Epigomphus

Novelo-Gutiérrez, Rodolfo, Gómez-Anaya, José Antonio & Smith-Gómez, Sergio Alejandro, 2015, Description of the larva of Epigomphus crepidus Kennedy, 1936 (Odonata: Gomphidae), Zootaxa 4027 (4), pp. 587-592 : 588

Diagnosis of Epigomphus larvae

Although larvae of only four species of Epigomphus have been adequately described, they show consistent features permitting a preliminary diagnosis as follows: Medium size (19−27.5 mm total length), body robust, slightly flattened dorso-ventrally, margins of antennae setose; legs, thorax and abdomen light yellow-brown to yellow-brown with S10, caudal appendages and middle third of tergites and sternites 6−9 reddish-brown; antennae 4-segmented covered with minute scale-like setae, 3rd antennomere largest, spindle-shaped to claviform, with or without small, regularly spaced, circular structures close to margins, 4th antennomere small, subspherical; anterior margin of frons concave; mandibles with molar crest; prementum subrectangular, its lateral margins straight and parallel with setae on apical half or slightly convex, not parallel with or without setae, lacking a longitudinal, central sulcus on ventral surface; ligula poorly developed, convex, with 8−13 small, truncate teeth not reaching sides, and a row of piliform setae covering entire ligula; lobe of labial palp rounded apically, smooth or finely serrate at tip, internal border almost linear, with 9−13 small, truncate teeth, external surface with short or long setae; movable hook shorter, as long as or slightly shorter than palp. Prothorax slightly narrower than head, lateral margins of pronotum convex and bulging, with a large, subquadrate glabrous area on each side of midline; legs short, strongly setose, burrowing hooks moderately developed, tarsal formula 2-2-3; wing pads strongly divergent, scarcely surpassing anterior margin of S4. Abdomen spindle-shaped, lacking dorsal protuberances, lateral margins serrate on S5–9, S6−10, S7−9 or S8−9, ending in acute spines parallel or divergent to body axis on S6–9 or S7−9, S10 short, sunken into S9; caudal appendages subequal or epiproct slightly longer, external margins concave, tips of cerci and paraprocts acute and divergent. Male gonapophyses lacking, female gonapophyses vestigial. Sternites 2 and 9 divided into 3 plates, 3–8 into 5 plates.