Lamelligomphus annakarlorum, Zhang, Hao-Miao, Yang, Guo-Hui & Cai, Qing-Hua, 2016

Zhang, Hao-Miao, Yang, Guo-Hui & Cai, Qing-Hua, 2016, A new species of Lamelligomphus Fraser, 1922 (Odonata: Gomphidae) from southern Yunnan, China, Zootaxa 4098 (3), pp. 571-581 : 572-578

Lamelligomphus annakarlorum sp. nov.

Figures 1–17 , 22–25

Etymology. The new taxon is named for Anna Diehl and Karl Schorr, Kaiserslautern, Germany, both of whom have enjoyed working with dragonflies for many years. Anna promoted a study of Yunnan Odonata for the first author.

Material examined. Holotype: ♂, Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve (21°57’59’’N, 101°12’37’’E), altitude 630 m, Menglun Town, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, 15 May 2014, Hao-miao Zhang leg.; Paratypes: 1♂, same site and collector, 30 April 2014; 1♂, 1♀, same site and collector, 15 May 2014; 6♂, 2♀, same site and collector, 16 May 2013; 1♂, same site and collector, 17 May 2013; 1♂, 1♀, same site and collector, 02 June 2013; 1♂, 1♀, same site and collector, 13 September 2013; 1♂, same site and collector, 16 September 2013; 1♂, Buguzhai Village (21°37’4’’N, 101°35’3’’E), altitude 690 m, Mengla County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, 29 September 2014, Hao-miao Zhang leg.

Holotype male: Head. Eyes dark green when alive ( Figs. 22–23 ). Face black with yellow markings ( Fig. 1 ). Labium largely black, medially with paired small yellow markings close to posterior margin; mandible bases yellow; labrum black with paired yellow spots; anteclypeus entirely yellow; postclypeus entirely black; top of frons with one pair of broad semicircular spots; vertex black with paired tubercles behind lateral ocelli; occiput black, with hind margin straight.

Thorax. Generally black with yellow markings ( Fig. 2 ). Prothorax entirely black. Synthorax with mesothoracic collar interrupted at mid point, dorsal stripes not connecting with collar stripes; antehumeral stripe absent; sides of synthorax largely black with yellow markings; mesepimeron with a yellow stripe; metepimeron with an oval spot about 2/3 as long as length of metepimeron; mesokatepisternum, metakatepisternum and legs entirely black.

Wings. Hyaline, venation black, base of wings tinted with dark brown. Forewings: 18 (left) and 19 (right) antenodals above Sc and 19 antenodals below Sc; 18 (left) and 16 (right) postnodals above R1. Hindwing: 13 antenodals above Sc, 15 antenodals below Sc; 17 postnodals above R1. Triangles not crossed. Median space without crossvein. Anal triangle 4-celled. Pterostigma black, well braced, below covering 8 cells on forewings, 8 (left) and 9 (right) cells on hindwings.

Abdomen. Black with pale marking as follows ( Figs. 3–4 ): apical half of S1 with a dorsal triangular spot connecting with dorsal triangular spot on S2, S2 laterally with an approximate V-shaped spot covering auricle, base of S3 with yellow ring, bases of S4–6 with paired spots; basal half of S7 with paired quadrate spots, S8–10 and anal appendages black, S8 dorsolaterally with a pair of prominent tubercles. Dorsal hind margins of S7 and S8 slightly projected when viewed laterally.

Cerci about twice length of S10, slightly shorter than epiproct, in lateral view tips strongly tapering and curving ventrally, dorsally with a small spine at basal fourth and another one equal in shape subapically ( Fig. 13 ), on apical fourth the inner margin of left cercus with 11 teeth on the curving part and right cercus with 8 teeth ventrally. Epiproct curving posterodorsally when viewed laterally, when viewed dorsally apical fourth deeply sulcate, thus laterally with an inner and outer raised carina that are almost parallel ( Fig. 14 ), the apical portion on outer carina bearing a series of small irregular teeth. Vesica spermalis as shown in Fig. 15 . Posterior hamulus relatively broad at base and strongly tapering apically, the tip with long setae ( Fig. 16 ). Anterior hamulus with anterior branch narrow and hooked apically, the posterior branch robust and short. ( Fig. 16 ).

