Nihonogomphus semanticus Chao 1954

Wilson, Keith Duncan Peter & Xu, Zaifu, 2009, Gomphidae of Guangdong & Hong Kong, China (Odonata: Anisoptera) 2177, Zootaxa 2177, pp. 1-62 : 43-45

Nihonogomphus semanticus Chao 1954

Figs. 23 (a–e)

Nihonogomphus semanticus Chao 1954 : Chao (1954: 411–412, figs 515–521, type-loc. Fujian); Chao (1982: 294, Guangdong); Chao (1990: 334–337, figs 1–7, Fujian, Guangdong); Zhang (1999: 248–249, figs 24.77a–g, Fujian & Guangdong); Hua (2000: 11, Fujian & Guangdong).

Nihonogomphus simillimus nec Chao 1982: Fellowes et al. (2003a; 36, Nanling, Guangdong).

Specimens: 1 ♂, 5 ♀, Dadingshan , 30 vi 2000, coll. KW ; 1 ♂, Longtanjiao , 2 vii 2000, coll. KW 2 ♂, Chengjia , 4 vii 2000, coll. KW ; 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Maoping , 6 vii 2000, coll. KW ; 1 ♂ (No. 20262), Liuqihe , northeast Guangdong, 13 iv 2002, coll. ZX ; 1 ♂ ( No. 22182) , 1 ♀, Xiaokeng , 26 v 2002, coll. ZX ; 4 ♂, 3 ♀ ( Nos. 22544, 22613, 22646, 22651, 22604, 22586, 22570), 8 vi 2002, Nankunshan, coll. ZX .

Description of first female: Nihonogomphus with a yellow occiput and robust vulvar scales locted in vshaped recess. Female colouration of head as male ( Fig. 23a). Labium black. Labrum black with a central, narrow yellow transverse stripe not extending to margins. Postclypeus black and anteclypeus yellow. Base of mandibles yellow and genae brownish-yellow. Antefrons yellow and postfrons yellow with basal third blackish-brown. Top of head black with small rounded protruberance above each lateral ocellus. Occipital region yellow bordered black with thick fringe of long black hairs. Prothorax black. Synthorax black with broad yellow dorsal stripes, connected to yellow collar stripe, forming seven-shaped mark, left side ‘7’ inverted (same as male, Fig. 23b). Antehumeral stripe and superior spot absent. Legs black except inner face of fore-legs yellow. Wings hyaline with dark brown pterostigma subtending 4–5 cells. Abdomen mainly blackish-brown with greenish yellow pattern. Dorsum of S1 broadly greenish-yellow and sides black above, greenish-yellow below. S2 with yellow central dorsal stripe and lower lateral half greenish-yellow. Base S3 with triangular yellow spot at lower, lateral corner and basal, narrow, elongate yellow spot along dorsal carina. Dorsum S4–7 with pair of greenish-yellow quadrate spots at base. S8–9 expanded with basal yellow spots at lower, lateral margins. Distal three-quarters dorsum S10 bright yellow, basal quarter black. Subgenital plate illustrated in Fig. 23e. Vulvar scales narrowly divided, robust and located in a deep v-shaped recess. Cerci yellow.

Remarks: Nihonogomphus semanticus appears to be widespread throughout north Guangdong and currently is the only species within the genus recorded from the province. Several Nihonogomphus species are known from neighbouring Guangxi and Fujian and it is likely that more species will be found in Guangdong. A key to the 18 species of Nihonogomphus , of which 16 are known from China, is provided below. Nihonogomphus indicus Lahiri 1987 has been omitted as according to the author, Lahiri in Chao (1999), it does not belong to Nihonogomphus .

Distribution: China (Fujian & Guangdong).