Lestes forficula Rambur, 1842

Fig. 5A–B (♁ and ♀ head), Fig. 7J–L (♁ pterothorax), Fig. 9K–L (♁ genital ligula), Fig.11G–H (♁ caudal appendages), Fig. 13 D-F (♀ pterothorax), Fig. 14F (♀ ovipositor), Fig. 18 (distribution), Fig. 24 A–B (♁ and couple in tandem field photos).

Etymology: forficűla diminutive of latin forfex, small scissors.

Type locality: not referenced in the original description (Amérique meridional).

Distribution: Argentina, Barbados, Belize; Brazil; Colombia (Antioquia, Cundinamarca, Huila, Magdalena, Meta, Quindío, Santander, Sucre, Vichada, Valle del Cauca); Costa Rica; Cuba; Dominican Republic; Honduras; Jamaica; Mexico; Panama; Peru; Puerto Rico; Trinidad and Tobago; United States.

Female described: Yes Larva described: Yes—by supposition in Calvert (1928)

Altitudinal range: 23–1735 m IUCN status: LC— Paulson (2018b)

Records in previous references: De Marmels (2006), Pérez-Gutiérrez & Palacino-Rodríguez (2011), Lara (2016), Bota-Sierra et al. (2019), Álvarez-Álvarez et al. (2023)

