Coeliccia hainanense Laidlaw, 1932

Steinhoff, Philip O. M. & Uhl, Gabriele, 2015, Taxonomy and nomenclature of some mainland SE-Asian Coeliccia species (Odonata, Platycnemididae) using micro-CT analysis, Zootaxa 4059 (2), pp. 257-276 : 262-264

Coeliccia hainanense Laidlaw, 1932 , stat. nov.

Laidlaw (1932) gave a short, unillustrated description of 4 specimens which were collected in Hainan and which he considered to represent a subspecies of C. scutellum . Here, we redescribe the lectotype of C. hainanense including photos of head, thorax, anal appendages and micro-CT reconstructions of the genital ligula. Distinguishing characters of the lectotypes of C. hainanense and C. scutellum are discussed.

Material examined. 1♂, Coeliccia scutellum hainanense , Lectotype: Mt. Wouchi, Hainan, 19.5.0 3, 1911–288 [ BMNH, NHMUK 010266913].

Description. Head ( Fig. 4 A): Black; genae, mandible bases, distal ends of first antenna segments and small spots between lateral ocelli and antenna bases whitish.

Prothorax ( Fig. 4 B–D): All black, but with two small, lateral yellow spots on posterior lobe.

Synthorax ( Fig. 4 B–D): Dorsum with two big yellow spots ( Fig. 4 D). Yellow lateral markings extend over nearly all of metepisternum and metepimeron ( Fig. 4 B).

Wings ( Fig. 4 G–H): Hyaline with black Pt, covering nearly two cells in Fw and about 1½ cells in Hw. 17 Px in both Fw, 18 Px in left, 16 in right Hw. RP 2 arising slightly proximal to Px 8 in both Fw, at Px 7 in left Hw and between Px 6 and Px 7 in right Hw. IR1 arises at Px 12 in left Fw, slightly distal to Px 11 in right Fw, at Px 9 in left and at Px 10 in right Hw. IR2 arises slightly distal to subnodus in all wings.

Abdomen: Long and slender; black with cream white ventral part and lateral white spots at the end of S3–6. Sides of S1–2 cream white.

Anal appendages ( Fig. 4 D–F): Golden yellow. Cerci rather stout and club-shaped; paraprocts longer than cerci, slender and curved.

Genital ligula ( Fig. 5 E–F, Supplementary Fig. 3 ): First segment simple, distally slightly curved in lateral view. Second segment broad and curved, nearly concealing spine-like internal fold from lateral view, without terminal fold; third segment with prominent apical fold and two curved, laterally arising flagella at apex.

Measurements (mm): Total length: 56, Abd.: 48, Wingspan: 60, Fw (right): 28, Hw (right): 29

Remarks. The structural differences in the genital ligula suggest that the C. hainanese specimen represents a distinct species rather than subspecies of C. scutellum . However, these two species may be closely allied.

In addition to several photos taken by the first author (Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park, Quảng Bình, Vietnam and Sơn Trà, Đà Nẵng, Vietnam), we have seen photos of different individuals of C. scutellum from various locations in Vietnam taken by Do Manh Cuong (Hòn Bà, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu) Sébastien Delonglée and Tom Kompier (both Tam Đảo, Vĩnh Phúc). Furthermore, we examined photos of some individuals of C. hainanense taken by Graham Reels and Shanlian Mo from Yinggelin Nature Reserve, Nanlin Nature Reserve, Hui Shan and Mount Wuzhishan in Hainan ( Fig. 6 A–H). This additional material shows that the extent of synthoracic markings varies within both C. scutellum and C. hainanense . The synthoracic markings of some individuals of C. scutellum look almost exactly like those of the lectotype C. hainanense ; in one specimen the dorsal spots cover about two thirds of the synthorax, more than in any specimen of C. hainanense that we have examined. The coloration of the distal abdominal segments in all individuals of C. scutellum examined is restricted to S9 and S10 or often only to S10. Thus, the coloration of S8–10 and the considerable larger size seem to be the only characters to distinguish C. hainanense from C. scutellum in the field. One of the photographs from Hainan shows an immature male that differs from the adults by having four dorsal spots on the synthorax ( Fig. 6 C). This interesting difference in the colour pattern between individuals of different age has been shown earlier in other Coeliccia species (e.g. Laidlaw 1932, Kosterin & Vikhrev 2009, Kosterin 2011, Steinhoff & Do 2013). More specimens of C. hainanense need to be examined for a better understanding of age-dependent variation within the species.

Due to differences in the genital ligula, body size and coloration we propose to promote C. hainanense to species level.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Coeliccia scutellum Tam Đ ảo, Vietnam. A head dorsolateral, B thorax dorsal, C thorax lateral, D anal appendages dorsal, E anal appendages lateral, F anal appendages dorsolateral. Scale bars: 500 Μm.

FIGURE 4. Coeliccia hainanense Lectotype. A head dorsolateral, B prothorax and thorax dorsolateral, C anal appendages dorsal, D prothorax and thorax dorsal, E anal appendages dorsolateral, F appendages lateral, G left Fw, H left Hw. Scale bars: 500 Μm.

FIGURE 5. Genital ligulae as reconstructed from micro-CT (orientation bars: dl dorsolateral, l lateral, p posterior, v ventral, vl ventrolateral). A – B Genital ligula of C. scutellum lectotype C – D genital ligula of C. scutellum from Tam Đ ảo, Vietnam E – F genital ligula of C. hainanense lectotype.

FIGURE 6. Photos in life of Coeliccia hainanense and Coeliccia scutellum. A Coeliccia hainanense, male, Mount Wuzhishan, Hainan, China. Photo by Shanlian Mo). B Coeliccia hainanense, copula, Hui Shan, near Wanning, southeastern Hainan, China. Photo by Graham Reels. C Coeliccia hainanense, immature male, Nanlin Nature Reserve, near Wanning, southeastern Hainan, China. Photo by Graham Reels. D Coeliccia scutellum, female in tandem, Tam Đ ảo, northern Vietnam. Photo by Tom Kompier. E Coeliccia scutellum, male, Tam Đ ảo, northern Vietnam. Photo by Tom Kompier. F Coeliccia hainanense, male S 7 – 10 and anal appendages, Mount Wuzhishan, Hainan, China. Photo by Schanlian Mo. G Coeliccia scutellum, male S 7 – 10 and anal appendages, Tam Đ ảo, northern Vietnam. Photo by Tom Kompier. H Coeliccia scutellum, female in tandem, Tam Đ ảo, northern Vietnam. Photo by Sebastién Delonglee.