Protosticta spinosa, Phan, Quoc Toan & Kompier, Tom, 2016

Phan, Quoc Toan & Kompier, Tom, 2016, A study of the genus Protosticta Selys, 1855, with descriptions of four new species from Vietnam (Odonata: Platystictidae), Zootaxa 4098 (3), pp. 529-544 : 539

8. Protosticta spinosa spec. nov.

( Figure 8 A–J)

Type specimens. Holotype: male and female, Nam Bung, Van Chan district, Yen Bai Province, northern Vietnam, 01.VI.2014. Tom Kompier leg.; Paratype: 1 male, same date, location and collector as the holotype.

Etymology. The specific name " spinosa " refers to the large spine on the paraprocts.

Description of male holotype. A small and colorful Protosticta with relatively short abdomen. Head ( Fig. 8 A). Anteclypeus, genae whitish; labrum blueish yellow, anterior margin black. Frons and top of head are glossy greenish black. The first and second segments of antennae pale yellow, the remainder black. Prothorax ( Fig. 8 B) yellowish, anterior lobe of pronotum yellow; middle and posterior lobes yellow laterally, but with clear-cut black mark over middle line and contrasting with black propleuron. Synthorax glossy greenish black with pale yellow stripe over metepisternum. Lower half of metepimeron and venter pale yellow. Legs and coxae pale yellow with grey stripe over flexor surface and black spines. Wings ( Fig. 8 G) hyaline with 16 postnodal veins. Pterostigma brown. Abdomen relatively short, blackish brown with yellow markings as follows: S1 ventral half pale yellow; S2 dorsally with pale yellow stripe widest at proximal side, lower half pale yellow; S3–7 with prominent pale yellow basal ring, becoming more yellow at ventral side on S7; S8 black with large bright yellow ventral mark, widest at base, S9 black with indistinct yellow line along venter; S10 black. Anal appendages ( Figs. 8 C–E) black; cerci yellowish at base, only one median protuberance ventrally; tip smooth. Basal half of paraprocts black, apical half amber colored; a large spine directed inward at midpoint; tips directed inward, nearly touching, then curving out again, their outer sides hollowed out ( Fig. 8 E). Penile organ shaped as Fig. 8 F.

Female. Color pattern as holotype male ( Figs. 8 H–I). Wings hyaline with 16 postnodal veins. Abdominal color pattern as follows: S1 with a large oval spot at base, S2–7 with prominent pale yellow basal ring; S8–10 black, but S8 with large pale yellow mark on ventral half laterally. Ovipositor structure as Fig. 8 J.

Measurements. Male. Hindwing 22; abdomen including appendages 35. Female. Hind wing 25; abdomen including appendages 36.

Differential diagnosis. P. spinosa spec. nov. is similar to P. ponmudiensis Kiran, Kalesh and Kunte, 2015 , from the Western Ghats of India by the paraprocts having a large spine directed inward ( Fig. 8 E & Fig. 3 C, p. 7149, Kiran et al. 2015). However, P. s pi no s a spec. nov. differs from P. ponmudiensis by the difference in color pattern and by the structure of the cerci, which are stout with a ventral protuberance in P. s p i n os a spec. nov. ( Fig. 8 E), but slender with a small inner spine in P. ponmudiensis ( Kiran et al. 2015: p. 7150, Fig. 2 J); the tip of the paraprocts of P. s p i n os a spec. nov. are curved abruptly inward, then outward and hollowed out, almost like a slender spoon ( Figs. 8 D–E), but the tips are smooth and broad in P. ponmudiensis ( Kiran et al. 2015: p. 7149, Fig. 3 C).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Protosticta caroli, Ba Na. [A – G] male— (A) head & thorax in lateral view; (B) prothorax in dorsal view; anal appendages in (C) dorsal & (D) lateral view; (E) right cercus and paraproct in oblique-dorsal view; (F) male paraprocts in ventral view; (G) penile organ in dorsal view; [H – J] female— (H) head & thorax in lateral view; (I) prothorax in dorsal view; (J) tip abdomen in lateral view.

FIGURE 3. Protosticta grandis, Cao Bang. [A – E] male— (A) head & thorax in lateral view; anal appendages in (B) dorsal & (C) lateral view; (D) paraprocts in ventral view; penile organ in (E) dorsal view & (F) lateral view; [G – H] female— (G) head & thorax in lateral view; (H) abdomen tip in lateral view.

FIGURE 8. Protosticta spinosa spec. nov., [A – G] holotype male— (A) head & thorax in lateral view; (B) prothorax in dorsal view; anal appendages in (C) dorsal & (D) lateral view; (E) paraprocts in ventral view; (F) penile organ in dorsal view; (G) wings; [H – J] holotype female— (H) head & thorax in lateral view; (I) prothorax in dorsal view; (J) abdomen tip in lateral view.