Material examined: (81♁♁, 8♀♀). Colombia, Cundinamarca, Cáqueza, 4.4040N, 73.9510W, 1735 m, 9♁♁, 1♀ (UARC) ; Chaguaní, vereda La veja, 4.9630N, 74.6160W, 1027 m, C. Mendoza, leg., 2♁♁ (UARC) ; La Mesa, vereda La Doima, 4.6700N, 74.4430W, 950 m, L. Pérez leg., (UARC) ; Guajira, Albania, 11.1021N, 72.6834W, 221 m, 1-11-2021, J. Montes leg., 2♁♁, 1♀ (UARC 1398, 1399, 1405); Magdalena, Santa Marta, 11.2260N, 74.1860W, 23 m, 14-10-2001, L. Pérez leg., 1♁ (UARC 1040) ; Antioquia, Remedios, vereda La Cruz, 6.8922N, 74.5723W, 500 m, 30-08-2011, C. Moreno, C. Bota leg., 1♁ (CEUA 70366) ; Cundinamarca, Agua de Dios, Reserva Mana Dulce, 4.3487N, 74.6483W, 350 m, 23-11-2014, M. A. Loaiza, C. Bota leg., 2♁♁ (CEUA 99981) ; Meta, Villavicencio, vereda Barcelona, 4.0731N, 73.5805W, 389 m, 18-01-2020, K. Alvarez leg., 1♁, 1♀ (CEUA) ; as the previous but, Restrepo, Reserva Natural La Cosmopolitana, 4.2238N, 73.4931W, 375 m, 12-10- 2014, K. Tennessen, C. Bota leg., 1♁ (CEUA 81731) ; Quindío, Salento, vereda Canaan, 4.6333N, 75.5666W, 1700 m, 28-04-2009, A. Montoya leg., 2♁♁ (CEUA 81488) ; Sucre, San Onofre, Reserva Natural Sanguaré, 9.7139N, 75.6786W, 0 m, 21-10-2003, C. Rivera, P. Duque leg., 1♁, 1♀ (CEUA 42388, 99289) ; Cundinamarca, Anolaima, 4.7852N, 74.4783, 1130 m, 23-02-2013, M. I. Velásquez leg., 1♁ (ANDES-E 22298) ; Cáqueza, Brisas de Cáqueza, 4.4350N, 73.9208W, 1990 m, 12-03-2005, 3♁♁ (ANDES-E 3806–3808) ; as the previous but, 02-04-2006, C. Garzón leg., 4♁♁ (ANDES-E 3830–3832, 16942); as the previous but, 01-06-2006, L. Pérez, E. Realpe leg., 1♁ (ANDES-E 17160); as the previous but, 12-11-2006, E. Realpe leg., 1♁ (ANDES-E 151681); La Mesa, vereda La Doima, 4.6705N, 74.4433W, 1500 m, 16-10-2007, E. Realpe leg., 4♁ ♁ (ANDES-E 22826–22829) ; San Francisco de Sales, vereda San Miguel, 5.0013N, 74.2583W, 1600 m, 01-11-2004, S. Cardona leg., 1♁ (ANDES-E 3809) ; as the previous but, 01-07-2006, L. Pérez leg., 5♁♁ (ANDES-E 9507–9511); as the previous but, 26-10-2012, E. Realpe leg., 1 ♁ (ANDES-E 22417); as the previous but, 15-02-2013, E. Realpe leg., 1♁ (ANDES-E 22285); Huila, El Pital, 2.2651N, 75.7948W, 889 m, 14-06-2016, Y. Cano, E. Realpe leg., 1♁ (ANDES-E 22912) ; Rivera, 2.8060N, 75.2294W, 751 m, 13-06-2016, Y. Cano, E. Realpe leg., 1♁ (ANDES-E 22397) ; San Agustin, 1.9043N, 76.2814W, 751 m, 06-09-2021, Y. Cano leg., 3♁♁ (ANDES-E 27998, 28000, 28005) ; Villavieja, Desierto de la Tatacoa, 3.2200N, 75.1365W, 751 m, 04-05-2014, E. Realpe leg., 2♁ ♁ (ANDES-E 22420, 22421) ; Meta, Puerto López, 4.0896N, 72.9573W, 467 m, 15-09-2007, C. Garzón leg., 1♁ (ANDES-E 22413) ; San Martin de los Llanos, 3.5278N, 73.5428W, 405 m, D. Gómez leg., 2♁♁ (ANDES-E 22409, 22410); Villavicencio, vereda Buena Vista, 4.1659N, 73.6826W, 445 m, 06-11-2005, 4♁♁ (ANDES-E 3820, 3821, 3823, 3824) ; as the previous but, 06-11-2006, 1♁ (ANDES-E 3822); Villavicencio, via Acacías, 3.9368N, 73.7645W, 550 m, 10-12-2006, 1♁ (ANDES-E 9504) ; Santander, Piedecuesta, 6.9911N, 73.0541W, 1005 m, 06-07-2013, E. Realpe leg., 1♁ (ANDES-E 22414) ; Vichada, Puerto Carreño, 6.1922N, 67.4735W, 46 m, 25-8-2015, M. Sánchez, E. Realpe leg., 1♁ (ANDES-E 16124) ; as the previous but, 6.1717N, 67.5004W, 52 m, 1♁ (ANDES-E 16128); Valle del Cauca, Cali, Jardín botánico Juan María Céspedes, 3.4490N, 76.5721W, 1100 m, 1♁ (PUJ) ; Meta, San Juan de Arama, Sabana baja, 3.2261N, 73.8631W, 304 m, 2♁♁ (ICN) ; as the previous but, Finca Caño Limón, 3.3671N, 73.8921W, 451 m, 1♁ (ICN) ; San Martín, Bellavista, Km 103 a Villavicencio, 3.6761N, 73.7111W, 416 m, 1♁ (ICN) ; Vista Hermosa, PNN La Macarena, 2.9511N, 73.8541W, 758 m, 1♁ (ICN) ; Valle del Cauca, Palmira, CIAT, 3.5021N, 76.3551W, 973 m, 2♁♁, 1♀ (MUSENUV) ; Tuluá, Jardín Botánico Monteguadua, 4.0291N, 76.1671W, 1124 m, 2♁♁ (MUSENUV) ; Cali, Univalle, 3.3731N, 76.5311W, 982 m, 1♁ (MUSENUV) ; Buenaventura, Bajo Anchicayá, 3.6091N, 76.9171W, 166 m, 1♀ (MUSENUV) ; Canca, Vijes, 3.6961N, 76.4301W, 948 m, 4♁♁, 2♀♀ (MUSENUV) ; Pradera, 3.4311N, 76.2441W, 1041 m, 2♁♁ (MUSENUV) ; Ansermanuevo, 4.7851N, 75.9731W, 903 m, 1♁ (MUSENUV) ; Florida, corregimiento El Pedregal, 3.3331N, 76.2161W, 1073 m, 4♁♁ (MUSENUV) .

Morphological characteristics: male and female head pale blue except epicranium, base of antennae and vertex black (Figs. 5A–B); antehumeral stripe and a central narrow stripe on mesepimeron black (Figs. 7J–L, 13DF, 24); pectum pale, metepimeron with two small black spots, females anterior of metapostepimeron black (Figs. 7L, 13F). Genital ligula rectangular, internal fold width more than 1/3 of S2 (Fig. 9K), surface divided, reaching anterior fold of S2 (Fig. 9L). Male cerci long, strong tooth in basal portion projected distally at 45°; edge of medial portion convex with a row of denticles; primary curvature type III (Fig. 11G); secondary curvature type I (Fig. 11H). Apophyses of paraprocts almost as long as cerci, straight apices (Fig. 11H). Lateral valves of the ovipositor with a row of small denticles increasing in size to the apex; basal plate dorsal margin ends in an acute spine (Fig. 14F).

Remarks: This species occurs continuously throughout the Americas from southern United States to northern Argentina (Paulson 2018b), being the most widespread species within the genus in the Americas. In Colombia, it occurs along the Andean and the Orinoco regions; here, we report its occurrence in Cundinamarca, Huila, Meta, Santander, and Vichada departments (Fig. 18).