taxonID	type	description	language	source
DF1E87CEFF9EFFF0FF4278C42798FA2B.taxon	description	1 ♂ (IBC-CD 212), Manjadininnavila, Aryanad Grama Panchayat, Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala, India (8.6195 ° N, 77.1058 ° E, 115 m a. s. l.), 5. viii. 2024, Reji Chandran leg. 1 ♂ (IBC-CD 213), Manjadininnavila, Aryanad Grama Panchayat, Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala, India (8.6195 ° N, 77.1058 ° E, 115 m a. s. l.), 5. viii. 2024, Reji Chandran leg. 1 ♂ (IBC-CD 214), Manjadininnavila, Aryanad Grama Panchayat, Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala, India (8.6195 ° N, 77.1058 ° E, 115 m a. s. l.), 5. viii. 2024, Reji Chandran leg. 1 ♀ (IBC-CD 215), Manjadininnavila, Aryanad Grama Panchayat, Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala, India (8.6195 ° N, 77.1058 ° E, 115 m a. s. l.), 5. viii. 2024, Reji Chandran leg. 1 ♀ (IBC-CD 216), Manjadininnavila, Aryanad Grama Panchayat, Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala, India (8.6195 ° N, 77.1058 ° E, 115 m a. s. l.), 5. viii. 2024, Reji Chandran leg.	en	Haneef, Koolikkunnu Abdul Razak Muhammed, Chandran, Ayikkara Vivek, Sawant, Dattaprasad, Beevi, Yousuf Pachani Maimoonath, Koparde, Pankaj, Kunte, Krushnamegh (2025): Description of Protosticta sooryaprakashi sp. nov. (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae) from the Western Ghats, India. Zootaxa 5723 (3): 359-383, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5723.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5723.3.3
DF1E87CEFF9EFFF0FF427EDC2547F94B.taxon	description	1 ♂ (IBC-CD 230), Lakkidi, Wayanad District, Kerala, India (11.5159 ° N, 76.03934 ° E, 872 m a. s. l.), 9. ix. 2024, A. Vivek Chandran leg. 1 ♂ (IBC-CD 258), Periya, Wayanad District, Kerala, India (11.82166 ° N, 75.81675 ° E, 885 m a. s. l.), 23. iii. 2025, A. Vivek Chandran leg.	en	Haneef, Koolikkunnu Abdul Razak Muhammed, Chandran, Ayikkara Vivek, Sawant, Dattaprasad, Beevi, Yousuf Pachani Maimoonath, Koparde, Pankaj, Kunte, Krushnamegh (2025): Description of Protosticta sooryaprakashi sp. nov. (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae) from the Western Ghats, India. Zootaxa 5723 (3): 359-383, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5723.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5723.3.3
DF1E87CEFF9EFFF1FF427C3C26ABFE8D.taxon	description	1 ♂ (IBC-CD 342), Vanoshi, Dodamarg Taluka, Sindhudurg District, Maharashtra, India (15.7225 ° N, 73.9790 ° E, 21 m a. s. l.), 11. viii. 2024, Abhishek Rane leg. 1 ♂ (IBC-BN 825), Papdi, Nene village, Sindhudurg District, Maharashtra, India (15.9247 ° N, 74.0245 ° E, 776 m a. s. l.), 10. vi. 2021, Hemant Ogale leg. 1 ♀ (IBC-CD 344), Vanoshi, Dodamarg Taluka, Sindhudurg District, Maharashtra, India (15.7225 ° N, 73.9790 ° E, 21 m a. s. l.), 11. viii. 2024, Abhishek Rane leg. 1 ♀ (IBC-CD 345), Vanoshi, Dodamarg Taluka, Sindhudurg District, Maharashtra, India (15.7225 ° N, 73.9790 ° E, 21 m a. s. l.), 11. viii. 2024, Abhishek Rane leg.	en	Haneef, Koolikkunnu Abdul Razak Muhammed, Chandran, Ayikkara Vivek, Sawant, Dattaprasad, Beevi, Yousuf Pachani Maimoonath, Koparde, Pankaj, Kunte, Krushnamegh (2025): Description of Protosticta sooryaprakashi sp. nov. (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae) from the Western Ghats, India. Zootaxa 5723 (3): 359-383, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5723.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5723.3.3
DF1E87CEFF9FFFF4FF427AA6203FFA51.taxon	materials_examined	Holotype. 1 ♂ (IBC-CD 297), Koyanadu, Sampaje Grama Panchayat, Kodagu District (= formerly Coorg), Karnataka, India (12.4799 ° N, 75.5814 ° E, 164 m a. s. l.), 30. v. 2025, K. A. Muhammed Haneef leg. Paratypes. 1 ♂ (IBC-CD 300), the location, date of collection, collector same as holotype; 1 ♀ (IBC-CD 301), the location, date of collection, collector same as holotype. Other material. 1 ♂ (WGODO 185), Agumbe, Shivamogga District, Karnataka, India (13.5186 ° N, 75.0904 ° E, 670 m a. s. l.), 10. vi. 2022, Pankaj Koparde leg.	en	Haneef, Koolikkunnu Abdul Razak Muhammed, Chandran, Ayikkara Vivek, Sawant, Dattaprasad, Beevi, Yousuf Pachani Maimoonath, Koparde, Pankaj, Kunte, Krushnamegh (2025): Description of Protosticta sooryaprakashi sp. nov. (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae) from the Western Ghats, India. Zootaxa 5723 (3): 359-383, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5723.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5723.3.3
