Notogomphus kimpavita Dijkstra & Clausnitzer

Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B., Kipping, Jens & Mézière, Nicolas, 2015, Sixty new dragonfly and damselfly species from Africa (Odonata), Odonatologica 44 (4), pp. 447-678 : 578-580

Notogomphus kimpavita Dijkstra & Clausnitzer sp. nov. – Angola Longleg

(Type Photo 35, Photo 48, Figs 19, 20)

Taxonomy

Morphologically and genetically nearest to N. praetorius (Selys, 1878) and assumed to be its sister-species, but easily separated on details.

Material studied

Holotype ♂. RMNH.INS.508370 , Angola, Uíge Province, 8 km W of Uíge, new university campus site, Cazenga stream below confluence of Cassanga, NE of Cunga-Quiximba , murky stream in farmbush and forest remnants, 789 m a.s.l. (7.6060 ° S 14.9913 ° E), 23 -xi- 2012, leg. K.-D.B. Dijkstra, RMNH . Further material. ANGOLA (Uíge Province): 1 ♀ ( RMNH.INS.508331 ), locality as holotype, 19 -xi- 2012, leg. V. Clausnitzer & K.-D.B. Dijkstra, RMNH . 1 ♂ ( RMNH.INS.508342 ), same locality, 21 -xi- 2012, leg. K.-D.B. Dijkstra, RMNH . 1 ♂ ( RMNH.INS.508291 ), 2 ♀ ( RMNH.INS.508292 ), 9 km W of Uíge, new university campus site, Cazenga stream SW of Cunga-Quiximba , large murky stream in farmbush, 789 m a.s.l. (7.6196 ° S 14.9754 ° E), 16 -xi- 2012, leg. V. Clausnitzer & K.-D.B. Dijkstra, RMNH .

Genetics

Three unique haplotypes (n= 5) nearest to N. praetorius .

Male morphological diagnosis

Shares only with N. praetorius (a) the dark smudges below the crest of the frons, which however may be absent in either species; (b) the dark streak on the metepisternum abutting but separate from the interpleural markings; (c)the strongly diverging cerci bent inward at their finely pointed apices; and also falls within that species’ size-range of Hw 29.0–33.0 mm (n = 5) with (d) Hw 31.5–32.5 mm (n = 3). However is much darker, mainly black with green markings rather than yellow marked with black, including (1)the largely green face with a dark anterior border to the labrum, a distinctive pattern within the genus; (2) the pale postdorsal stripes shifted middorsally and the ante-humeral stripes narrower, leaving a much broader black area between them; (3) the thick and nearly complete black interpleural stripe running anteriorly of the metastigma ( Fig. 20); (4) the largely black rath- er than yellow-streaked femora and tibiae; (5) the black rather than yellow costa; and (6) the largely black abdomen with only S 1–2 extensively green, rather than all segments with broad lateral and dorsal yellow stripes over their full lengths. Morphologically distinct by (7) the medially clearly raised and pointed border of the occiput ( Fig. 20); (8) the large ventro-lateral tooth of the cerci, rather than a round swelling and reduced tooth; and (9) the reduced paraprocts falling short of the epiproct, rather than extended into acute points that reach clearly beyond it ( Fig. 19).

Etymology

Named after Kimpa Vita, name-giver and patron saint of Universidade Kimpa Vita, on whose new campus grounds the species was discovered (noun in apposition).

Range and ecology

Known with certainty from somewhat forested streams at about 790 m a.s.l. in northern Angola near Uíge ( Photo 48), but seen near Negage at 1 123 m and possibly near Ndalatando at 612 m about 185 km south. The species is not yet known to overlap with its sister-species N. praetorius , which occurs from southern Angola to Katanga , Malawi and South Africa ( Map 8).