Epipleoneura kaxuriana Machado, 1985

Pessacq, Pablo, 2014, Synopsis of Epipleoneura (Zygoptera, Coenagrionidae, “ Protoneuridae ”), with emphasis on its Brazilian species, Zootaxa 3872 (3), pp. 201-234 : 217-221

Epipleoneura kaxuriana Machado, 1985

( Figs. 1 , 40 , 54 )

Epipleoneura kaxuriana Machado 1985: 14 , 17, 28, 29 (new species, description of male, scanning of cercus and epiproct in posterior and lateral view, detail of epiproct, type material at ABMM). Lencioni 2005: 177, figs. 107 a–b (references, type locality, distribution, described stages, illustrations of male S 10 in posterior and lateral view). Garrison et al. 2010: 352, 355 (included in list of species, illustrations of epiproct in posterior view). Pessacq et al. 2012: 4 (included in list of Brazilian Protoneuridae ).

Specimens examined. 4♂, 2♀. 3♂, Brazil, Amazonas State, small stream within the forest, Igarapé, km 30–40 from Road Itacoatiara to Manaus, (03º06’20”S, 60º01’21”W), leg. N.D. Santos, 27 x 1959. 1 ♂, same data but Manaus, Colonia Santo Antonio, Igarapé do Alberto (Colonia Santo Antonio: 03º02’25”S, 60º01’19”W), leg. M.C. de Melo, 29 vii 1960.

Female description. Head: Dorsally metallic green; antennifer dorsum black, frons yellow; antefrons yellow with lateral and dorsal margins black; postclypeus black, anteclypeus basally brown, distally yellow; labrum basally black, distally yellow; genae yellow; venter of head black, with two narrow yellow stripes bordering eyes; labrum and maxilla yellow. Thorax: Prothorax dorsally metallic green, becoming yellow laterally, posterior lobe ( Fig. 54 ) erect, with a slightly produced medial lobe and an antero-medial depression. Mesothorax metallic green, metathorax yellow, with a posterior metallic green area at the metepisternum; pterothoracic venter and legs light yellow; apex of femora light brown. Abdomen: S1–2 dorsally metallic green, sides light brown, S3–7 dorsally dark brown, sides light brown, S8–10 dark brown.

Diagnosis. Male cercus resembles that described for E. capilliformis . The cercus possesses a well-developed inner-basal branch with its apex directed posteriorly, not reaching midline of S10. The genital ligula, cercus, and epiproct structure resemble those of E. machadoi , E. ottoi and E. westfalli but differ from all of them by the cercus inner-basal branch shape and size. Additionally, the base of the epiproct branches is not separated by a triangular swollen structure (TS, Fig. 2 b) in E. kaxuriana , which is present in the other species. See under E. ottoi for further discussion. Segment 3 of genital ligula ( Fig. 40 ) is slightly narrowed medially, its sides are slightly elevated, and the apex posses two small lobes, folded entally and with two small spines at the sides. The postero-lateral projections are widely rounded in lateral view, each with a short peduncle, barely visible, and a small rounded lobe basal to postero-lateral projection.

Distribution. Northern Brazil in the Amazonas region, Amazonas, Pará, and Roraima States (type locality Oriximiná, Porto Trombetas, Igarapé Saracazinho, 01º45’55”S, 55º51’60”W).

Notes. I have assigned a female to E. kaxuriana since it was taken together with males of this species and it matches no other female known to me. In the collection of R.W. Garrison (pers. com.) there is a female taken in tandem with a male of E. kaxuriana that agrees with the description herein presented. Machado (1980) mentions variation in thorax coloration, from metallic green to reddish metallic. One male and one female close to E. kaxuriana , from the federal district in central Brazil differ slightly by epiproct and female prothorax morphology, but due to the lack of more material and the bad state of preservation of this pair, I have refrained from describing them pending acquisition of more material.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Male caudal appendages, a: lateral view; b: posterior view, c: latero-posterior view. AH: apical hook. DB: cercus dorsal branch. VB: cercus ventral branch. CIB: cercus inner-basal branch. CT: cercus inner-basal tooth. TS: triangular swollen structure.

FIGURES 28 – 47. Genital ligula, lateral and ectal view. Figures 29, 33, 47 modified from Garrison et al. (2010). PLP: posterolateral projection.

FIGURES 53 – 66. Female pronotum in lateral, dorsal, antero-lateral, anterior postero-lateral and posterior view. Figures 57, 64 and 65 modified from Garrison et al. (2010), Rácenis (1960) and Machado (2005) respectively.