Leptobasis Selys, 1877

Mauffray, William F. & Tennessen, Kenneth J., 2019, A Catalogue and Historical Study of the Odonata of Ecuador, Zootaxa 4628 (1), pp. 1-265 : 50-51

Leptobasis Selys, 1877

Small to medium slender damsefllies, only two of the nine species being found in Ecuador; undetermined specimens also exist in collections that could represent an undescribed species. The thorax usually has green stripes and the slender, elongate abdomen is often orange or yellowish ( Fig. 22 ). See Garrison & von Ellenrieder (2010) and Johnson (2016) for identification. The Ecuador species inhabit open to partly shaded shallow marshes and the edges of small slow streams.

Leptobasis linda Johnson, 2016 . Publ. Recs. MN: Johnson (2016 — Holotype: ♂, from a small forested stream, N of Chindul, (0.2389, -79.8742, about 30m), 1 iii 2010, leg. JTJ [FSCA]); LR: Johnson (2016 — Allotype ♀: from a small stream, 1.8 km N of Hwy. 491, approx. 25 km E of Babahoyo, (-1.8111, -79.3189, about 60m), 7 iii 2010, leg. JTJ [FSCA]); EO: Johnson (2016).

Addl. Data. GY, Naranjal: 1 ♀, “Finca de la Gringa,” 15 km E of Tres Cerritos, near Cerro Cimalón (-2.4456, -79.5556, 25m), 12 iv 2008, leg. & det. JTJ [JTJ].

Note: Kennedy (1919) recognized that “the species (of Leptobasis labeled vacillans ) in the Cornell University collection from Ecuador appears to be entirely new and have long forcipate inferiors.” He showed figures of the Cornell specimen genital ligula.

Leptobasis vacillans Selys, 1877 . Publ. Recs. ECU: Paulson (1983), Tsuda (1986 — as L. v. ecuadorica ), Tsuda (1991), (H08), (P11), (H14); EO: Campos (1927); GY: * Calvert (1909), Campos (1922), Garrison & von Ellenrieder (2010); LR: * Calvert (1909 — as “ L. vacillans race ecuadorica ”), Campos (1922); SD: Daigle et al. (1997), Garrison & von Ellenrieder (2010 — as Pinchincha). Also BRA, CEN, GUF, SUR, VEN: (H08), (P11); plus COL: (P11), (P&P).

Addl. Data. GY, Guayaquil: 7 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, Quayaquil (-2.7333, -79.75, 17m), date?, leg. F. Campos, det. P. Calvert, data provided by RWG, [ANSP,USNM]; Naranjal: 2 ♀♀, [San Rafael], listed as “San Raphael” (-2.18, - 79.23, 200m), date?, leg. F. Campos, det.? [FSCA]; LR, Quevedo: 5 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Quevedo (-1.0333, -79.4500, 11m), date?, leg. F. Campos, det. P. Calvert 1909, data provided by RWG [ANSP]; MN, El Carmen: borrow pit/small slow stream, NW of El Carmen (-0.1375, -79.5728, 185m), 28 ii 2010, leg. & det. JTJ [JTJ]; SD: 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, seepage fen at Hotel Colorado, Hwy. 30 about 16 km E of Santo Domingo (-0.31, -79.03, 762m), 31 i 1997, leg. & det. KJT [KJT]; 2 ♂♂, same data but leg. & det. JJD [FAL, JJD]; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same data but 30 i 1997, leg. JJD, det. RWG [ RWG]; 2 ♀, same data but leg. & det. WFM [ FSCA, QZAC]; 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, 29 km W Santo Domingo de los Colorados , 5 vii 1975, leg. A. Langley & P. Spangler, det. RWG [ USNM] .

Leptobasis unresolved: GY, Duran: Leptobasis nov. sp. “as por Calvert” (* Campos 1922); LR, Babahoyo: 6 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, 10 km N of Babahoyo, banana plantation, (-1.8167, -79.5167, 56m), 22 vi 1975, leg. J. Cohen, A. Langley, P. Monnig, det. RWG & NVE 2009 [USNM]; Buena Fé: 37 km N of Quevedo, 7 iv 1975, leg. J. Cohen & A. Langley, det.? [USNM]; Quevedo: 1 ♀, Pichilingue (-1.1000 -79.4833, 40m), 2 ii 1955, leg. E. I. Schlinger & E. S. Ross, det. RWG 2009 CAS [DRP].

Note: These are all probably Leptobasis linda , pending re-examination of the specimens.

Figures

FIGURE 22. Leptobasis vacillans. (a) ♂; (b) ♀, COSTA RICA, Alajuela province, Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge, 12 vi 2017; photo P. Deviche.