Protoneura viridis Westfall, 1964

Ellenrieder, Natalia Von & Garrison, Rosser W., 2017, A synopsis of the Neotropical genus Protoneura (Odonata: Coenagrionidae), Zootaxa 4361 (1), pp. 1-76 : 41-43

Protoneura viridis Westfall, 1964

Figs. 21 (♂ habitus), 45 (♀ habitus), 67 (♀ mes. plate), 93 (gen. lig.), 117 (♂ app.), 119 (map)

Protoneura viridis Westfall, 1964b: 111 –119; Figs. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 (description of ♂ and ♀ from Virgin Islands, illustrations thorax, ♀ mesostigmal plates, and ♂ S10, diagnosis from P. capillaris );— Paulson (1982: 260; Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands);— Daigle (1996: 13; Dominican Republic);— Rehn (2003: 212; in phylogenetic analysis);— Flint et al. (2006: 73; Dominican Republic);—Trapero-Quintana & Naranjo-López (2004: 180; in key for Cuba);—Trapero- Quintana et al. (2004: 17, Cuba, notes on biology);— Westfall & May (2006: 431, 433–435, 441, 442, Figs. 225C, 226D; in key to northern representatives of genus, characterization of adults, illustrations of ♂ S10, ♀ pronotum and mesostigmal plates);— Trapero-Quintana & Torres-Cambas (2008: 26; Cuba);— Garrison et al. (2010: 379);— Meurgey (2013: 300, 306, 326; distribution).

Protoneura capillaris nec Rambur, 1842 — Kolbe (1888: 165, 170; Puerto Rico); — Calvert (1909: 212; Jamaica);— Gowdey (1926: 2; Jamaica);— Klots (1932: 9, 80–82, pl. 1, fig. 13; Jamaica and Puerto Rico, illustration of Fw);— Misidentifications.

Protonenia [sic] capillaris nec Rambur, 1842 — Carpenter (1896: 261; Jamaica) —Misidentification.

Primary types. Holotype ♂. Virgin Islands, St. John , L’Esperance, 20 vi 1961, T.W. Donnelly leg. [ FSCA # 656 ].

