Argia concinna ( Rambur, 1842 )

Meurgey, François, 2009, Redescription of Argia concinna (Rambur), with a description of Argia telesfordi spec. nov. from Grenada, West Indies (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae), Zootaxa 2272, pp. 54-62 : 55-56

Argia concinna ( Rambur, 1842)

(Figures 1, 3, 5–6, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23)

Material examined: 101 3, 66 ƤƤ: GUADELOUPE: 4 3, 2 ƤƤ, Grand Etang, Capesterre-Belle-Eau 1312 ft, N 17° 72’ 49,2’’ W 64° 67’ 57’’, 23.IV.2003, F. Meurgey leg. 10 3 7 ƤƤ, Stream near Route des Mamelles, Petit-Bourg 590 ft, N 17° 89’ 29,4’’ W 64° 10’ 64,9’’, 27.IV.2003, F. Meurgey leg. 3 3, 1 Ƥ, Stream at Sofaïa, Sainte Rose 1082 ft, N 17° 89’ 36’’ W 32’ 00’’, 02.V.2003, F. MEURGEY leg. 6 3, 4 ƤƤ, Grand Carbet river, Capesterre-Belle-Eau 1961 ft, N 17° 74’ 25,7’’ W 64° 50’ 08’’, 05.V.2003, F. Meurgey leg. 1 3, 2 ƤƤ, Galion river, Saint Claude 1049 ft, N 17° 70’ 10,6’’ W 63° 98’ 42’’, 08.V.2003, F. Meurgey leg. 12 3, 9 ƤƤ, Corrosol river, Petit-Bourg 836 ft, N 17° 88’ 38,0’’ W 64° 02’ 12’’, 29.III.2004, F. Meurgey leg. 1 3, 1 Ƥ, Canal Dongo, Vauchelet, Capesterre-Belle-Eau 1115 ft, N 17° 72’ 32,4’’ W 64° 77’ 47’’, 27.I.2006, F. Meurgey leg. 1 3, 1 Ƥ, Stream at Sofaïa, Sainte-Rose 1082 ft, N 17° 89’ 36’’ W 32’ 00’’, 01.II.2006, F. Meurgey leg. 4 3, 6 ƤƤ, Grand Rivière de Vieux-Habitants, Vieux-Habitants 127 ft, N 17° 75’ 65,9’’ W 63° 33’ 40’’, 03.II.2006, F. Meurgey leg. 3 3, 4 ƤƤ, Ravine Boudoute, Trois-Rivières 2250 ft, N 17° 71’ 74,7’’ W 64°44’ 92’’, 06.VI.2007, F. Meurgey leg. 1 3, 2 ƤƤ, ravine à Vache, Saint-Claude 3182 ft, N 17° 73’ 23,2’’ W 64° 23’ 47’’, 08.VI.2007, F. Meurgey leg. 4 3, 5 ƤƤ, Rivière Madelonnette, Sainte- Rose 967 ft, N 17° 95’ 72,4’’ W 63° 82’ 16’’, 18.VI.2007, F. Meurgey leg. 6 3, 2 ƤƤ, Rivière Janikeete, Sainte-Rose 770 ft, N 17° 94’ 91’’ W 63° 23’ 47’’, 18.VI.2007, F. Meurgey leg.

DOMINICA: 5 3, 1 Ƥ River Blanc at Chamberlain Estate, 750 ft, 2.XI.2006 G. Weber leg.; 2 3 same data, 22.XI.2006 G. Weber leg.; 5 3, 1 Ƥ Wotten Waven, 1100 ft, 21.XI.2006 G. Weber leg.; 6 3 same data, 22.XI.2006 G. Weber leg.; 5 3, 2 ƤƤ stream at Casso 650 ft, 21.XI.2006 G. Weber leg.; 3 3, 4 ƤƤ Roseau River at Goodwill reservoir 150 ft, 21.XI.2006 G. Weber leg.; 6 3, 4 ƤƤ unnamed stream at Springfield Estate 1200 ft, 23.XI.2006 G. Weber leg.; 4 3, 6 ƤƤ Check Hall River, Springfield Estate 1100 ft, 23.XI.2006 G. Weber leg.; 2 3, 1 Ƥ Layou river, Camp Soleil 150ft, 26.XI.2006 G. Weber leg.; 2 3, 1 Ƥ Pagua river, Stonefield 600 ft, 29.XI.2006 G. Weber leg.; 1 3 Pagua river, Concord 150 ft, 29.XI.2006 G. Weber leg.; 4 3 unnamed stream at Pont Cassé 1550 ft, 0 4.12.2006 G. Weber leg.

Diagnosis: Medium sized dark and blue species.

