Melligomphus ardens ( Needham 1930 )

Wilson, Keith Duncan Peter & Xu, Zaifu, 2009, Gomphidae of Guangdong & Hong Kong, China (Odonata: Anisoptera) 2177, Zootaxa 2177, pp. 1-62 : 36-39

Melligomphus ardens ( Needham 1930)

Figs. 18 (a–i), Figs. 19 (a–c)

Onychogomphus ardens Needham 1930 : Needham (1930: 39 pl. 5. figs 7–7a, Fujian); Chao (1953: 1–52, figs 1–50, Fujian); Chao (1954: 257, figs 413–426); Sui & Sun (1986: 96–98, figs 64a–g, Fujian).

Lamelligomphus camelus nec Martin: Fraser (1942: 340).

Melligomphus ardens ( Needham 1930) : Chao (1990: 370–374, figs 1–13, Fujian, Guizhou & Zhejiang); Zhang (1999: 244–245, figs 24.71a–i, Fujian, Guangdong, Guizhou & Zhejiang); Hua (2000: 11, Fujian, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan & Zhejiang); Wilson (2005: 111, Guangxi).

Specimens: 8 ♂ (Nos. 21359, 21379, 21318, 21328, 21307, 21339, 21340 & 21320), 5 v 2002, Yangchun, SW Guangdong, coll. ZX .

Description of ♂: Chao (1953b) has provided an exhaustive description of M. ardens but in the form of a monograph detailing its external morphology. An abbreviated description is provided here. Male. – Labium pale cream with pale brownish edges. Labrum black with a pair of large yellow spots ( Fig. 18a). Anteclypeus yellow, postclypeus black. Antefrons black. Postfrons broadly black at base; distal half occupied by narrowly divided yellow transerse, crest stripe. Synthorax black with a yellow dorsal stripe connected to yellow collar stripe ( Figs. 18b–c), the latter narrowly divided at centre. Pair of additional, narrowly isolated, yellow stripes located adjacent and anterior to the collar on the spiracular dorsum ( Fig. 18c). Small isolated superior yellow spot. Mesepimeron with a broad yellow stripe. Metepisternum black with yellow stripe reduced to small isolated superior spot (below wing base) and small isolated central stripe ( Fig 18b). Metepimeron and metaposternum yellow. Legs black. Wings hyaline with amber-enfumed bases to triangle. Base of hindwing illustrated in Fig. 18i. Abdomen S1 black above, yellow below. S2 black above with a yellow triangularshaped spot just above the auricle; auricle yellow; ventero-lateral, basal black spot and L-shaped yellow spot at distal, venter-lateral margin. S3–6 black with a large yellow dorsal, triangular spot at base. Dorsum S8 with pair of prominent, rounded-tipped, conical humps, located at centre of segment ( Figs. 18e–f). S7 yellow basal half, black distally. S8–10 black and anal appendages black. Hamules illustrated in Fig. 18g –h. Superior appendages slightly curved at tip but not hooked and reflexed into the inferior appendages as in Lamelligomphus . Valules prominent, rounded and oblong, illustrated in Fig. 18d. Inferior appendages acutely angled at ventero-basal corner extending well beyond the length of the superior appendages. Penile organ is illutrated in Fig. 19c.

Measurements (mm): abd. + app. 46.0–47.0, hw 35.0–39.0.

Differential diagnosis: This species is very similar to species of Lamelligomphus but has a dorsal stripe on the synthorax linked to the collar stripe to form a 7-shaped mark, whereas all species of Lamelligomphus have isolated dorsal stripes. Like Lamelligomphus camelus , abdominal S8 has a pair of dorsal humps. In camelus these are located at the basal margin of S8, are much larger, with the tips curved anteriorly (cf Fig. 17j), whereas the humps are located at the middle of S 8 in M. ardens , and are not curved anteriorly at their tips. The distal, dorsal margin of S7 of M. ardens is unformly flat and not markedly upturned as in L. camelus and also L. formosanus ( Fig. 15c). All other species of Melligomphus lack prominent humps on S8.

Distribution: China (Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan & Zhejiang).