Indosticta

Tol, Van, 2016, Taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of the Platystictidae of Sri Lanka (Insecta: Odonata), Zootaxa 4182 (1), pp. 1-80 : 77

Indosticta Bedjanič gen. nov.

Figs 180−187 , 188−190 ; Map 10.

Type species. Platysticta deccanensis Laidlaw, 1915 , by present designation.

Description. Large damselflies, with general characteristics of the family Platystictidae . Thorax dark brown to brick red on dorsum and sides, changing to golden yellow lower on sides and pale yellow beneath. In females only, thorax marked with narrow azure blue antehumeral stripes, convex inward and not extending to upper part of thorax, a second light blue stripe on mesepimeron. Anterior lobe of prothorax white in both sexes, only slightly brown distally. Paired bulges of median prothoracic lobe evenly rounded, posterior margin of posterior prothoracic lobe gently and evenly upturned, with a thickened dark brown margin. Abdomen dark brown to black dorsally, with azure blue markings on dorsum of S8 and S 9 in male and with a large oval pale blue lateral spot on each side of S 9 in female. Superior anal appendages of male broad at base, constricted at about the middle, with a robust obtuse spine dorsally on inner side, then broadened and somewhat spatulate in apical half, which is curled down and hollowed out. Inferior anal appendages nearly as long as superior pair, broad at base, then tapered as far as apex, which ends in an obtuse inward turned point. Terminal segment of genital ligula divided into a pair of horns apically, with cleft between them wide and straight. Ligula widened at base of horns. Horns short, less than half length of segment, ending in a short bifid structure. Wings closed when at rest, long, narrow, hyaline to palely enfumed in older animals and females, but never with distinct dark coloured apices. Forewings with 17 − 21 Px and hindwings with 16½ − 19 Px. Two Ax crossveins and one pcv vein. Y vein shortly stalked. Discoidal cell elongate, with costal border about four times as long as proximal border. Arculus distal to Ax2, R4+5 well proximal to subnodus. Vein IR3 markedly zigzagged in middle of wings, separates from R4+5 at level of first crossvein distal to arculus. Vein R3 originates in proximal half of wing at level of Px 4 − 5. Vein IR2 also markedly zigzagged. CuP reaching hind margin of forewing at level between Px 4 − 5, in hindwing approximately at level of Px 5 − 6. Number of cells between Arc and place where CuP meets hind margin of hindwing 9 − 10 in forewing and 11 − 12 in hindwing. Pterostigma dark red to blackish in colour, framed finely in light yellow and with heavy black veins, covering more than one cell.

Diagnosis. The single species, Indosticta deccanensis , is known only from the states Kerala and Karnataka in the Western Ghats of India. Indosticta gen. nov. differs from Platysticta in the following respects: (i) ground coloration of thorax brown and not black, (ii) sides of thorax in males without any light blue or white lateral stripe on mesepimeron, (iii) females with narrow azure blue antehumeral stripes, (iv) metepimeron of both sexes brownish and not sharply delineated black and white or with pale yellow on the lower border, (v) on average lower nodal index, (vi) apices of wings never distinctly dark coloured, (vii) vein R3 originates in proximal half of the wing at the level of Px 4 − 5, (viii) apart of vein IR3 also IR2 more distinctly zigzagged and (ix) S 10 in both sexes of dark colour and not blue dorsally.

Etymology. Indosticta a feminine noun, compounded from Indo -, reflecting the distribution of the only known species of the genus in the Western Ghats of India, and the suffix - sticta, meaning ‘spotted’, a common generic ending in the family.

Figures

FIGURES 180 – 187. Indosticta deccanensis — (180) thorax and head, lateral view [male]; (181) prothorax, lateral view [male]; (182) anal appendages, dorsolateral view [male]; (183) anal appendages, lateral view [male]; (184) thorax and head, lateral view [female]; (185) prothorax, dorsolateral view [female]; (186) ovipositor, lateral view [female]; (187) wings [male]. [Material origin: male and female—Ponmudi, Kerala, India]

FIGURES 188 – 190. Coloration in life of Indosticta deccanensis — (188) teneral male; (189) male; (190) female [Photo: M. Bedjanič].