Rhionaeschna marchali (Rambur, 1842)

Bota, Cornelio Andrés, 2014, A brief look at the Odonata from the Páramo ecosystems in Colombia, with the descriptions of Oxyallagma colombianum sp. nov. and Rhionaeschna caligo sp. nov. (Odonata: Coenagrionidae, Aeshnidae, Libellulidae), Zootaxa 3856 (2), pp. 192-210 : 200

Rhionaeschna marchali (Rambur, 1842)

Fig. 1 b (Habitus ♂), Table 1 (coordinates).

Examined páramo material. Páramo El Morro: 3♀ & 1♂, 3–4.v.2008, Leg: C. Bota & A. L. Montoya. 1♂, 3.iv.2010, Leg: C. Bota. 1♀, 6.x.2011, Leg: C. Bota & J. D. Castaño. Páramo Sabanas: 1♂, ii.2011, Leg: Y. Correa. 1♀, 1.x.2011, Leg: C. Bota & J. D. Castaño. 1♂, 19.vi.2012, Leg: A. Clavijo. Alto Malvazá: 1♂, 4.iii.2012, Leg: A. Clavijo. Páramo El Congo: 1♂, 12.ix.2011, Leg: L. Ríos & J. Zapata. Páramo Santa Rita: 1♂, 3 – 5.iii.2009, Leg: M. Wolff. 12♂, 7.xii.2009, Leg: C. Bota, A. Bustamante, C. Flórez, A. L. Montoya, J. D. Sánchez & N. Uribe. Sierra Nevada del Cocuy, Páramo Lagunillas: 1♂, 6.v.2010, Leg: C. Bota & C. Flórez. Laguna de Páez: 1♀ & 1♂, 3.ii.2013, Leg: C. Bota & C. Gómez. Alto de Pená: 1♂, 20.iii.2014, Leg: J. D. Álvarez. Cerros Orientales, Pico del Aguila: 1♂, 1.v.2012, Leg: A. Vásquez & E. Henao.

Remarks. The sinuosity of the inner margin of hamular fold varies, sometimes being more straight. Pale coloration on S9 and S10 varies: S9 can present one or two light blue lateral spots, S10 can present a light blue lateral spot ( Fig. 1 b). Total length 54 – 56 mm, HW 38 – 40 mm.

Distribution. From Bolivia to Venezuela across the Andean region (von Ellenrieder 2003) from 142 (low altitude records are from the western side of the Ecuadorian and Peruvian Andes) to 4,000 m. These are the first records for the species in the Cordillera Occidental of Colombia.

Biology. This widespread species has been observed in almost every habitat in the highlands, but it seems to be particularly attracted to ponds, where it forages along the pond edges even on cold and cloudy days. Males confront each other when they meet during these flights by quickly crashing into and chasing each other; sometimes both fly away during the chase or only one of the males leave, and they also have short confrontations with males of Erythrodiplax sp. connata group. Females have been observed ovipositing alone on submerged macrophytes. Hanging-type emergence was observed once in a female in stage 3 (according to Corbet 1999), during a sunny day at 9:40 a.m.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Rhionaeschna caligo: (a) Male paratype (Páramo El Morro); (c) Male paratype (Páramo Sabanas). (b) Rhionaeschna marchali: Male (Tolima, Murillo).