Metaleptobasis fernandezi Racenis. 1955

DeMarmels, Jurg, 1992, Dragonflies (Odonata) From The Sierras Of Tapirapeco And Unturan, In The Extreme South Of Venezuela, Acta Biologica Venezuelica 14 (1), pp. 57-78 : 63

Metaleptobasis fernandezi Racenis. 1955

Figures 37-40

Material. (6♂, 1♀). 4♂, 1♀, Base Camp 2♂, Siapa 2.

Remarks. Metaleptobasis Calvert is a difficult genus, chiefly because the amplitude of intraspe. cific variability of most species is unknown. M. fernandezi was described from a single female ( Racenis, 1955). The prothoracic hind lobe of the present female ( Fig. 37 ) corresponds well with the holotype and with the figure given by Geijs. kes (1932, sub manicaria , see Racenis, 1955). The mesothoracic horns are reduced to mere tuber. cles. The thoracic middorsal stripe is slightly broader in the female from Base Camp than in the type. With some doubts I am referring also the sixmales to iernandezi . The male of this species has not so far been described. The present specimens are exceedingly similar to M. mauritia Williamson , but differ from that species (only 1♂ compared: Valencia, Trinidad, 7 Apr 1965, T. W. Donnelly leg.) in the superior anal appendages: In mauritia they are slightly narrower and less sharply angled internally in the apical third; the tip is clearly marked- off from the internal margin, and is reddish ( Figs. 41-42 ). In fernandezi the superior appendages are slightly broader and more angled internally in the apical third; the transition between internal margin and tip is smooth, the tip dark brown ( Figs. 38-39 ). The hind border of the pronotum has a metallic green spot in the middle in male mauritia , which is absent in fernandezi . The mesothoracic horns are similarly shaped in both species (males) ( Figs. 40. 43 ).

Female mauritia have a differently shaped prothoracic hind lobe ( Fig. 44 ) and developed mesothoracic horns ( Fig. 45 ). The specimens from Base Camp were collected together with M. brysonima , but the two males from Siapa 2 were taken in a (then) dry hollow in the forest.

Figures

Plate V: Figures 31-35. Leptobasis yanomami sp.n. (31) abdominal segment 10 with anal appendages, holotype male, left lateral view; (32) same, dorsal view; (33) penis, paratype, left lateral view; (34) same, ventral view; (35) hind margin of pronotum, paratype female, dorsal view. Figure 36. Leptobasis mammiiuris, female (Venezuela, Bolivar, Canaima), hind margin of pronotum, dorsal view. Figures 37-40. Metaieptobasis fernandezi. (37) female, hind margin of pronotum, dorsal view; (38) male, abdominal segment 10 with anal appendages, dorsal view; (39) same, left lateral view; (40) male, left mesothoracic horn, left lateral view. Figures 41-45. Metaleptobasis mauritia (41) male (Trinidad, Valencia), abdominal sEgment 10 with anal appendages, dorsal view; (42) same, left lateral view; (43) left mesothoracic horn, left lateral view; (44) female (Venezuela, Amazonas, San Juan de Manapiare), hind margin of pronotum, dorsal view; (45) left mesothoracic horn, left lateral view, same specimen. Figure 46. Metaleptobasis manicaria, female (Venezuela, Delta Amacuro, Jotacuay), hind margin of pronotum, dorsal view.