Specimens examined. 90 ♂ 29 ♀: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, Peravia Prov. : 1 ♂, Bani, 15 km N on El Recondo Road , along small partially shaded gently flowing stream, 2–5 feet wide and 2 feet deep with fish {18°20' N, 70°27' W , 70 m}, 29 vi 1999, F.C. Sibley leg. [ FSCA]; La Vega Prov. : 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (in tandem), Maimón River and tributary, 5 km NE of Piedra Blanca, 30 v 1991, S.W. Dunkle leg. [ FSCA] ; 4 ♂ 1 ♀ (in tandem), small shaded stream and pasture with small wet areas, 19.5 km NE of Jarabacoa (19°17'27'' N, 70°36'6'' W, 200 m), 3 viii 1983, R.W. Garrison leg. [RWG] ; 1 ♂, Jarabacoa {19°6' N, 70°36' W}, 4 vi 1969, O.S. Flint, Jr. & J. Gomez leg. [ USNM]; Dajabón Prov. : 1 ♂ 1 ♀, Villa Anacaona (19°15' N, 71°42' W), 3 vi 1986, R. Miller & L. Stange leg. [ FSCA]; San Cristobal Prov. : 8 ♂ 2 ♀ (in copula), Cumu River , 14 km E of Puerto Plata {19°11'53'' N, 70°37'27'' W, 21 m}, 18 v 1995, O.S. Flint, Jr. leg. [ USNM] ; 9 ♂ 5 ♀ (3 pairs in copula), El Seibo, Quisibani River, E of El Seibo, road to Rincón Chavón {18°45'15'' N, 68°55'43'' W, 100 m}, 12 v 1995, O.S. Flint, Jr. leg. [ USNM] ; 12 ♂, El Seibo, 6 km E of El Seibo, near junction route 4 and road to El Cuey (18°44'44'' N, 68°59'14'' W, 120 m), 12 v 1995, O.S. Flint, Jr. leg. [ USNM] ; 18 ♂, La Toma , N of San Cristobal {18°30' N, 70°12' W}, 9–10 vi 1969, O.S. Flint & J. Gomez leg. [ USNM] ; 1 ♂ 1 ♀, tributary of Haina River, just N of Villa Altagracia on Autopista Duarte, at Los Arbolitos tree farm, rive and slough ponds {18°40' N, 70°10' W , 156 m}, 29 v 1991, S.W. Dunkle leg. [FSCA]; Distrito Nacional: 2 ♂, Arroyo Bermejo, 4 km N NE of Hatillo & Autopista Duarte (18°36'2'' N, 70°6'16'' W, 90 m), 27 viii 1980, R.W. Garrison leg. [RWG] ; 10 ♂ 3 ♀, same data but 14 iv 1981, J.A. Garrison & R.W. Garrison leg. [RWG] ; 2 ♂ 1 ♀, same data but [ CSCA] ; 1 ♂, same data but [ UMMZ] ; 1 ♂, same data but 29 vi 1984 [RWG] ; 3 ♂ 3 ♀ (in tandem), same data but small clear rocky stream, 3 vi 1989, S.W. Dunkle leg. [ FSCA] ; 1 ♂, about 2 km E Berrio (18°35'49'' N, 70°9'10'' W, 70 m), 10 viii 2001, D.E. Perez-Gelabert leg. [ USNM] ; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (in tandem), Isabela River , 2.5 km NNE of Hatillo /Autopista Duarte, rocky river with deep pools (18°35'45'' N, 70°6'9'' W, 70 m), 4 vi 1989, S.W. Dunkle leg. [RWG] ; 1 ♂ 1 ♀, same data but [ FSCA] ; 1 ♂ 1 ♀, same data but J.J. Daigle leg. [RWG]. VIRGIN ISLANDS, St. John : 1 ♂, L'Esperance {18°26' N, 64°34' W}, 4–5 ix 1966, T.W. Donnelly leg. [RWG] ; 3 ♂ 3 ♀ (paratypes), same data but 18–20 vi 1961, T.W. Donnelly leg. [ FSCA]; St. Thomas : 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (paratypes, in copula), Turpentine run at Donoe {18°20'12'' N, 64°53'51'' W, 75 m}, 28 viii 1956, T.W. Donnelly leg. [ FSCA]. PUERTO RICO, Río Piedras Municipality : 1 ♂ (paratype), Río Piedras (18°23'58'' N, 66°3'1'' W, 28 m), 19 xii 1940, J. Garcia-Diaz leg. [ FSCA]; Río Grande Municipality : 1 ♀, Bosque Experimental Luquillo, Campamento Elisa Colberg by highway 186, Caribbean National Forest (18°20'28'' N, 65°49'43'' W, 200 m), 8 vi 1982, R.W. Garrison leg. [RWG] ; 1 ♂, small stream on Hwy 186 near Hwy 187 (18°22'21'' N, 65°49'48'' W, 11 m), 10 xii 2016, N. von Ellenrieder leg. [ CSCA]; Mayagüez Municipality : 1 ♂, Arroyo de Oro , past zoological stations, just N of Mayagüez (18°12'11'' N, 67°8'24'' W, 48 m), 31 viii 1980, R.W. Garrison & J.A. Garrison leg. [RWG] ; 1 ♀ (paratype), Mayagüez, stream above ponds at Agricultural Experiment Station , 11 viii 1963, T.W. Donnelly leg. [ FSCA] ; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (paratype), same data but [ USNM] ; 1 ♀, Mayagues , 9– 15 ix 1975, J.D. Chinea leg. [ FSCA] ; 1 ♂, same data but 25 xi 1975 [ FSCA]. JAMAICA, Kingston Parish : 1 ♂, Kingston {18°0' N, 76°48' W , 53 m}, W. J. Fox leg. [ ANSP]; St. Thomas Parish: 1 ♂, about 3 mi E of Bath {17°57' N, 76°30' W , 55 m}, 15 viii 1960, M.J. Westfall, Jr. & P. Drummond leg. [FSCA].

