Abstract
In the genus Rhabdiopteryx (Klapálek, Citation1902), the neglecta group sensu Illies Citation1957 forms a well distinguished set of species. In the male, the group is characterised by the ninth sternite subgenital plate being slightly depressed in the middle of its hind margin and by the very peculiar shape of the epiproct. The anterior process is a prong with bifid tip, and the posterior process has a stout base prolonged by two curved lateral arms. Even the females clearly differ in their postgenital plate widely covering the paraprocts. This group comprises three species: R. neglecta (Albarda, Citation1889), R. alpina Kühtreiber, Citation1934 and R. harperi sp. n. which are compared and illustrated by SEM photos. R. doiranensis Ikonomov, Citation1983 is removed from the neglecta group.
Acknowledgements
We express our gratitude to our colleagues Peter Zwick, Carlalberto Ravizza, Romolo Fochetti, Ignac Sivec, Miklós Bálint (Cluj-Napoca) and Giovanni Delmastro (Carmagnola) for their help and loan of comparative specimens. We also thank Wolfgang D. Schedl (Innsbruck) for the loan of the lectotype and paralectotypes of R. alpina and Jean-Luc Gattolliat (Lausanne) for his important help in the identification of numerous specimens and for his loan of comparative specimens from Aubert's collection. Lastly, we thank John Brittain and Jean-Paul Reding for having kindly revised our English text.