Metaleptobasis bovilla Calvert, 1907

Ellenrieder, Natalia Von, 2013, <p> <strong> A revision of <em> Metaleptobasis </ em> Calvert (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) with seven synonymies and the description of eighteen new species from South America </ strong> </ p>, Zootaxa 3738 (1), pp. 1-155 : 22-24

Metaleptobasis bovilla Calvert, 1907

Figs. 1c ; 3c ; 4c ; 5c ; 8c ; 9c ; 10c ; 11c ; 12c ; 14a; front cover photograph

Metaleptobasis bovilla Calvert, 1907: 386–387 , Pl. 7, figs. 21–23 (description, illustrations of ♂ mesanepisternal horns and S10);— Calvert (1909: 198; comparison with studied specimens);— Calvert (1919: 165; mention and notes);— Williamson (1915: 602, 604–607; comparison with new species);— Geijskes (1932: 262; comparison with studied specimen);— Cumming (1954: 29, 31; inclusion in key, comments);— Rácenis (1955: 5; mention);— Santos (1956: 384; diagnosis from M. selysi );— Maes et al. (1988: 35; mention);— Maes (1989: 8; mention);— Maes (1992: 30; mention);—Donnelly (2000: 18; mention);— Ramírez et al. (2000: 4; mention);— Garrison & von Ellenrieder (2009: 48; mention);— Garrison et al. (2010: 284, fig. 1841; mention, illustration of ♀ S8–10).

Types. Holotype ♂: NICARAGUA, Atlántico Sur Autonomous Region, Escondido river, 50 miles of Bluefields {11°30'N, 84°12'W, 72 m}, C.W. Richmond leg. [ USNM]; 1 ♀ paratype: GUATEMALA, Izabal Dep., Livingston, in a room in town {15°50'N, 88°45'W, 0 m} [ UMMZ].

