Lamelligomphus choui choui Chao & Liu 1989

Wilson, Keith Duncan Peter & Xu, Zaifu, 2009, Gomphidae of Guangdong & Hong Kong, China (Odonata: Anisoptera) 2177, Zootaxa 2177, pp. 1-62 : 29-30

Lamelligomphus choui choui Chao & Liu 1989

Figs. 14 (a–f)

Lamelligomphus choui Chao & Liu 1989 : Chao & Liu (1989: 177–179, type-loc. Anhui); Chao (1990: 354–356, Anhui); Hua (2000: 11, Anhui).

Lamelligomphus chaoi nec Zhu 1999: Fellowes et al. (2003a: 36, Guangdong: Dadingshan & Maoping, Nanling) .

Specimens: 5 ♂, Dadingshan, Nanling , Guangdong 30 vi 2000, leg. KW ; 5 ♂, Maoping, Nanling , Guangdong, 6 vii 2000, leg. KW .

Description: Labium pale cream, anterior borders black. Labrum black with pair of large yellow lateral spots ( Fig. 14a). Bases of mandibles creamy-yellow, anteclypeus bright yellow, postclypeus entirely black. Several males possess a pair of small yellow lateral spots on the postclypeus but most specimens without these spots. Postfrons black with yellow transverse crest invaded slightly at centre basally and distally; the dorsal yellow crest extending to upper antefrons. Tranverse yellow stripe across postfrons narrowly divided in one male specimen but uniterrupted in all other males examined and the type also figured with an undivided stripe. Prominent rounded protrusions beset with bushy black hairs above lateral ocelli ( Fig. 14b). Occiput with a broad hump at centre with very slight depression at each side. Rear of head, below occipital margin, with large yellow spot. Prothorax entirely black save for a pair of minute yellow spots at middle of central lobe and a small lateral yellow spot. Synthorax with an isolated dorsal stripe and antehumeral stripe connected to superior spot ( Fig. 14c). Legs all black. Wings hyaline. Pterostigma blackish-brown. Abdomen mainly black with yellow markings as follows: S1 with round yellow dorsal spot, S2 with narrow rectanguar spot along dorsal carina, S1–2 ventero-laterally yellow but on S2 narrowly invaded with black at basal margin and again from middle of segment towards ventral border; S3–6 with pairs of basal dorsal yellow spots, narrowly conjoined at extreme base; basal half S7 yellow, S8–9 black with small baso-lateral yellow spot, S10 black with a large yellow dorsal spot. All 10 males collected from Guandong have a prominent yellow area dorsum S10 ( Fig. 14f). Cerci black. Hamuli illustrated in Figs. 14d–e.

Remarks: Unlike L. formosanus males the yellow crest stripe extends on to the vertical face of the frons and is not restricted to the dorsum. The Guangdong specimens conform to the description of topotypical L. choui from Anhui. The blunt, boat-shaped lateral profile of the tip of the superior appendage is characteristic of this species.

Lamelligomphus choui tienfuensis Chao 1995 was described from a single male from Sichuan. Chao (1995) considered the presence of semi-circular prominences above the lateral ocelli and depressed areas at each side of the occiput indicated that this taxon belonged to L. choui . According to Chao (1995) its colouration differs markedly from the nominate species by the following: (i) labrum predominantly yellow, (ii) crest of synthorax yellow and joined to yellow collar stripe, antehumeral stripe absent, (iv) three yellow spots on metepisternum (v) most abdominal segments with a basal ring. Chao (1995) stated there were no distinct structural differences when compared with the nominate subspecies but figured the posterior hamulus without a markedly curved tip ( Fig. 17t), which is present in nominate choui ( Fig. 14e). The shape of the hamuli of L. choui tienfuensis are identical to those of Lamelligomphus ringens ( Needham 1930) ( Fig. 17o–p) and the overall body pattern and colouration is very similar. There is a strong possibility that L. choui tienfuensis is a junior synonym of L. ringens .

Distribution: China (Anhui & Guangdong).