Syncordulia venator (Barnard)

Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B., Samways, Michael J. & Simaika, John P., 2007, Two new relict Syncordulia species found during museum and field studies of threatened dragonflies in the Cape Floristic Region (Odonata: Corduliidae), Zootaxa 1467, pp. 19-34 : 25-27

Syncordulia venator (Barnard) — ‘Mahogany Presba’

Figs 3 , 7 , 11 , 15 , 20 .

Presba venator Barnard, 1933: 167 . Lectotype ♂ (designated by Kimmins 1968: 301): Cape Province, French Hoek [= Franschhoek], xii.1932, K.H. Barnard (BMNH) [examined].

Syncordulia venator ( Barnard, 1933) – Lieftinck (1961: 415).

Further type material: Paratype Ψ (‘allotype’), Cape Province, French Hoek, xii.1932, K.H. Barnard ( BMNH); paratype ď, Hott[entots] Holl[and] Mts, East side, 4000 ft, i.1933, K.H. Barnard ( BMNH).

Further material: 1 ď Hott[entots] Holl[and] Mts, East side, 4000 ft, xi.1932, K.H. Barnard ( SAMC); 1 Ψ Hott[entots] Holl[and] Mts, East side, 4000 ft, i.1933, K.H. Barnard ( SAMC); 1ď, 2 Ψ Cape Province, French Hoek, xii.1932, K.H. Barnard; 3 ď, 1 Ψ Cape, Table Mt, Orange Kloof, i.1933, H.G. Wood ( SAMC); 1 ď, Cape, Bain’s Kloof, Wellington Mts, Witte River, i.1934, H.G. Wood ( SAMC); 1 ď, Cape, Table Mt, Orange Kloof, 7.i.1934, K.H. Barnard ( BMNH); 1 ď, Cape, Table Mt, Orange Kloof, 7.i.1934, leg. unknown ( NMBZ); 1 Ψ, Cape Province, Ladismith, Garcia’s Pass Forestry, 15.xi.1940, G. van Son ( TMSA); 1 ď, George, Jonkersberg, 18.xi.1940, G. van Son ( TMSA); 1 Ψ, Cape, Bain’s Kloof, Wit River, xii.1949, Museum Staff ( SAMC); 2 Ψ, Cape Province, Knysna, Kruis Valley, N. of Buffelsnek Forest, 22.i.1971, Cottrell ( NMBZ); 3 ď, Robinson Pass, N. of Mosselbaai, 9–13.xii.1987, D.A.L. Davies ( CUMZ); 1 ď, Ψ, Du Toit’s Kloof, 13.xii.1996, M.J. Samways ( SUEC); 1 ď, Villiersdorp, 15.xii.1996, M.J. Samways ( SUEC); 1 Ψ, Du Toit’s Kloof, 9.xi.1999, M.J. Samways ( SUEC); 1 Ψ, Villiersdorp, 11.xi.1999, M.J. Samways ( SUEC); 1 Ψ (teneral), Table Mountain, 22.xi.2005, J.P. Simaika, M.J. Samways & T.R. New ( SUEC); 1 ď, border of Western and Eastern Cape, Bloukrans River at crossing of R102, broad rocky river in forested gorge, 30.i.2006, K.- D.B. Dijkstra ( RMNH); 1 ď, Western Cape, Table Mountain, gorge above Hely Hutchinson Dam, rocky stream in fynbos, 22.ii.2006, K.-D.B. Dijkstra ( RMNH); 1 Ψ, Western Cape, Limietberg Nature Reserve, Du Toit’s Kloof, Kromrivier, 12.xi.2006, M. Samways, M.J. Samways, J.P. Simaika & J. Ott ( SUEC); 1 ď, 1 Ψ, Limietberg Nature Reserve, Bain’s Kloof, Witte River, 14.xi.2006, J.P. Simaika & J. Ott ( SUEC); 2 ď, Western Cape, Villiersdorp Wild Flower Garden and Nature Reserve, 16.xi.2006, A.A. Johnson, J.P. Simaika & J. Ott ( SUEC); 1 ď, without data ( SAMC).

Observations: 1 ď, Western Cape, Kogelberg Nature Reserve, 15.xii.2003, M.J. Samways.

Unverified records: larval exuviae (cannot be identified to species), Keerom[s]berg, Worcester, i.1930, K.H. Barnard (Barnard 1937; not found in SAMC); larval exuviae (cannot be identified to species), Great Winterhoek Mountains, Tulbagh, i.1934, K.H. Barnard and H.G. Wood ( Barnard 1937; not found in SAMC).

Range and ecology. This species, although localized, is widely distributed throughout the mountains of the Western Cape ( Fig. 20 ). It occurs with the three other species in the mountains of the south-western Western Cape, but it is the only Syncordulia known from Table Mt and in a string of sites along the Langeberg range, east to the Eastern Cape border. It is associated with fast-flowing streams with large boulders and deposition pools, bordered by bushes or trees. It is mainly a summer species, with records from early November to late February.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Syncordulia male abdomen in dorsal (above) and lateral (below) view. (1) S. gracilis; (2) S. legator n. sp.; (3) S. venator; (4) S. serendipator n. sp.

FIGURES 5 – 8. Syncordulia male secondary genitalia in lateral view. The penis is indicated by dotted lines, as its position is variable. (5) S. gracilis; (6) S. legator n. sp.; (7) S. venator; (8) S. serendipator n. sp.

FIGURES 9 – 12. Syncordulia male appendages in dorsal (left), lateral (right) and ventral (S. serendipator n. sp. only) view. (9) S. gracilis; (10) S. legator n. sp.; (11) S. venator; (12) S. serendipator n. sp.

FIGURES 13 – 16. Syncordulia female abdomen tip in lateral (left) and ventral (right) view. (13) S. gracilis; (14) S. legator n. sp.; (15) S. venator; (16) S. serendipator n. sp.

FIGURES 17 – 21. Geographical distribution of Syncordulia species in South Africa (17) and the Western Cape (18 – 21). Legend: solid circles: verified records; dotted circles: observations; crossed circles: unverified records. (17 – 18) S. gracilis; (19) S. legator n. sp.; (20) S. venator; (21) S. serendipator n. sp.