femur 4.6; hind femur 14.

Material examined. Afghanistan, Nuristan, 25 km N v. Barikot, 1800 m, 1 male (leg. Kasy et Vartian) (NMW).

Remarks. This is the only species with brownish marbled colouration. All the others in Nephoptera s. lat. are mainly green. Although in the original descriptions of N. tibialis and N. richteri, body colourations were given as the shades of brown, they are mainly green in their photographs of the types (OSF).

The male characteristics of this species are very distinct from N. bienkoi, and the female also supports this distictive state. Therefore, it is raise to species level.