Specimens examined. Total: 55 ♂, 20 ♀: GUATEMALA, Izabal Dep .: 1 ♂, Puerto Barrios , swampy palm woods {15°43'N, 88°36'W, 2 m}, 23 vi 1909, E.B. Williamson leg. [ UMMZ] ; 1 ♂, Río Dulce at Las Fronteras (15°39'36''N, 89°0'0''W), 31 v 1978, TWD leg. [ TWD] ; 1 ♂, Cayuga , house {15°32'N, 88°42'W, 26 m}, 2 ix 1917, W. Schaus & J.T. Barnes [ FSCA]; HONDURAS, Gracias a Dios Dep .: 1 ♂, Misquito Coast, Las Marías, near Río Plátanos (15°40'36''N, 84°50'24''W), forest, 27 x 1999, leg. TWD [ TWD]; COSTA RICA, Guanacaste Prov. : 1 ♀, Estación Pitilla-Pasmompa {11°08'N, 83°35'W, 450 m}, 12 iii 1989 [ BMNH] ; 1 ♂ Estación Biológica Pitilla, 9 km S of Santa Cecilia, Parque Nacional Guanacaste {10°59'N, 85°25'W, 700 m}, iii 1995, C. Moraga leg. [ INBIO]; Alajuela Prov. : 2 ♂, 1 ♀ (1 pair in copula), Laurel Galán, Finca Rigoberto {10°41'N, 84°23'W}, 2 v 1987, J. Belle leg. [ RMNH] ; 1 ♂, same but [ RWG] ; 1 ♂, Los Chiles {10°25'N, 84°20'W, 60 m}, 14 x 1966, DRP leg. [ FSCA] ; 1 ♂, 2 ♀, same but 31 vii 1966 [ FSCA] ; 1 ♂, same but [ DRP] ; 1 ♂, same but 31 viii 1966 [ DRP] ; 1 ♂, same but 24 xi 1966 [ DRP] ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Dos Ríos de Upala {10°53'N, 85°22'W, 537 m}, 1 iv 1988, CE leg. [ CE] ; 1 ♀, La Lucha Village, 3 km NE of La Tigra, Finca de Gerardo Cespedes (10°21'59''N, 84°33'53''W, 220 m), 27 viii 2006, WAH & E. Cruz leg. [ WAH]; Limón Prov. : 1 ♂, Cerro Tortuguero {10°35'N, 83°31'W}, 17 vii 1985, V. Hellebuyck leg. [ RWG] ; 1 ♀, Parque Nacional Tortuguero, Estación Cuatro Esquinas {10°26'N, 83°40'W, 113 m}, 22 xi 1989, D. Solano leg. [ INBIO] ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same but, 1 iv 1992, R. Delgado leg. [ INBIO] ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same but {0 m}, iii 1989, R. Aguilar & J. Solano leg. [ INBIO] ; 2 ♀, same but {1-120 m}, 30 iii/ 3 iv 1993, Solis, Mejía & R. Aguilar leg. [ INBIO] ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same but ix 1989, J. Solano leg. [ INBIO] ; 1 ♂, same but iv 1993, R. Delgado leg. [ INBIO] ; 1 ♂, same but 1 iv 1993, Mejía leg. [ INBIO] ; 1 ♂, same but in forest {0-10 m}, 13 iv 1992, R. Delgado leg. [ INBIO] ; 2 ♂, same but 26 iii/ 14 iv 1992 [ INBIO] ; 1 ♂, Sector Cerro Cocori, Finca de E. Rojas {150 m}, i 1992, E. Rojas leg. [ INBIO] ; 1 ♂, 30 m N of Cariari , margin of stream {10°22'N, 83°43'W, 100 m}, i 1992, E. Rojas leg. [ INBIO] ; 1 ♂, same but ix 1994 [ INBIO] ; 1 ♂, same but i 1995 [ INBIO] ; 1 ♂, Limón, 3 mi SW, Portete {10°0'N, 83°2'W, 1 m}, 21 ii 1967, DRP leg. [ DRP] ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 5 km SE of Beverly on hwy to Cahuita , roadside swampy ditch and pools (9°54'42''N, 83°1'19''W, 15 m), 8 iii 2006, WAH, D. Wagner, & M. Thomas leg. [ WAH] ; 1 ♂, La Estrella {9°44'N, 82°58'W, 271 m}, 19 iii 1933, C.H. Lankester leg. [ FSCA]; same but 1 iii 1990, CE leg. [ CE] ; 1 ♀, same but 30 i 1988, CE leg. [ CE] ; 9 ♂, Manzanillo {9°37'N, 85°39'W, 190 m}, 12 iii 2000, CE leg. [ CE] ; 1 ♀, 2.5 km S of Punta Uva {9°37'N, 82°41'W, 57 m}, 24 xii 1991, M.M. Chavarria leg. [ INBIO]; Heredia Prov. : 2 ♂, Finca La Selva , 1.5 mi S Puerto Viejo {10°28'N, 84°1'W, 60 m}, 18 ix 1966, DRP & M.L. Paulson [ DRP] ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same but 12 iv 1967 [ RWG] ; 1 ♂, same but 2 vii 1967 [ DRP] ; 1 ♂, same but 12 viii [ FSCA] ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (in copula), same but 13 viii 1967 [ DRP] ; 1 ♂, same but 1 ii 1975 [ DRP] ; 1 ♂, same but 27 vi 1988, CE leg. [ FSCA] ; 1 ♂, same but 21 vii 1988, [ FSCA] ; 1 ♂, same but 24 viii 1988, [ FSCA] ; 2 ♂, same but 20 ix 1988, CE leg. [ CE] ; 2 ♂, same but 23 viii 1988, CE leg. [ CE] ; 1 ♂, Puerto Viejo, Sarapiquí, sendero Peje {10°53'N, 85°22'W, 537 m}, ix 2000, R. Vargas leg. [ CE] ; 1 ♂ Puerto Viejo, Sarapiquí , {10°53'N, 85°22'W, 537 m}, 18 vi 1988, CE leg. [ CE] ; 1 ♀, same but 26 vi 1988 [ CE] ; 1 ♀, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Río Puerto Viejo and tributaries, La Selva Biological Station, pond on Camino Experimental Sur at 300 m (10°25'53''N, 84°00'13''W, 50 m), 6 ix 2005, WAH leg. [ WAH]; Cártago Prov. : 1 ♂, Reventazón {9°54'N, 83°45'W, 800 m}, 23 viii 1922, P.C. Calvert leg. [ FSCA] .