Characterization. Male: Epicranium, dorsum of thorax, and S1–3 metallic green with purple reflections, S4– 10 brown; S3–6 with small basal pale yellow spots and S7 with pale dorsal spot on basal half; pale colors pale yellow ( Fig. 21). Pronotum metallic green with lateral margins pale yellow. Mesepisternum metallic green; mesepimeron metallic green with two small distal pale yellow spots along mesepisternal-mesepimeral suture; metepisternum pale yellow margined dorsally and posteriorly by green; metepimeron pale yellow. Outer surface of leg pale yellow with tips of femur, tibia, and tarsi dark; tibial spurs shorter than twice intervening spaces. Genital ligula lacking lateral lobes and with a straight distal margin, with laterodistal corners of distal segment projected ventrally ( Fig. 93). Cercus longer than S10 length, about as long as paraproct, longer than wide in lateral view, with a longitudinal split along dorsal portion of external surface, delimiting a medial sclerotized branch which ends on a strong tooth directed medioventrally, preceded by a smaller subapical pointed tooth ( Fig. 117a); remainder of cercus foliaceous, medially concave, with a small triangular tooth at ventrobasal edge, and a long, curved thick pointed tooth at mediobasal edge directed medioposteriorly ( Figs. 117b, c). Paraproct longer than S10 length, at midlength narrowing to half its basal width and with tip widened and medially concave ( Fig. 117). TL 35–39.5; Hw 16–17.

Female: As male but dark areas metallic green with copper reflections; no pale spot on S7; posterior lobe of pronotum yellow; mesepimeron mostly green with yellow limited to ventroposterior edge; metepisternum yellow margined dorsally and posteriorly by green; pale lateral area of S9 extended along posterior half of segment almost to dorsum midline. Middle lobe of pronotum with pronounced lateral depressions; posterior lobe directed anterodorsally, entire and smoothly convex (Figs. 67a, c). Mesostigmal plate upright with anterior surface concave, posterior surface slightly convex, and dorsal margin narrowly carinated laterally, almost touching opposite plate anteromedially; paired adjacent mesepisternal cylindrical tubercles almost as high as mesostigmal plates located between their posteromedial corners (Figs. 67b, d). TL 33.5–37; Hw 18–20.

Diagnosis. Male cercus morphology, with a medial sclerotized branch which ends on a tooth directed medioventrally and remainder of cercus foliaceous, medially concave, with a small triangular tooth on outer ventrobasal edge, and a long, curved thick pointed tooth at medial ventrobasal edge directed medially ( Fig. 117), is shared with P. caligata , P. capillaris , P. dunklei and P. sanguinipes ( Figs. 100; 102; 106; 113). Within this group, P. viridis resembles P. caligata and P. capillaris by the medial sclerotized branch of male cercus ending on a tooth directed medioventrally located at cercus tip ( Figs. 100; 102; 117) and by distal margin of genital ligula straight with laterodistal corners projected ventrally ( Figs. 74; 76; 93); in P. dunklei and P. sanguinipes the medial branch ends on a broad triangular tip located at about midlength of cercus ( Figs. 106; 113), and distal margin of genital ligula is convex triangular with laterodistal corners not projected ventrally ( Figs. 80; 87). Protoneura viridis differs from males of all four species by pale yellow outer surface of legs with only tips of femora, tibiae, and tarsi dark ( Fig. 21); legs have pale colors blue or orange-red in the other species ( Figs. 4; 6; 10; 17), and by subapical tooth on cercus medial margin preceding long distal tooth ( Fig. 117b vs. Figs. 100b; 102b; 106b; 113b). Female mesostigmal plates and adjacent cylindrical mesepisternal tubercles between their posteromedial corners resemble those of P. ailsa , P. romanae , and P. capillaris , but differ by the slightly convex posterior surface of the plates in lateral view (Fig. 67b), which is concave in the first two species, and the anterior surface slightly concave, which is markedly convex in P. capillaris (Fig. 52a).

Habitat and biology. Adults were found on shaded areas near some trees at a small sluggish ditch flowing through open fields in Jamaica, and mating and laying eggs in a series of seepage pools with tufa sides and gravel and mud bed with abundant fallen leaves, under which larvae were also found, in the Virgin Islands ( Westfall 1964b). In Cuba (Trapero-Quintana et al. 2004), adults were observed perching in the shade on branches of shoreline bushes overhanging rivers and flying close to water’s surface in backwater areas, between 11:00 and 12:00.

Distribution. Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands ( Fig. 119).