Morphology: Male: Medium sized dark and blue species. Head: Labium light blue or black; palps and apical portion of teeth black. Labrum light blue with a black posteroventral distal margin and a black stripe basally. Anteclypeus black; postclypeus blue bordered with black. Mandibles light blue. Genae light blue each with a black, rounded spot (Figs. 1, 3). First antennal segment blue basally and black distally, second segment and flagellum black; Frons entirely black except for a large transverse anterior blue stripe. Vertex black with two blue spots at anterior margin of lateral ocelli. Rear of head black with a discontinuous lateral blue stripe along posterior margin of eyes. Eyes in life bright blue with a shade of black above. Thorax: Prothorax mostly black, middle lobe with two large dorsolateral blue spots and two small blue spots at angles of the rear margin these spots always aligned with the blue antehumeral stripe on pterothorax; a deep depression of each side of median lobe; anterior margin with a sinuate blue stripe along carina, lateral margin each with a blue spot (Fig. 9). Mesepisternum and metepimeron black with complete blue antehumeral stripe. Metepisternum, metepimeron and venter of pterothorax blue. Large black stripe between the metepisternal-metepimeral carina, dark stripe along carina between metepimeron and venter of thorax (Fig. 1). Wings: Hyaline or smoky; venation black. Pterostigma dark brown. Legs: Coxae light blue with each a black spot on the external side; third of internal face of profemora blue, the remainder black; sixth of internal face of meso- and metafemora blue, the remainder black. External face of tibiae blue; tarsi black. Abdomen: Black with blue areas as follows (Figs. 5, 6): Dorsally and dorsoventrally on S1; two spots dorsally and a spot laterally on S2, dorsolaterally basal two thirds dorsally and lateral fifth of S3–6; small dorsal spot basally on S7; S8–10 dorsally. Torifer region distinctly raised; tori elongated, light blue, almost rectangular and divergent dorsally, directed ventrally into two long blunt processes each ending with a small torus these situated between cerci (Fig. 15). Epiproct long and slightly surpassing tori. Cercus and paraproct black. Cercus short, in lateral view about as long as or slightly shorter than paraproct (Fig. 11). In mediodorsal view, cercus bifid at tip with decumbent tooth as long as or shorter than outer branch; concavity between them slightly marked (Fig. 15). Decumbent tooth situated medially (more rarely subapically). In dorsal view, cercus oval, broader than space between them and broader than long with a distinct notch on apical margin (Fig. 13). Paraproct almost square or roundly triangular directed dorsally and reaching cercus, ventral branch lacking or represented by a small lobe; in lateral view with only a small tooth on external margin, reaching or slightly surpassing level of cercus (Fig. 11).

FEMALE: Similar to male but with less extensive pale areas, cream-colored or light brown instead of blue. Head: As in male but dark stripe on the labrum larger, often covering the entire basal half. Eyes in life dark gray or black when mature, black above and blue below as immature. Thorax: As in male but prothorax black with a small isolated yellowish spot above notopleural suture and often with a small yellowish spot on each side of the posterior margin. These spots always aligned with pale antehumeral stripe. Mesostigmal plates triangular, posterodistal margin unmodified, posteromedial margin not expanded and forming an entirely black slightly raised lobe (Figs. 17, 19). Pterothorax as in male but with metepimeral stripe narrower and yellow or light brown. Other pale areas on the thorax as in male but cream, or yellow colored. Wings: As in male. Legs: Coxae pale with each a black spot on the external side; third of internal face of profemora pale, the remainder black; sixth of internal face of meso- and meta femora pale, the remainder black. External face of tibiae pale; tarsi black. Abdomen: S1 with a small blue spot dorsally, sometimes absent, and with yellowish spots ventrolaterally. S2–4 (or S2–3) black dorsolaterally with a blue longitudinal stripe dorsally, yellowish ventrally. S5–7 black with a small blue spot basally. S8–9 with a large blue or yellow spot on the distal half. S10 black. S2–7 sometimes entirely black, but spots on S8–9 always present (Fig. 21). Ovipositor and caudal appendages black; ventral margin of ovipositor straight and not surpassing level of S10 (Fig. 23).

Variations among specimens: Total length (mm) 3: 35.0–37.0, total length ƤƤ: 34.5–38.0, abdomen 3: 26.0–28.5, ƤƤ abdomen: 37.0–30.0, forewings 3: 20.0–22.0, ƤƤ forewings: 21.0–23.0, 3 hindwings: 19.5–21.0, ƤƤ hindwings: 20.0–22.0.

Argia concinna is highly variable as to extent of pale markings but these differences do not correlate with locality. Palest individuals have S1 dark lateral stripe reduced to a dot and sometimes with only a perpendicular black stripe on the apical half; a broad blue ring at base of S7 and a large blue spot dorsally on S10. Darkest specimens have an almost completely black S1–2, sometimes no basal pale ring on S7 and only 1–3 small spots on S10. Females are more variable than males and some are completely dark, except for a small blue or yellowish spot dorsally on S8–9. Palest specimens have a middorsal blue or yellowish stripe dorsally on S3–5, a basal pale ring on S3–8 and larger blue or yellowish spots on S8–9 and sometimes S10; Most of specimens from Guadeloupe are longer than those from Dominica. Morphological attributes are less variable; the lower branch of the cerci is sometimes longer with more or less longer tooth on the external margin.