Characterization. Head: Labrum mostly black; black on dorsum of head extensive; postocular lobes slightly angled ( Fig. 1c ). Thorax: Pronotum ( Figs. 4c ; 5c ) anterior lobe smooth; anterior and middle lobes of pronotum separated dorso-laterally by a groove; propleuron smooth; anterior margin of middle lobe of pronotum smooth; dorsum of middle lobe with a latero-dorsal c-shaped longitudinal depression (de.), deep in female and shallow in male; pronotum posterior lobe trilobed, medial lobe with a central point in male, and slightly to strongly projected postero-dorsally in female, lateral lobes slightly bilobed and about as long as medial lobe in male, in female entire and about as long as medial lobe to much shorter than medial lobe; mesanepisternal horns separated at base, in female vestigial, about as high as wide, with a transverse dorsal slit, well developed in male, thick, slightly longer than twice mesostigmal plate width, directed antero-dorsally at an angle of about 45° with dorsum, converging from base to about mid-length, then diverging to tip, tip pointed and directed laterally; middorsal dark stripe as wide as about 0.50 of mesanepisterna width, slightly narrowing posteriorly, with distal end projected along inter-alar sinus ( Fig. 3c ); Pt sub-rectangular, with anterior and posterior sides longer than distal side. Abdomen: Male genital lobe ( Fig. 8c ) short, less than 0.50 of anterior hamule height, smoothly curved; male posterior hamule digit-like and small, with at most only rounded tip surpassing ventral margin of genital fossa in lateral view; curvature of basal segment of genital ligula marked by a slight concave depression (s.d.), followed by a prominent convex protuberance (pr., Fig. 8c ii), behind which the tip of the ligula lies when folded ( Fig. 8c i ); genital ligula distal segment sub-quadrate, apex smoothly convex, with a wide ectal fold (e.f., Fig. 8c ); posterior margin of female S8 sternum smooth; distal end of ovipositor reaching apex of cercus ( Fig. 9c ); medial portion of male S10 postero-dorsal margin ( Figs. 10c ; 11c ; 12c ) not projected posteriorly, lacking a cleft or incision, and with a small narrow dorsal prominence with posterior margin rounded, square or triangular; male cercus uniformly curved medially and gradually narrowing to tip in dorsal view ( Fig. 10c ), tip pointed medially; ratio of male cercus length to S10 maximum length in lateral view about 0.70–0.75, ratio of male cercus length to paraproct length in lateral view about 0.33; male paraproct sub-cylindrical, in lateral view with a dorsal swelling at basal 0.40 of its length (sw., Fig. 12c ), and bent ventrally at an angle at distal 0.33, narrowing distally, with medial surface near tip smooth, and tip ending on an apical tooth directed medially.

Dimensions. Males (n 10): Hw 22.1 ± 0.7 [21.3–23.8]; abdomen 37.8 ± 1.2 [36–40.5]; total length 45.8 ± 1.5 [43.5–49]. Females (n 6): Hw 23.4 ± 0.7 [22.6–24.5]; abdomen 36.4 ± 1.1 [34.8–37.8]; total length 43.9 ± 1.3 [42– 44.5].

