Erythrodiplax

Bota, Cornelio Andrés, 2014, A brief look at the Odonata from the Páramo ecosystems in Colombia, with the descriptions of Oxyallagma colombianum sp. nov. and Rhionaeschna caligo sp. nov. (Odonata: Coenagrionidae, Aeshnidae, Libellulidae), Zootaxa 3856 (2), pp. 192-210 : 203

Erythrodiplax sp. connata group

Figs. 3 c (Habitus mature ♂), 3d (Habitus juvenile ♂), Table 1 (coordinates).

Material from páramo : Páramo El Morro: 1 ♂, 6.x.2011, Leg: C. Bota & J. D. Castaño. Páramo El Congo: 2 ♀ and 3 ♂, 10 – 14.ix.2011, Leg: L. Ríos & J. Zapata.

Remarks. This highland dragonfly ( Figs. 2 c, d) is very difficult to diagnose and it will be necessary to compare with the type series of Erythrodiplax cauca Borror, 1942 and Erythrodiplax abjecta (Rambur, 1842) since the traits used by Borror (1942) to diagnose males of these species are very subtle; females match with E. abjecta following Borror´s key but females of E. cauca are unknown. These species need to be revised.

Distribution. This species had been found from 1,600 m to 3,270 m in almost every lentic ecosystem in the three Colombian Andean Ranges (Occidental, Central, and Oriental), never the less it is recorded only in one páramo ecosystem. E. cauca is a Colombian endemic, E. abjecta is reported from Chiapas ( Mexico) south to the northern Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela ( Paulson 2003).

Figures

FIGURE 2. (a) Rhionaeschna peralta female (habitus). Rhionaeschna caligo: (b) Hamuli, ventroposterior view; (c) Caudal appendages lateral view; (d) Vesica spermalis ventral view; (e) left spine of anterior lamina. (f) Rhionaeschna joannisi male (habitus). Illustrations by Natalia Uribe Macias.

FIGURE 3. Sympetrum paramo: (a) Teneral female and exuvia (Páramo El Congo); (b) Male (Páramo El Morro). Erythrodiplax connata- group (Cauca, Timbio): (c) Mature male; (d) Immature male (same coloration as females).