Palaemnema lorae Jocque & Garrison, 2022

Jocque, Merlijn & Garrison, Rosser, 2022, Dragonflies of Cusuco National Park, Honduras; checklist, new country records and the description of a new species of Palaemnema Selys, 1860 (Odonata: Platystictidae), Zootaxa 5188 (5), pp. 453-476 : 457

8. Palaemnema lorae Jocque & Garrison , n. sp.

Figs. 2–4, 6–10

Holotype ♂: HONDURAS: Cortés Dept., CNP, Cantiles, Trail 5, small river close to camp, N15.513457 W88.241681; 1846m, 23 June 2012 collected by Merlijn Jocque, field code: BINCO _HON_12_047 ( RBINS).

Paratypes: same data but: 20 June 2013, 1♂ ; same data but: 4 August 2013, 1♂ ; same data but: 30 July 2015, 1♂ ; same data but: 9 June 2017, 1♂ ; Cortecito camp, N15.521825 W88.288277, 1363m, 29 June 2011, collected by Merlijn Jocque, 1♂ ; field codes: BINCO _HON_11_029, BINCO _HON_13_038-039, BINCO _HON_15_051, BINCO _HON_17_007 ( RWG); El Danto camp, Tr 4, CNP, Honduras, N15.53593 W88.2854, 1481m, 28 June 2014, collected by Merlijn Jocque, 2♂♂ ; field codes: BINCO _HON_14_091-092 (MJ).

Etymology: Named lorae (Latinized name) after Lore Geeraert, friend of the senior author who contributed to the study of dragonflies in CNP and in honor of her love for all living things and the rainforest.

Description of holotype (colors not well preserved, Fig. 2 )

Head: labium ivory white with tips of median and lateral lobes and movable hook becoming black; maxilla palp ivory white, maxillary palps black; labrum pale margined apically in black; genae, clypeus and base of mandibles pale; antefrons pale, postfrons pale margined basally with black; remainder of head black with metallic reflections and with an obscure brown spot laterad to lateral ocellus; rear of head entirely black; transverse occipital carina present but poorly developed, its lateral extremity not angular or pronounced but merging with remainder of occipital lobe.

Thorax. Prothorax black dorsally, lateral portion of middle lobe pale; propleuron black; most of mesepisterum including dorsal carina black, merging above with black on mesepisternum, pale antehumeral stripe narrow, enlarged basally and narrowing dorsally and ending before antealar sinus; posterior half of mesepimeron and anterior half of metepisternum pale; broad black metepleural stripe present, its posterior margin of varied outline, an obscure pale spot just below antealar carina and anterior to obsolete mesopleural suture ( Figs. 2, 6 ), venter of thorax ivory; coxae and trochanters ivory (possibly blue in life); femora pale but darkened apically, protibia largely black; meso- and metatibiae mostly pale with obscure dark areas along margins; tarsi and armature black.

Wings hyaline, venation ( Fig. 8 , paratype) black; pterostigma elongate, rhomboid, brown, surmounting 1 ¾ cells in all wings; Px Fw: 19/20, Hw 18/17; RP 2 at Fw 8/8, Hw: 7/7; IR 1 at Fw 10/9, Hw 9/9; MP ending at level origin of IR 1 in Fw, 2.5 cells distal to origin of IR 1 in Hw.

Abdomen including appendages black except for obscure lateral basal rings on S4–7 ( Figs. 2–4 ).

Genital ligula ( Fig. 9 ) of type B of Calvert (1931). Cercus ( Fig. 9 ) semicircular armed above with a small dorsal tooth at 0.5 of appendage length, apex of cercus entire; paraproct semicircular, about ¾ length of cercus, the distal 0.50 laminar, concave medially, its tip ending in a simple medially directed unmodified spine.

Dimensions: Hw 33, abdomen 48, total length 57.

Variation in paratypes: Extent of black on mesepimeron varies with two males with entire mesepimeron black ( Fig. 7 ). Px Fw: 20–21; Hw: 18–20; RP 2 at Fw 6–8, Hw: 7; IR 1 at Fw 9–11, Hw 8–9; Hw: 32–35; Abdomen:48– 51.

Diagnosis: A large species (56–60mm) with pale colors most likely blue in life ( Fig. 3 ) with tip of paraproct ending in a simple acute tip ( Fig. 9 ). Male of P. lorae is larger than any known congener with the exception of P. gigantula Calvert, 1931 . However, in the latter species the wings are comparatively shorter with the Hw extending about midway to S5 ( Fig. 5 ) compared to about midway to S 6 in P. lorae ( Fig. 2 ). S8–10 are primarily blue in P. gigantula but entirely black in P. lorae . Male of P. lorae keys in Calvert (1931) to couplet OO (Abdominal segment nine black) then to P. carmelita Ris, 1918 (RR. Superior appendages with apex not excised, superior tooth at 0.48– 0.53 of appendage length; basal tooth of inferiors at a most blunt or triangular tubercle; penis form B; mesepimeron and metepisternum obscure bronze violet) but differs from that species as follows: (contrasting characters for P. carmelita in parentheses): Narrow pale antehumeral stripe present (absent); tip of paraproct ending in a simple medially directed unmodified spine (ending in a spatulate tooth with a shallow apical notch, Fig. 11 , enlarged and redrawn from Kennedy, 1938). All examined specimens of P. lorae were preserved in ETOH upon capture and, over time, color pattern became obscured upon drying. Some specimens (including holotype) also suffered thoracic pressure distortions resulting in buckling of the venter of the thorax.

Biology: Palaemnema lorae was observed within an elevational range of 1363‒1846m along fast flowing crystal-clear forest streams. Forest was mostly lower montane rain forest. Damselflies were observed moving around during brief moments of sunshine penetrating the often-cloudy environment. Otherwise, a gentle beating of the vegetation close to the river edges could trigger movement of individuals. This species is thus far known only from the type locality where it was rare.

Figures

FIGURES 2‒7. Palemnema lorae n. sp. holotype male (2‒4, 6), Palaemnema gigantula Calvert (5), habitus, lateral view (2, 3, 5), S8‒10 lateral view (4), Head, thorax, S1‒2 lateral view (6,7).

FIGURES 8‒11. Palemnema lorae n. sp. (8‒10), Palaemnema carmeleta Calvert (11), Wings, paratype male (8), male caudal appendages (9), genital ligula (10), Tip of right paraproct, modified from Kennedy 1938 (11).