Diagnosis. Distinctive species easily distinguished from all congeners by its almost entirely black labrum ( Fig. 1c ). Also unique are the female mesanepisternal horns with a transverse dorsal slit ( Fig. 4c v ), male horns thick, converging from base to about mid-length, then diverging to laterally directed tips ( Figs. 4c ii, iv), male cercus very short, as long as about 0.33 of paraproct, and paraproct with a dorsal swelling at basal 0.40 of its length and bent at an angle at distal 0.33 in lateral view ( Fig. 12c ).

All known females differ from males in the development of mesanepisternal horns, and can share shape of posterior lobe of pronotum with them or not, showing considerable plasticity in the degree to which medial lobe projects postero-dorsally ( Figs. 4c v –vii; 5c iii–iv).

Remarks. This species was described by Calvert (1907: 386) based on a male from Nicaragua and a female from Guatemala. Even though no mention of a type or type designation is included in the species description, in the introduction of the Biologia Centrali Americana series ( Calvert 1902: xxvii) which includes his description, Calvert stated that ‘The type specimens of the new forms described in this work are those which have been figured on the Plates, the male preferably to the female…’. Therefore, the male from Nicaragua, Escondido River, 50 miles from Bluefields, C.W. Richmond leg., illustrated by Calvert (1907) in figs. 21–23 of Plate 7, and included in the USNM Odonata Type specimens image gallery (USNM # 00391537) at http://collections.nmnh.si.edu/search/ento/?v=g1, is to be considered the holotype of this species.

Habitat. Lowland wet forest and swamps. Dennis Paulson found a population at Los Chiles in scattered tracts of forest in the midst of a huge rainy-season flooded area, including an open swamp, flooded forest, a stream edge, and a forest clearing. Adults were perching on hanging lianas or epiphyte leaves near tree trunks in complete shade at about 45° from horizontal, mostly at about 1.8–2.5 m above ground or water but some at 1.2–3 m, or hanging vertically from twigs and leaves of low shrubs or trees (DRP pers. comm.).

Distribution. Guatemala to S Costa Rica along the Atlantic slope ( Fig. 14a).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Head, dorsal view. (a) i. M. amazonica, male lectotype; (a) ii. M. amazonica, female paralectotype; (b) i. M. bicornis, male, Surinam, Kabalebo; (b) ii. M. bicornis, male, French Guiana, N of Cayenne; (b) iii. M. bicornis, female, Surinam, Commewetane; (c) i. M. bovilla, male, Costa Rica, La Selva; (c) ii. M. bovilla, female, same data; (d) i. M. brevicauda, male holotype; (d) ii. M. brevicauda, female paratype, Peru, Tingo María; (e) i. M. brysonima, male, paratype of M. incisula, Venezuela, Marawaka; (e) ii. M. brysonima, female, paratype of M. incisula, same data; (e) iii. M. brysonima, female, holotype of M. weibezahni; (e) iv. M. brysonima, female, holotype of M. tetragena; (f) i. M. diceras, male lectotype; (f) ii. M. diceras, male, Brazil, Abuna; (f) iii. M. diceras, female paralectotype; (f) iv. M. diceras, female, holotype of M. fernandezi; (f) iv. M. diceras, female, Venezuela, no locality; (f) v. M. diceras, female, Brazil, Abuna; (g) i. M. falcifera, male holotype; (g) ii. M. falcifera, female paratype, Peru, Pakitza; (h) i. M. foreli, male, Colombia, Puerto Berrio; (h) ii. M. foreli, male, paratype of M. westfalli, Panama, No. 5 on Standley, 22 vii 1950, FSCA; (h) iii. M. foreli, female, same data.

