Leptagrion jeromei, Lencioni, Vilela & Furieri, 2021

Farias, Antonio Bruno Silva & Santos, Jean Carlos, 2024, Description of the female of Leptagrion jeromei Lencioni, Vilela & Furieri, 2021 (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) with taxonomic notes on the male, Zootaxa 5424 (2), pp. 243-250 : 244-249

Description Leptagrion jeromei female

( Figures. 2A–E ; 3B )

Material examined. 1 ♀ (B0545), Brazil, Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Federal University of Sergipe , -10.92707, - 37.10100, 30 m asl), 6.x.2023, A.B.S. Farias leg. ( UFS) .

Head ( Figs. 2A–C ). Labrum brown, anteclypeus, antefrons, mandible, and gena olive green; postclypeus and postfrons brown; two small triangular olive-green spots (on each side of the lateral ocelli); occipital area slightly lighter brown; remaining of the head matte black, including the posterior portion.

Thorax ( Figs. 2C ; 3B ). Prothorax: anterior lobe bluish-green; dorsal view, medial lobe reddish-brown; lateral view with olive green spots; posterior lobe bluish-green, straight in the middle, with rounded corners and rhombus. Pterothorax: humeral stripe metallic reddish-brown covering the upper half of the mesepisternum, stripe light brown on the mesepimerum; rest is olive green.

Wings ( Fig. 2A ). Hyaline: rectangular pterostigma brown, with darker edges, occupying one cell; 9 Px in FW, 8 Px in HW; RP2 emerging proximal to Px 6 in all wings.

Abdomen ( Figs. 2A, D–E ). S1 brown dorsally, olive green laterally and ventrally; S2 metallic brownish green dorsally, olive green laterally; S3−6 predominantly dark brown dorsally, reddish brown lateroventrally, with pale basal rings and thick black apical rings; S7 dark brown dorsally, slightly lighter lateroventrally; S8−10 entirely brown.

Anal appendages ( Figs. 2D–E ). Cerci, paraproct, and ovipositor black; length of cerci subequal to S10; genital valve reaching the apex of cerci; outer valves of ovipositor with a single row of small teeth.

Measurements. FW: 24.3; HW: 23.9; AL: 07.0; TL: 55.4.

Differential diagnosis. Leptagrion jeromei belongs to a group of species that have cerci with a subterminal tooth (STT) curved medially or slightly cephalic and may or may not have an apical terminal tooth (TAT). The closest congener is L. andromache (Hagen in Selys, 1876) ( Vilela et al. 2021a). The female is distinguished from this and other congeners mainly by its coloration and the shape of the pronotum, which in L. jeromei is convex with a slight depression on the medial margin ( Fig. 3B ), whereas in other females, this structure is presented differently, with a distal margin shorter than the proximal margin ( L. andromache ) ( Fig. 3A ), curved margins ( L. bocainense Santos, 1979 ), uniformly convex margins ( L. acutum Santos, 1961 ), straight lateral margins ( L. vriesianum Santos, 1978 ), and concave dorsal margins ( L. porrectum Hagen in Selys, 1876).

Taxonomic notes for males

( Figures. 4A–F ; 5A–B )

Leptagrion jeromei Vilela et al. 2021a: 241–245 , Figs. 1b–c , 2b, 2d , 3 c–d (description of male, illustrations of habitus in lateral view, pterostigma, posterior lobe of prothorax in dorsal and lateral views, appendages in lateral and dorsal views, compared with L. andromache Hagen in Selys, 1876); Lencioni, 2022: 79–87, Figs. 23a–b, 34a–b,

44 (anal appendages in lateral and dorsal views, posterior lobe of prothorax in lateral and dorsal views, habitus in lateral view), deposition type series, distribution.

Material examined. 7 ♂♂ (B0543, B0544, B0546, B0547, B0548, B0549, B0550), Brazil, Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Federal University of Sergipe, -10.92707, -37.10100, -10.92676, -37.10146, 30 m asl), same data but, B0549 (16.x.2023), B0550 (18.x.2023), A.B.S. Farias & J.C. Santos leg. (UFS).