DF1E87CEFF9FFFF4FF427AA6203FFA51.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The species epithet sooryaprakashi is a latinised noun of Sooryaprakash in genitive case, honouring late Dr. Sooryaprakash Shenoy. He was an eminent botanist and the Head Scientist of the Botany Division at the Dr. Shivaram Karanth Nisargadhama (biological park) in Pilikula, Karnataka, India. He is widely regarded for his dedicated efforts towards biodiversity conservation in the Western Ghats. Proposed English name. Kodagu Shadowdamsel. This vernacular name is coined to honour the rich biodiversity of Kodagu and surrounding region of the Western Ghats of Karnataka State, India.	en	Haneef, Koolikkunnu Abdul Razak Muhammed, Chandran, Ayikkara Vivek, Sawant, Dattaprasad, Beevi, Yousuf Pachani Maimoonath, Koparde, Pankaj, Kunte, Krushnamegh (2025): Description of Protosticta sooryaprakashi sp. nov. (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae) from the Western Ghats, India. Zootaxa 5723 (3): 359-383, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5723.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5723.3.3
DF1E87CEFF9FFFF4FF427AA6203FFA51.taxon	description	Description of holotype male IBC-CD 297 (Figs. 1 – 2). Head (Fig. 1 a – b). Labium brown; labrum, anteclypeus, base of mandible bluish white; mandible, postclypeus black; frons brown to dark brown; occiput dark brown to black; ocelli dark brown; postocular area brown; antennae pale brown. Eyes bottle green with a thick brown horizontal band in the middle in life, darker post-mortem with obscured middle band. Thorax. Prothorax (Fig. 1 d – e). Brown in life with prominent sky-blue marking on middle lobe extending to posterior lobe. Post-mortem, all lobes brown; anterior lobe everted, paler on side, dark in the middle; middle lobe with lateral faded sky-blue mark on each side, dark brown at centre, protuberance on each posterolateral aspect; posterior lobe dark brown with central black marking, posterior border of posterior lobe slightly expanded. Pterothorax (Fig. 1 f – g). Ground colour dark brown. Mesostigmal plates and mid-dorsal carina black; medial two thirds of mesepisternum iridescent olive, lateral one-third dark brown, anterolaterally the iridescent olive band is lined by narrow brown mark; mesepimeron dark brown lined with pale brown inferiorly; upper half of metepisternum bluish white, lower half medium brown; metepimeron bluish white in life, pale yellow post-mortem with medium brown of lower metepisternum diffusing in upper part; metapleural suture black. Mesinfraepisternum medium to dark brown, pale towards coxa; metinfraepisternum and ventral thorax pale yellow. Legs. Coxae pale yellow. Femora pale yellowish brown with dark brown line on extensor surface. Tibiae and tarsi pale brown; tibio-femoral joints, spines dark brown. Wings (Fig. 2 a). Hyaline; venation dark brown to black; Pt reddish brown, trapezoid, lined by narrow white streak, covering one cell; a very small indentation on the posterior border of wing apex. 2 Ax in all wings. 