FIGURE 3. Pterothorax, dorsal view. (a) i. M. amazonica, male lectotype; (a) ii. M. amazonica, female paralectotype; (b) i. M. bicornis, male, French Guiana, N of Cayenne; (b) ii. M. bicornis, male, Surinam, Kabalebo; (b) iii. M. bicornis, female, Surinam, Moengotapoe; (b) iv. M. bicornis, female, Surinam, Commewetane; (c) i. M. bovilla, male, Costa Rica, La Selva; (c) ii. M. bovilla, female, same data; (d) i. M. brevicauda, male holotype; (d) ii. M. brevicauda, female paratype, Peru, Tingo María; (e) i. M. brysonima, male, paratype of M. incisula, Venezuela, Marawaka; (e) ii. M. brysonima, female, paratype of M. incisula, same data.

FIGURE 4. Prothorax and anterior portion of pterothorax, dorsal view. (a) i. M. amazonica, male lectotype; (a) ii. M. amazonica, male paralectotype; (a) iii. M. amazonica, female paralectotype; (b) i. M. bicornis, male, Surinam, Kabalebo; (b) ii. M. bicornis, male, Brazil, Paranapuebas; (b) iii. M. bicornis, male, French Guiana, N of Cayenne; (b) iv. M. bicornis, male, Guyana, Potaro; (b) v. M. bicornis, male, Trinidad, Cumuto; (b) vi. M. bicornis, female holotype. o.c.: oblique crest; cr.: crest; e-l.: ear-lobe; l-v. p.: latero-ventral projection; p.l.: postero-lateral projection; t.: tubercle.

FIGURE 5. Prothorax and anterior portion of pterothorax, lateral view. (a) i. M. amazonica, male lectotype; (a) ii. M. amazonica, female paralectotype; (b) i. M. bicornis, male, Trinidad, Cumuto; (b) ii. M. bicornis, male, Guyana, Potaro; (b) iii. M. bicornis, male, Surinam, Kabalebo; (b) iv. M. bicornis, male, French Guiana, N of Cayenne; (b) v. M. bicornis, male, Brazil, Paraupebas; (b) vi. M. bicornis, female, Surinam, Langamankondre; (b) vii. M. bicornis, female, Surinam, Kabalebo; (b) viii. M. bicornis, female, Surinam, Gansee; (b) ix. M. bicornis, female, Surinam, Commetewane; (b) x. M. bicornis, female, French Guiana, N of Cayenne. c.: c-shaped crest; e-l.: ear-lobe; l-v.p.: latero-ventral margin projection; p.l.: postero-lateral projection; t.: tubercle.

FIGURE 8. Genital ligula, lateral view (above) and ventral view (below). (a) M. amazonica, lectotype; (b) i. M. bicornis, Surinam, Kabalebo; (b) ii. M. bicornis, French Guiana, N of Cayenne; (c) i. M. bovilla, Costa Rica, La Selva; (c) ii. M. bovilla, same data; (d) M. brevicauda, holotype; (e) i. M. brysonima, paratype of M. incisula, Venezuela, Marawaka; (e) ii. M. brysonima, Peru, Tambopata; (e) iii. M. brysonima, Brazil, Abuna; (f) i. M. diceras, lectotype; (f) ii. M. diceras, Brazil, Abuna; (f) iii. M. diceras, Peru, Manu. e.f.: ectal fold; pr.: prominent protuberance; s.d.: slight depression; t.: terminal fold.

FIGURE 9. Female S8–10, lateral view unless indicated otherwise. (a) M. amazonica, paralectotype; (b) i. M. bicornis, Surinam, Commetewane; (b) ii. M. bicornis, Brazil, Belem; (c) M. bovilla, Costa Rica, Puerto Viejo; (d) M. brevicauda, paratype, Peru, Tingo María; (e) i. M. brysonima, paratype of M. incisula, Venezuela, Marawaka; (e) ii. M. brysonima, holotype of M. weibezahni; (e) iii. M. brysonima, holotype of M. tetragena; (f) i. M. diceras, paralectotype; (f) ii. M. diceras, Brazil, Abuna; (f) iii. M. diceras, Guyana, Kamana; (f) iv. M. diceras, Venezuela; (f) v. M. diceras, Trinidad, N of Sangre Grande; (g) i. M. falcifera, paratype, Peru, Explorer’s Inn, ventral view on right.

