Hemicordulia Selys

Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B., 2007, Gone with the wind: westward dispersal across the Indian Ocean and island speciation in Hemicordulia dragonflies (Odonata: Corduliidae), Zootaxa 1438, pp. 27-48 : 31

Hemicordulia Selys

Cordulia nec Leach, 1815 – Rambur (1842: 146).

Cordulia (Hemicordulia) Selys, 1870 : v [type species: Cordulia australiae Rambur, 1842 ; by original designation]. Hemicordulia Selys, 1870 – Kirby (1890: 46).

Diagnosis. The genus combines characters typical of Corduliidae with reductions shared with Libellulidae . ‘Corduliid’ features are: (1) posterior margin of eyes infracted; (2) male hind tibiae keeled; (3) S2–3 without transverse subbasal ridges; (4) body largely metallic green. ‘Libellulid’ features are: (1) anal triangle and angle of Hw reduced in males; (2) auricles on S2 reduced in males. Aside from aforementioned ‘libellulid’ features, a combination of venation characters in unique among Afrotropical ‘corduliids’: (1) only 6–9 Ax in Fw; (2) arculus lies between Ax1–2; (3) Hw arculus more or less aligned with proximal border of triangle; (4) only one bridge cross-vein in all wings; (5) supratriangles without cross-veins; (6) Hw with only one Cux; (7) subtriangle of 3 cells; (8) anal loop boot-shaped. The separation of the closely related Australasian genus Procordulia , which has an anal triangle, is not well resolved (van Tol 1997).