Megalestes distans Needham, 1930

Yu, Xin & Xue, Junli, 2020, A review of the damselfly genus Megalestes Selys, 1862 (Insecta: Odonata Zygoptera: Synlestidae) using integrative taxonomic methods, Zootaxa 4851 (2), pp. 245-270 : 258

Megalestes distans Needham, 1930

( Figs. 3c, d ; 4c, d ; 5b, o ; 6b )

Megalestes distans Needham, 1930: 231–232 [Guangxi, Sichuan]; Chao 1965: 189–190, figs. 9–11 [Emeishan, Sichuan, China]; Asahina 1969: 192–197, figs. 1–8 [Hubei, Sichuan].

This is a large, endemic Chinese species with a relatively wide distribution range, including Chongqing, Gansu, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, and Yunnan. The body size and color pattern are quite consistent throughout all populations. Cerci are special with the apex extended and the basal prominence long, cylindrical, foot-like ( Fig. 3 c–d). The end of the genital ligula has terminal lateral lobes largely divergent and up-curved at the tips ( Fig. 5o ). The basal teeth on paraprocts varied slightly among populations ( Fig. 4 c–d). Needham (1930) stated that his specimens came from both Guangxi and Sichuan. We checked through his original descriptions and could not find any localities belonging to Guangxi, but the species is present in Sichuan with Yu Chi Valley as the type locality. Wilson & Reels (2003) reported several specimens from Guangxi. However, the figures and descriptions were not consistent with our specimens nor were they like those from Needham (1930), Chao (1965), or Asahina (1969). Therefore, we do not believe that M. distans occurs in Guangxi.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Caudal appendages of males (dorsal view). a) australis; b) irma, paratype; c) distans, from Yaan, Sichuan; d) distans from Dashahe, Guizhou; e) heros; f) omeiensis, paratype; g) kurahashii; h) major; i) haui; j) “palaceus”; k) micans, bd: basal disk; l) “chengi”; m) riccii; n) “maai”; o) “tuska,” from Damingshan, Guangxi; p) “tuska,” from Jinxiu, Guangxi. (Scale bar = 0.5 mm).

FIGURE 4. Caudal appendages of males (lateral view). a) australis; b) irma, paratype; c) distans, from Yaan, Sichuan; d) distans from Qingchengshan, Chengdu, Sichuan; e) heros; f) omeiensis, paratype; g) kurahashii; h) major; i) haui; j) “palaceus”; k) micans; l) “Chengi,” paratype; m) riccii; n) maai; o) tuska, from Damingshan, Guangxi; p) tuska, from Jinxiu, Guangxi. (Scale bar = 0.5 mm).

FIGURE 5. Genital ligula of males (lateral view) (a–m) and ventral view (n–ab). a) australis; b) distans; c) heros; d) omeiensis, paratype; e) major; f) irma, paratype; g) “palaceus”; h) haui; i) “Chengi”; j) maai; k) riccii; l) tuska; m) micans; n) australis, Hr: horn; o) distans, Tlb: terminal lateral lobe; p) heros; q) omeiensis, paratype; r) major; s) irma, paratype; t) kurahashii; u) “palaceus”; v) haui; w) micans, from Jinping, Yunnan; x) “Chengi”; y) maai; z) riccii, Blb: basal lateral lobe; aa) tuska, Mlb: middle lateral lobe; ab) micans, from Fengyangshan, Zhejiang. (Scale bar = 0.2 mm).

FIGURE 6. Line drawing of male paraprocts (lateral view). a) australis; b) distans; c) gyalsey; d) kurahashii; e) major; f) haui; g) heros; h) omeiensis; i) micans; j) micans; k) riccii; l) irma.