Sieboldius (Sieboldius) alexanderi ( Chao 1955 )

Wilson, Keith Duncan Peter & Xu, Zaifu, 2009, Gomphidae of Guangdong & Hong Kong, China (Odonata: Anisoptera) 2177, Zootaxa 2177, pp. 1-62 : 52

Sieboldius (Sieboldius) alexanderi ( Chao 1955)

Figs. 26 (a–i)

Hagenius (Sieboldius) alexanderi Chao 1955 : Chao (1954: 73–76, figs 558–565, Fujian); Steinman (1997: 218).

Sieboldius (Hagenoides) alexanderi ( Chao 1955) : Carle (1986: 285); Bridges (1994: VII.65).

Sieboldius (Sieboldius) alexanderi ( Chao 1955) : Chao (1990: 404–405, figs 1–8, Fujian); Zhang (1999: 255, figs 24.84a– h, Fujian).

Sieboldius sp. (?). – Saito & Ogata (1995: 35, figs 55–58, ♀, Hong Kong).

Sieboldius alexanderi ( Chao 1955) : Wilson (1999: 40–41, ♂, Dinghushan , Guangdong) ; Zhang (1999: 255–256, figs 24.84ah, Fujian); Hua (2000: 12, Fujian); Fellowes et al. (2003a: 36, Guangdong: Longtanjiao, Nanling ) .

Specimens: 1 ♂, 3 vii 2000, Longtanjiao , Nanling, Guangdong, coll. KW ; 1 ♀ (photo), 21 v 2006, Wu Kau Tang , Hong Kong, leg. SS ; 1 ♀ (photo), Ha Miu Tin , Plover Cove Country Park, Hong Kong, 26 v 2006, leg. Mahler Ka.

Measurements: ♂, abd. + app. 68.0, app. 3.0, hw. 54.0.

Remarks: Carle (1986) erected subgenus Sieboldius (Hagenoides) , with S. alexanderi as type species, to receive Sieboldius species possessing superior appendages as long as S10 and with pterostigma lacking a brace vein. Sieboldius sensu stricto and the subgenus Pseudohagenius , the latter also erected by Carle (1986), both possess pterostigmata with proximal brace veins and superior appendages shorter than S10. Chao (1990) did not accept Carle's subgenus Hagenoides and described Sieboldius (Sieboldius) maai , which also possesses superior appendages as long as S10. Figs. 26a–g illustrate S. alexanderi from Guangdong. Fig. 26g shows the pterostigma of S. alexanderi hindwing lacking a brace vein. Fig. 26h is a reproduction of Chao's drawing of the female S. alexanderi subgenital plate which has vulvar scales separated by a v-shaped notch, whereas Saito & Ogata's (1995) illustration of a female collected from Sha Lo Tung, Hong Kong has vulvar scales separated by a notch more u-shaped in nature (cf Fig. 26i). But, Saito & Ogata (1995) also provided a photo of the Hong Kong female collected from Sha Lo Tung, which featured a synthoracic pattern identical to S. alexanderi . The notable characteristics of this pattern are yellow dorsal stripe not connected to the collar stripe and a yellow superior triangular-shaped stripe located on the upper metepisternum. Two photos taken of females in Hong Kong in 2006 and 2007 also feature this synthoracic pattern. There are five species of Sieboldius known from China. Sieboldius deflexus has a distinct brace vein and a yellow spot on the upper metepisternum reduced to a small isolated spot (see below and Fig. 26c). Sieboldius maai , known from Fujian and Zhejiang, has a dosal stripe connected to the collar stripe and females possess a subgenital plate with shallow vulvar scales, broadly divergent. Sieboldius albardae Selys is a northern Chinese species known from Hebei and Jilin and Japan, Korea and Russia. Needham (1930) described Sieboldius herculeus from a single female and his description is very similar to S. deflexus but with a more extensive yellow colour pattern (see remarks under S. deflexus below).

Distribution: China (Fujian, Guangdong & Hong Kong).