Paratype females: Head. Similar to holotype male, but paired spots on labrum smaller. Hind margin of occiput with paired spines ( Fig. 7 ). Thorax. Similar to holotype male, but dorsal stripes connecting with collar stripes ( Fig. 8 ). Metepimeron with yellow spots larger than holotype but size and shape variable ( Figs. 8, 12 ). Abdomen. S1 entirely black; S2 with large yellow spots laterally, each connecting with dorsal triangular spots, thus forming a large yellow ring; S3–7 with paired basal spots; S8–10 entirely black ( Figs. 9–10 ). Vulvar lamina shown in Fig. 17 . Cerci short, as long as S10.

Variation in paratype males. Yellow marking on metepimeron very variable; the majority of specimens similar in size to holotype, but in some paratype males the yellow marking on metepimeron longer and larger ( Fig. 11 ). In some males dorsal stripes connect with collar stripes.

Measurements (mm). Holotype male: total length 69.0, abdomen (including anal appendages) 52.0, hind wing 42; Paratype males: total length 65.0–68.0, abdomen (including anal appendages) 49.0–51.0, hind wing 38.0– 41.5. Paratype females: total length 63.0–68.0, abdomen (including anal appendages) 47.0–51.0, hind wing 42.5– 45.0.

Distribution. Currently known only from Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in southern Yunnan province, China.

Notes on biology. The type locality is in the tropical rain forest, where the best forests can be seen all over Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture; at least 160 species have been found in this area (personal records by Haomiao Zhang). Most of the type specimens were collected at a long flowing montane stream within deep forest in the Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve. This stream was about 1.5–3.0 m wide; in the dry season (November to June) the water level was low, about 0.3 m deep. This new species prefers open sections of the stream, and males usually perched on marginal vegetation including big rocks in the stream or the sandy beach.

Males were active during the daytime from 10:00–17:00 hours. Most of the time they perched, but sometimes they hovered close to the water's surface. Males fight for territory. Females were rarely seen, but they usually appeared in the semi-shady or shady part where they laid eggs while hovering.

Differential diagnosis. This new species is most similar to Lamelligomphus camelus , especially by the paired hump-shaped tubercles on dorsal part of S8 ( Figs. 13–14, 19 ). We were unable to find any differences in male anal appendages and only small differences in the secondary genitalia; the paired flagellum of L. camelus is longer ( Fig.

20), and the hamulus of L. camelus is stouter ( Fig. 21 ). The shape of the female vulvar lamina is approximately triangular in L. annakarlorum ( Fig. 17 ) but not so angled in L. camelus ( Fig. 18 ). Most members of this genus have a similar male vesica and anal appendage morphology. Body maculation plays an important role in separating these two species. More information about L. camelus is provided below, based on studying comprehensive specimen material throughout its range, especially the variation of body maculation, and we can see clearly the differences between the two species. A combination of summarized characters for separating L. annakarlorum from L. camelus are shown in Table 1 .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. Habitus of Lamelligomphus annakarlorum sp. nov.: (1) holotype male; (2) paratype female.

FIGURES 3 – 12. Lamelligomphus annakarlorum sp. nov., details of type specimens: holotype male (3 – 6), paratype male (11) and paratype females (7 – 10, 12); (3) head in frontal view; (4) thorax in lateral view; (5) abdomen in lateral view; (6) abdomen in dorsal view; (7) head in frontal view; (8) thorax in lateral view; (9) abdomen in lateral view; (10) abdomen in dorsal view; (11) thorax in lateral view; (12) thorax in lateral view.

FIGURES 13 – 21. Details of Lamelligomphus annakarlorum sp. nov. (holotype male 13 – 16, paratype female 17) and L. camelus (Martin, 1904) (female 18, male 19 – 21): (13, 19) S 7 – 10 and anal appendages in lateral view; (14) same in dorsal view; (15, 20) vesica spermalis in lateral view; (16, 21) hamulus in lateral view; (17 – 18) vulvar lamina in ventral view.

FIGURES 22 – 23. Photos in life of Lamelligomphus annakarlorum sp. nov., paratype males. Photos by Hao-miao Zhang; (23) Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, Menglun Town, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, 16 May 2013; (24) same site, 13 September 2013.

FIGURES 24 – 25. Photos in life of Lamelligomphus annakarlorum sp. nov., paratype females. Photos by Hao-miao Zhang; (24) Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, Menglun Town, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, 16 May 2013; (25) same site, 13 September 2013.