The males collected in Sergipe differ morphologically from the original description (in parentheses) as follows: small D-shaped marks are blue (brown); occipital area light brown (pale coloration); anterior lobe blue (light brown); green spots on the medial lobe of the prothorax (without spots); metallic reddish-brown humeral stripe covering half of the mesepisternum with a yellow edge and the remaining olive green (black humeral stripe covering the upper half of the mesepisternum, remaining parts light brown); 10 Px in FW, 10 Px in HW; RP2 arising from Px 6 in the forewings and proximal to Px 7 in the hindwings (10 Px in FW, 11 Px in RHW (10 in LHW); RP2 arising from Px 6 in all wings); S1 metallic reddish-brown dorsally, olive green lateroventrally; S2 metallic reddish-brown dorsally, olive green laterally; S3–6 predominantly light brown dorsally, reddish-brown lateroventrally, with pale basal rings and thick black apical rings; S7 dark brown dorsally, slightly lighter ventrally; S8–10 reddish-brown dorsally, light blue laterally, pale ventrally (S1–2 dark brown dorsally, remaining light brown; S3–5 light brown dorsally, light brown laterally, S6–9 dark brown dorsally, light brownish-green laterally with black basal rings; anterior portion of S10 black dorsolaterally, remaining brown); cerci black (dark brown); in lateral view, with a square ventral apical projection, inclined ventrally (in lateral view, with a small dorsal, blunt, and medial projection); male specimens varied in size as follows: TL: 50–54, AL: 41–44, FW: 23–25, HW: 22–25 ( TL: 47, AL: 39.4; FW: 23; HW: 22.3) ( Fig. 4A–F ).

The aforementioned morphological differences between the holotype described for Bahia and the specimens collected in Sergipe can be attributed to environmental conditions, storage, or postmortem differences.

Male variations. Male specimens did not vary in cerci morphology. Variations were observed in the i-shaped mark on the head, thoracic and abdominal coloration, which may be related to age differences, and variation in the number of Px (B0544-LHW 9 Px, B0546-LFW and LHW 9 Px, B0548-11 Px in all wings).

Habitat and Ecology. The specimens were observed on epiphytic bromeliads ( Fig. 5A–C ), perched on leaves of Aechmea aquilega (Salisb.) Griseb. ( Bromeliaceae ) ( Fig. 5D–E ). Two males were observed in dispute, and the female was observed in oviposition movement, indicating intraspecific competition. Leptagrion jeromei was the only damselfly species associated with bromeliads at the collection site, as no other bromeliad species, such as Leptagrion itabaiana Vilela, Lencioni & Santos, 2021 and Leptagrion garbei Santos, 1961 ( Vilela et al. 2022), were observed or captured. Leptagrion jeromei may be at some level of risk because we found evidence of the species (e.g., adult individuals, larvae, and exuviae) in only five sets of bromeliads throughout the study area; therefore, ecological studies are necessary. Unfortunately, we detected recurrent inadequate management of epiphytic bromeliads at the sampling site; many were removed and/or improperly discarded. Additionally, the type locality is situated in the gardens of a university campus adjacent to buildings (for example, library, university restaurant; see Figs. 1 ; 5F ) with high human flow in the urban center of São Cristóvão, in the metropolitan region of Aracaju, Sergipe. The type locality is adjacent to a small, degraded fragment of seasonal semi-deciduous Atlantic Forest, approximately 21 ha, where we believe there are more specimens of L. jeromei ( Fig. 5A–B ).

Final Remarks. This is the third bromeliad-dwelling damselfly species recorded in the state of Sergipe, Brazil, joining L. itabaiana and L. garbei ( Vilela et al. 2021b; 2022). In this study, we expanded the geographical distribution of L. jeromei to 1,090 km from its type locality. We consider this an important outcome that emphasizes the potential for recording new taxa for scientific knowledge and underscores the need for the preservation of bromeliad microhabitats that host unique fauna.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Collection site of Leptagrion jeromei female at the Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe State (red), Brazil (grey): aerial view of the São Cristóvão campus of the Federal University of Sergipe, highlighting sampling points (red dot), UR—University Restaurant, MG—Multi-sports Gym, CL—Central Library, and FF—Forest Fragment.

FIGURE 2. Leptagrion jeromei female from Sergipe, Brazil: (A) lateral view of habitus, (B) frontal view of head, (C) dorsal view of head and lateral view of prothorax, (D) lateral view of anal appendages, and (E) dorsal view of anal appendages.

FIGURE 3. Comparison of the prothorax in females: (A) Leptagrion andromache, dorsal view of the posterior lobe of the prothorax; and (B) Leptagrion jeromei, dorsal view of the posterior lobe of the prothorax.

FIGURE 4. Leptagrion jeromei male from Sergipe, Brazil: (A) lateral view of habitus, (B) frontal view of head, (C) dorsal view of head and lateral view of prothorax, (D) lateral view of cerci, (E) latero-dorsal view of cerci, and (F) dorsal view of cerci.

FIGURE 5. Leptagrion jeromei and its habitat: (A; B) male individuals; and (C) an exuviae on bromeliad leaves; (D; E) epiphytic bromeliads Aechmea aquilega (Salisb.) Griseb. (Bromeliaceae), the most abundant bromeliad species in the type locality, and (F) the type locality, where some individuals were sampled immediately next to the library at the Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil.