Mesamphiagrion rosseri Bota-Sierra

Bota-Sierra, Cornelio Andrés & Echeverri, Martha Isabel Wolff, 2013, Taxonomic revision of Mesamphiagrion Kennedy, 1920 from Colombia (Odonata: Coenagrionidae), with the description of four new species, Zootaxa 3718 (5), pp. 401-440 : 413-417

Mesamphiagrion rosseri Bota-Sierra sp. nov.

Figs. 1 a (habitus ♂), 1b (larva), 2a–e (diagnostic traits), 13e (S7– 10 ♂), 14e–f (S7–10 ♀), 15 (map)

Etymology. Named rosseri (noun in the genitive case) after Dr. Rosser W. Garrison, whose work, advice, and unconditional help made this work possible.

Specimens examined (12 specimens: 1 male holotype, 1 allotype, 10 paratypes).

CEUA: Antioquia: 1 ♂, Municipality Sonsón, Township Chaverras, Quebrada El Páramo , N 5°42’8.3’’ W 75° 15’13.8’’, 2,703 m, 27.vii.2009, Leg: C. Bota. Holotype and 3 ♂, same but, 24.vi.2012, Leg: C. Moreno, M. Moreno, A. Montoya & C. Bota. 3 ♂ and 1 ♀, same but, trail to Alto de La Paloma, stubble at forest edge near a little rifle, N 5°43’44.5’’ W 75°16’18.3’’, 2,700 m, 19.ix.2009, Leg: L. Ríos, C. Flórez & C. Bota. 1 ♂, same but, 30.vi.2009, Leg: L. Ríos. 1 ♂, Municipality Medellín, Corregimiento Santa Elena, sector La Paloma, 2–4.iv.2010, Leg: J.C. Castrillón. 1 ♂, same but xii.2009. Allotype, same but Township el Llano, N 6°11’39.5’’ W 75°29’28.6’’, 2,603 m, 20.xii.2011, Leg: L. Ríos.

Description. Holotype. Head. Labium cream. Base of mandible light green with brown spot in upper quarter. Labrum light green with basal 1/4 crossed by black stripe. Gena light green near eye turning cream toward base of mandible. Anteclypeus cream with round brown spot on each side. Postclypeus entirely black. Frons black with cream stripe located over clypeus which is interrupted by a median black stripe, with pair of light spots behind antennae and small pale spot between ocelli. Head posterior margin and occipital bar brown. Blue postocular spots, not reaching margin with eye. Antenna black, edge of first antennomere cream. Rear of head cream ( Fig. 1 a).

Thorax. Prothorax black with light blue pleura, anterior lobe with lateral T-shaped pale blue mark on each side. Medial lobe of posterior prothoracic lobe developed into caudally projected squarish plate with smoothly rounded margins and posterior edge slightly concave, its lateral edges approximately 1/3 length of distal edge. Mesepisternal plate approximately flat and triangular, black with light blue lateral apex. Color pattern of pterothorax as follows: mediodorsal stripe black, mesepisternal stripe blue, brown stripe on mesopleural suture and mesepimeron, light blue metepisternum with apical 1/4 cream, brown spot on distal fourth of metapleural suture, metepimeron and venter cream ( Fig. 1 a). Coxa cream. Femur externally black with cream proximal stripe, medially cream. Tibia dark brown. Black tarsomeres, claw, and armature. Eight external spurs on right metafemur and nine on left metafemur, as long as space between them or shorter, gradually increasing in size toward apex. Seven external spurs on right metatibia and nine on left metatibia, as long as space between them or shorter, gradually decreasing in size toward apex. Tarsal claw with well developed supplementary tooth. Wings hyaline. Pt brown, length ratio between distal and proximal sides about 1:1. CuP reaching CuPAA slightly distal to confluence of CuPAA with hind margin of wing. Px 13 in FW and 11 in HW. RP 2 branching between Px 5 and 6 in right wing and under Px 6 in left FW, between Px 4 and 5 in HW ( Fig. 1 a).

Abdomen. Black dorsally with light blue distal margin on S1, incomplete light blue ring at proximal margin on S3–7, and blue dorsal spot on S8 and S9 ( Fig. 12 e), greenish cream lateral terga on S1, S2, and S3, venter cream with medial black stripe from S1 to proximal 1/4 of S9 ( Fig 1 a). Genital ligula ( Fig. 2 c–d) with apex concave with pair of long latero-apical processes ending in distally recurved pointed tips; latero-medial process poorly developed; inner medial process arising at center of ental surface of distal segment. Cercus ( Fig. 2 a–b) about as long as length of S10, outer surface black, inner cream with brown inner ventroapical and ventrobasal processes. Dorsal process rounded, external ventroapical process elongated with blunt apex, and inner ventroapical process protruding as hemispheric lobe on apical region of external ventroapical process, ventrobasal process ending in blunt tip which extends to approximately half length of paraproct. Paraproct cream with convex dorsal process ending in black tip reaching about mid-length of cercus. Total length 38 mm. Abdomen length 31 mm. FW length 23 mm. HW length 22 mm.

Variation in male paratypes. Head. Labium cream or light blue. Base of mandible light green or light blue with brown spot on upper quarter. Labrum blue or green with black basal margin or black medial stripe on base. Gena light green or cream. Anteclypeus blue or green. Postclypeus entirely black or cream with dark apical medial stripe joining black frons, sometimes with pruinescence. Frons sometimes with pale spot along margin with clypeus on each side, pair of pale spots behind antenna, occipital bar and posterior margin of head cream or brown. Blue postocular spot may or may not reach eye margin. First antennomere with apical edge blue in some cases.

Thorax. Black prothorax with light blue pleural area, proximal margin cream, light brown to dark brown postero-medial zone on anterior process, sometimes with pruinescence. Pterothorax can present pruinescence and a brown stripe at metepisternal posterior margin over metapleural suture, cream to light blue metepimeron, light blue cream venter. Coxa cream to light blue, sometimes with pruinescence. Femur black with light blue proximal stripe on outer side. Six to 11 metafemoral external spurs and six to eight metatibial external spurs. Wings hyaline to smoky. Pt light to dark brown. Px in FW 12–14, and 10–11 in HW. RP 2 branching between Px 5 and 7 in FW, between Px 4 and 6 in HW.

Abdomen. Degree of concavity of apex of genital ligula variable. Cercus black with brown to completely black ventroapical processes. Total length 37–40 mm. Abdomen length 30–32 mm. FW length 23–25 mm. HW length 22–24 mm.

Allotype. Head as holotype but base of mandible cream. Labrum cream with a medio-basal black spot. Gena cream. Anteclypeus gray with dark spot on each side. Postclypeus dark brown with pruinescence. Frons pale, with pruinescence and a black medial stripe along margin with clypeus becoming wider between antennae, ocelli surrounded by black rings, black transverse stripe from eye to eye, passing behind vertex and delimiting pale blue postocular spots on each side, postocular spot touching eye margin ( Fig. 10 h).

Thorax. Prothorax as holotype but with pruinescence, anterior lobe cream and posterior process of posterior lobe black with blue apex, medial projection of posterior lobe slightly projected dorsally and concave. Mesostigmal plate with blue apex ( Fig. 2 e). Pterothorax coloration as in holotype. Legs light brown with black armature. Eight external spurs on right metafemur and nine on left metafemur, and seven external spurs on right metatibia and six on left metatibia. 13 Px in FW, 12 Px in right HW and 13 in left HW. RP 2 branching between Px 5 and 6 in FW, between Px 4 and 5 in HW ( Fig. 10 h).

Abdomen. As in holotype but S8 with light blue distal apex and wide blue spot, starting at proximal margin and interrupted near distal margin by a narrow black stripe, S9 with blue spot that widens distally, S10 light blue, lateral terga light blue to cream on S1 and S2 ( Figs. 10 h, 13e). Cercus sub-conical, slightly shorter than S10 length, with base black and tip cream. Paraproct cream. Well developed dark brown vulvar spine. Sub-basal plate of ovipositor triangular. Teeth along outer valve of ovipositor not visible due to densely covered setae. Ovipositor without stylus reaching approximately level of paraproct distal margin, apex of stylus being most distal point of body. Ovipositor bluish cream with edge of valve and stylus brown. Total length 38 mm. Abdomen length 31 mm. FW length 24 mm. HW length 23 mm.

Variation in female paratypes. Head. As in allotype but labrum cream with black basal portion. Anteclypeus brown to cream with dark spot on each side. Postclypeus from entirely dark to cream with apical portion dark, confluent with medial stripe that extends longitudinally, can have pruinescence. Frons entirely black with light blue postocular spots and brown occipital bar or as in allotype.

Thorax. Prothorax coloration as in holotype and may have pruinescence. Legs light brown to black and may have pruinescence. 13–14 Px in FW, 11–12 in HW. RP 2 branching between Px 5 and 7 in FW, between Px 4 and 6 in HW.

Abdomen. Shape of dorsal spots on S8 and S9 varies as in Fig 13 f. Cercus base black and tip cream to entirely black. Paraproct cream to black. Total length 38–41 mm. Abdomen length 31–33 mm. FW length 24–28 mm. HW length 23–26 mm.

Diagnosis. Males of this species are characterized by the rounded tips of cercus subapical dorsal process and inner ventroapical process ( Fig. 2 a–b), which group it with M. ovigerum , M. occultum , M. ecuatoriale , M. risi , and M. santainense . The cercus in lateral view resembles that of M. ovigerum by having the external ventroapical process elongated caudally ( Fig 1 a). In M. rosseri the inner ventroapical process arises closer to the apex of the external ventroapical process ( Fig. 2 a), and the ventrobasal process apex is convex ( Fig. 2 b). The absence of a blue spot on dorsum of S7 ( Figs. 1 a, 12e) distinguishes this species from M. ecuatoriale (in part), M. risi ( Fig. 12 c–d), and M. ovigerum ( Fig. 12 m). The concave apex and reduced lateromedial processes of genital ligula ( Fig. 2 c–d) separate it from all other species in the genus. Females can be distinguished from females of M. occultum , M. ecuatoriale , M. risi , and M. santainense by the form of medial lobe of posterior lobe of pronotum which protrudes slightly ( Fig. 2 e), is concave, and is almost as long as the lateral lobes. The shape of the posterior lobe of pronotum of females of M. ovigerum is similar, but they have a pale spot on S7 ( Fig. 13 d), which females of M. rosseri lack ( Fig. 13 e–f). The color pattern of S8–10 is unique to this species ( Fig. 13 e–f).

Habitat and biology. Adults were collected between stubble and swamps near forest edges dominated by the oak Quercus humboldtii . Known populations appear to be composed of few individuals, because at no time more than 10 adults were observed at a place. Adults fly close to the ground or water surface. Males were observed more often near wetlands, and females tended to be solitary and were found in various habitats such as forests and stubble. Other odonates collected at the same localities as M. rosseri are shown in Table 1.

Larvae. Only one individual was found in a swamp with a water depth of about 2.5 cm and emergent vegetation. In captivity this larva was observed on several occasions resting with the caudal lamellae lying under the water and the rest of the body outside ( Fig. 1 b). Since only one specimen was thus far collected, the larval stage is not described yet, awaiting the collection and rearing of further specimens to allow accounting for intraspecific variability.

Distribution. Northern Cordillera Central in Antioquia department, between 2,600 and 2,700 m.a.s.l. ( Fig. 15 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Mesamphiagrion rosseri (Antioquia, Sonsón): (a) Male holotype; (b) last larval instar resting with half body out of water. M. risi (Antioquia): (c) Male (Amalfi); (d) Female (San Vicente).

FIGURE 2. Mesamphiagrion rosseri (Antioquia, Sonsón), male paratype: (a) Lateral view of caudal appendages, (b) Mediodorsal view of right cercus, (c) Ectal view of genital ligula, (d) Lateral view of genital ligula. Female paratype: (e) Dorsal view of posterior lobe of pronotum and mesostigmal plates. p. m.: Mesostigmal plates. l. p.: Ponotum posterior lobe. l. l-ap.: Lateroapical lobe. p. d.: Dorsal process. p. v-a. e.: Ventroapical external process. p. v-a. i.: Ventroapical inner process. p. v-b.: Ventrobasal process. Illustrations drawn by Gloria Mora.

FIGURE 10. Mesamphiagrion nataliae (Cundinamarca, Guasca): (a) Male holotype; (f) Juvenile male paratype; (b) Androchrome female allotype; (g) Gynochrome female paratype; (c) Juvenile female paratype. (h) M. rosseri female paratype (Antioquia, Medellín). (d) M. ovigerum female (Cundinamarca, Bogotá) and (j) dorsal view of posterior lobe of pronotum and mesostigmal plates. (i) M. occultum female (Cundinamarca, PNN Chingaza) and (e) dorsal view of posterior lobe of pronotum and mesostigmal plates. p. m.: Mesostigmal plates. l. p.: Ponotum posterior lobe.

FIGURE 12. Mesamphiagrion tamaense (Santander, Suratá): (a) Mature female; (b) Juvenile female; (c) Mature male; (d) Juvenile male.

FIGURE 15. New distributional records of Mesamphiagrion laterale, M. nataliae, M. occultum, M. rosseri, M. santainense, and M. tamaense in Colombia.

FIGURE 13. S 7 – 10 color patterns of males: (a) and (b) Mesamphiagrion gaudiimontanum; (c) and (d) M. risi; (e) M. rosseri; (f) and (g) M. santainense; (h) M. tamaense; (i) and (j) M. occultum; (k) M. demarmelsi; (l) M. laterale; (m) M. ovigerum; (n) M. nataliae.