Cephalaeschna Selys, 1883

Yang, Guo-Hui & Zhang, Hao-Miao, 2025, Description of Cephalaeschna flabellata sp. nov. (Odonata: Aeshnidae) from Yunnan, China, Zootaxa 5691 (3), pp. 579-586 : 584-585

Key to the Chinese Species of Cephalaeschna Selys, 1883

1. Frons more than half head width......................................................................... 2 Frons equal to or narrower than half of head width.......................................................... 8

2. Top of frons with obvious T-shaped mark.................................................................. 3 Top of frons without T-shaped mark...................................................................... 5

3. Viewed laterally, the superior appendages narrowed at the midpoint.................................... C. solitaria Viewed laterally, the superior appendages not narrowed at the midpoint.......................................... 4

4. Anterior ridge of frons with a distinct median horn, withnot obviously hooked prominence on the penile stem... C. cornifrons Anterior ridge of frons with a median point, not produced, with a slim and strongly hooked prominence on the penile stem............................................................................................ C. patrorum

5. Anterior end of antehumeral stripe with a spot S2 with four pairs of stripes dorsally.................... C. xixiangensis Anterior end of antehumeral stripe without spot, S2 with three pairs of stripes dorsally.............................. 6

6. Inferior appendages short, about 3/5 length of superior appendages, S3–7 without a single fan-shaped AL spot........... 7 Inferior appendages long, about 2/3 length of superior appendages, S3–7 with a single fan-shaped AL spot..... C. flabellata

7. Viewed dorsally, superior appendages expanded in apical 3/4, without wavy inner margin, and S4–7 with MD spots butterflyshaped, PD spots absent................................................................. C. ordopapiliones Viewed dorsally, superior appendages expanded in apical 2/3, with a rather wavy inner margin, S4–7 with paired triangular MD spots which expand to the side, PD spots present.................................................... C. obversa

8. Legs mainly brown or black, not distinctly bicoloured........................................................ 9 Legs distinctly bicoloured............................................................................. 12

9. S2 without median transverse stripe................................................................ C. klotsi S2 with median transverse stripe........................................................................ 10

10. S3–7 with median transverse stripe................................................................... C. risi S3–7 without median transverse stripe................................................................... 11

11. Dorsal stripe shorter and smaller, labrum yellowish-brown........................................ C. shaowuensis Dorsal stripe long, labrum reddish-brown............................................................ C. chaoi

12. Top of frons with obvious T-shaped mark................................................................. 13 Top of frons without T-shaped mark..................................................................... 15

13. Male S3–7 AL not connected to MD spots, superior appendages not obviously narrowed in lateral view, inferior appendages about 1/2 length of superior appendages............................................................. C. mattii Male S3–7 AL connected to MD spots, superior appendages narrowed at 1/3 from base in lateral view, inferior appendages about 2/3 length of superior appendages.................................................................. 14

14. Pterostigma black, legs mainly black, tibiae brownish yellow, the base of femora with yellow spot.............. C. zhuae Pterostigma reddish brown, coxae brown with yellow spots, femur with the upper 2/3 russet and lower 1/3 black, tibiae mainly brownish red, tarsi black....................................................................... C. discolor

15. Labrum brown, female superior appendages more than twice the length of S10......................... C. dinghuensis Labrum black, female superior appendages no more than twice the length of S10........................ C. needhami