FIGURE 10. Male S10, dorsal view. (a) M. amazonica, lectotype; (b) i. M. bicornis, Brazil, Paraupebas; (b) ii. M. bicornis, Surinam, Kabalebo; (b) iii. M. bicornis, Guyana, Kumu River; (b) iv. M. bicornis, French Guiana, N of Cayenne; (b) v. M. bicornis, Trinidad, E of Valencia; (c) M. bovilla, Costa Rica, La Selva; (d) i. M. brevicauda, holotype; (e) M. brysonima, Venezuela, Río Baria; (f) i. M. diceras, Brazil, Paraupebas; (f) ii. M. diceras, Brazil, Abuna; (f) iii. M. diceras, Peru, Pakitza; (f) iv. M. diceras, Peru, Pakitza; (f) v. M. diceras, Trinidad, Cumuto, paratype of M. manicaria; (f) vi. M. diceras, Trinidad, Cumuto, paratype of M. manicaria; (g) M. falcifera, holotype; (h) i. M. foreli, Colombia, Fundación; (h) ii. M. foreli, paratype M. westfalli, Panama, Barro Colorado # 54; (i) i. M. furcifera, holotype; (i) ii. M. furcifera, paratype, Peru, Río Seco. b.t.: bicuspidate tooth; r.: ridge.

FIGURE 11. Male S10, medio-dorsal view. (a) M. amazonica, lectotype; (b) i. M. bicornis, Surinam, Kabalebo; (b) ii. M. bicornis, Guyana, Potaro; (b) iii. M. bicornis, French Guiana, N of Cayenne; (b) iv. M. bicornis, Trinidad, E of Valencia; (c) M. bovilla, Costa Rica, La Selva; (d) M. brevicauda, holotype; (e) i. M. brysonima, Venezuela, Río Baria; (e) ii. M. brysonima, Peru, Tambopata; (e) iii. M. brysonima, Brazil, Abuna; (f) i. M. diceras, Brazil, Abuna; (f) ii. M. diceras, Trinidad, Cumuto, paratype of M. manicaria; (f) iii. M. diceras, Trinidad, E of Valencia; (g) M. falcifera, holotype; (h) M. foreli, Colombia, Fundación; (i) i. M. furcifera, paratype, Peru, Río Seco; (i) ii. M. furcifera, paratype, Peru, Río Seco; (j) M. gabrielae, holotype; (k) M. gibbosa, Ecuador, Copales; (l) M. guillermoi, holotype. b.t.: bicuspidate tooth; p-m.p.: postero-medial projection; pr.: prominence; r.: ridge; s.t.: single tooth; te.: teeth.

FIGURE 12. Male S10, lateral view. (a) M. amazonica, lectotype; (b) i. M. bicornis, Surinam, Kabalebo; (b) ii. M. bicornis, French Guiana, N of Cayenne; (c) M. bovilla, Costa Rica, La Selva; (d) M. brevicauda, holotype; (e) i M. brysonima, paratype of M. incisula, Venezuela, Marawaka; (e) ii M. brysonima, Venezuela, Río Baria; (f) i. M. diceras, Brazil, Paraupebas; (f) ii. M. diceras, Brazil, Abuna; (f) iii. M. diceras, Peru, Pakitza; (f) iv. M. diceras, Trinidad, Cumuto, paratype of M. manicaria; (g) M. falcifera, holotype; (h) i. M. foreli, Colombia, Fundación; (h) ii. M. foreli, paratype M. westfalli, Panama, Barro Colorado # 54; (i) i. M. furcifera, holotype; (i) ii. M. furcifera, paratype, Peru, Río Seco; (j) M. gabrielae, holotype; (k) M. gibbosa, paratype [FSCA], Ecuador, Copales; (l) M. guillermoi, holotype. sw.: swelling.