Amphicnemis gracilis, Kruger, 1898

M. A. Lieftinck, 1940, Descriptions and records of South-East Asiatic Odonata (II), Treubia 17 (4), pp. 337-392 : 372-373

Amphicnemis gracilis Katana ( pl. 15 fig. 4 , pl. 16 fig. 2 ).

1898. KRUGER, Stett. ent. Zeitg. 59, p. 121 123. — ♂♀ Soekaranda, ♀ Liangagas (N. E. Sumatra).

1913. LAIDLAW, P.Z.S. London. p. '74 (key ♂♀, not seen).

Material studied: _ 1 ♀ ad., defective, “ Dorhn , Sumatra, Soekaranda ” (allotype), 1 ♀ juv., head, prothorax and segm. 7 - 10 of abdomen lost, “ Lianga- gas , Dohrn ” (paratype), in the Stettin Museum. 7 ♂ (mostly ad.), 18 ♀ (12 ad., blue or green, 6 juv., red), E. Sumatra, Palembang , Nov NOV‘. 8 - 23, 1937, i L. Coomans De Ruiter leg.; 2 ♂, 2 ♀ (ad.), Palembang , Nov. 14, 1937 & April i, 1938, J. J. vm DER STARRE lcg.; 1 ♂ (ad.), id., Riouw Res., Inderagiri, Pangkalankasai , April 4, 1939, P. Buwalda lcg. All in the Buitenzorg Museum.

This species has not revealed itself since the time of its description.

I am much indebted to Herr Dr. A. Kastner, of the Naturkundemuseum, Stettin, for the loan of Kruger's types of gracilis , which I have thoroughly compared with our fine series of specimens and found them well agreeing. The type ♂ from Soekaranda is lost and the authorities of the Stettin Museum were unable to trace it, but fortunately the description of the male is very detailed and the agreement with the Palembang specimens is so close that 1 have no hesitation in referring them to Kruger's species,

M. A. LIEFTINCK: Descriptions and records 0 ƒ S. E. Asiatic Odonala. 373

Female (ad). — The adult specimens that I take to be the ♀ of this species are identical with Kruger's example. I have made Kruger's “ mittelreifes ♀ " the allotype of gracilis ; the colours of the thorax of this specimen are faded and the various black spots and stripes mentioned in Kruger's description are very obviously due to postmortem decomposition. In our series of females no two examples are exactly alike, the colouring of the dorsal surface varying from cinnamon- or olive-brown to ‘ medal-bronze’ (Ridgway), whilst the sides are dark bluish glaucous (OP greenish glaucous-blue) in matured specimens. Several females show the same thoracic colour-pattern as Kruger's examples; but there are no real antehumeral stripes, and the black spots or stripes are merely apparent. The ante-alar triangles are metallic-green, and the under surfaces pale yellow.

Legs, including the coxae, yellow; femora and anterior tibiae striped with black exteriorly, knees and apices of tarsal joints also black.

The abdomen is coloured similarly to wallacei and annae .

Female (juv.). - The type of Kruger's red colour-phase lacks its head and prothorax, as well as the terminal abdominal segments. Our specimens agree with the description in all respects, except that the prothorax is entirely red.

Nearest to smedleyi , Laidlaw, from the Mentawei Islands, which is probably only a subspecies of gracilis , of the main island.

Figures

Pl . 15 . — Structural characters of Malaysian species of Amphicnemis . 1 - 3 . Male anal appendages , dorsal view and right side . 4 . Right lateral view of prothorax .

Pl. 16. — Male anal appendages of Malaysian species of Amphicnemis, dorsal view and right side