13 Px in both FW, 12 Px in both HW. Abdomen (Fig. 1 c). Medium brown to black with bluish white markings. S 1 – 2 dark brown, anterolaterally bluish white, ventrally pale brown; S 3 medium brown with obscure bluish white annular mark at anterior end, black posteriorly, pale brown laterally; S 4 – 5 medium to dark brown with broad bluish white marks at anterior end, black posteriorly; S 6 – 7 dark brown to black with broad bluish white marks at anterior end; S 8 black with bluish white mark covering anterior three fourth and separated by a thick black band on dorsum; S 9 – 10 black without any markings. S 8 gradually broadens towards posterior end, then again narrows down from S 9. S 10 very short. Accessory genitalia (Fig. 2 b – e). Lamina depressed. Anterior hamuli broad with blunt ends. Posterior hamuli short, covered with setae. Vesica spermalis elongated. Proximal segment of genital ligula blackish brown ventrally, pale dorsally, with setae on lateral sides. Middle segment brown, short. Apical segment flattened, spatula-shaped, pale yellow to amber, with two filaments ending with an elongated triangular expansion having pointed apex resembling a duck’s head. The upper corners of apical segment are blunt. Middle projection is broad. Caudal appendages (Fig. 2 f – h). Dark brown to black. Cerci approximately two and half the length of S 10, bears a sharp prominent spine at anterior one-third, upper border of spine making ~ 160 ° angle with the cerci. The cerci apex is pale brown, broad, flattened and ending with pincer-like tip resembling thumb and fingers shape. The inner fork is short, blunt, with upper border rounded at base and straight near apex, resembling thumb. The outer fork is slightly longer, with a shallow notch and bilobed apex, the inner lobe is bigger than the outer lobe. The dorsal surface of the cerci apex does not bear any tubercle. Paraprocts black, curved inwards, almost reaching the outer fork of the cerci, broad at base, tapering towards apex; apex sharply pointed. Measurements. Abdomen without appendages 35; HW 20; total length 42.5. Variation in male (Figs. 3 – 4). Paratype IBC-CD 300 has preserved sky blue markings on middle lobe of prothorax. Lateral one-third of mesepisternum is brown. The apical segment of genital ligula has slightly pointed upper corners (Fig. 4 e – f). It has 14 Px in both FW and 13 Px in both HW. Rest of the characters are identical to the holotype. Measurements. Abdomen without appendages 35; HW 21; total length 42. Description of paratype female IBC-CD 301 (Figs. 5 – 6). Head (Fig. 5 a – b). Similar to male, except the labrum, anteclypeus being more vivid blue and overall darker colouration; horizontal median brown band across the eye broader. Thorax. Prothorax (Fig. 5 d – e). Similar to male except darker colouration. Anterior lobe is everted. Sky blue mark on middle lobe is well preserved. Posterior lobe has expanded posterior margin. Pterothorax (Fig. 5 f – g). Similar to male. Legs. Coxae, femora, tibiae and tarsi pale yellow; narrow brown streak on extensor surface of femora; tibio-femoral joint and spines dark brown. Wings (Fig. 6 a). Hyaline; venation dark brown to black; Pt brown, trapezoid, covering one cell. 2 Ax in all wings. 14 Px in both FW, 13 Px in both HW. Abdomen (Figs 5 c, 6 e – f). Medium brown to black with bluish white markings. S 1 – 2 dorsally medium brown, ventrally pale blue; S 3 – 4 medium brown, bluish white at anterior end and middle of ventrolateral part, black at posterior end; S 5 – 6 dark brown, bluish white marks at anterior end; S 7 black on dorsum, with an anterolateral, posteriorly narrower bluish-white mark, covering the anterior three-fourth; S 8 – 10 black, without any markings. S 1 – 8 are of equal breadth, S 9 slightly bulkier, S 10 very short. Caudal appendages (Fig. 6 b – d). Cerci black, conical, approximately as long as S 10, cerci apex blunt, directed posteriorly. Paraprocts very short and globular. Vulvar scale dark brown to black, robust, extending beyond the abdomen. Measurements. Abdomen without appendages 22; HW 16; total length 27.	en	Haneef, Koolikkunnu Abdul Razak Muhammed, Chandran, Ayikkara Vivek, Sawant, Dattaprasad, Beevi, Yousuf Pachani Maimoonath, Koparde, Pankaj, Kunte, Krushnamegh (2025): Description of Protosticta sooryaprakashi sp. nov. (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae) from the Western Ghats, India. Zootaxa 5723 (3): 359-383, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5723.3.3, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5723.3.3
