Ophiogomphus tibeticus Yu & Gu, 2022

Yu, Xin, Li, Linyan & Gu, Haijun, 2022, Ophiogomphus tibeticus sp. nov. from Sichuan, China (Anisoptera: Gomphidae), Zootaxa 5213 (5), pp. 569-577 : 571-576

Ophiogomphus tibeticus Yu & Gu , sp. nov.

( Figs. 2–10 )

Holotype: ♂, China, Sichuan Province, Hongyuan County, (32.722786 N, 102.395236 E, 3463 m a.s. l.), 25 June 2019, Xiu Yong leg. Holotype deposited in the College of Life Sciences , Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China .

Etymology. The name indicates that this species occurs in Tibetan area.

Description of holotype. Body greenish-yellow with black markings ( Fig. 2 ).

Head. Eyes green in life ( Fig. 2 ). Labium yellow. Face ( Fig. 3 ): mandible bases, labrum, anteclypeus, postclypeus and frons yellow with narrow black stripes across fronto-clypeal suture, along ventolateral margins of postcyleus and base and margin of labrum. Vertex black, antennae black. Top of head black. Occipital plate yellow, even and simple.

Thorax greenish yellow with black pattern ( Fig. 2 ). Anterior lobe of prothorax black with a broad yellow margin, middle lobe black with a pair of twin adjacent yellow spots dorsally and a pair of larger yellow spots laterally, posterior lobe black; synthorax greenish yellow with narrow black stripes along dorsal carina, collar, antealar ridge, humeral suture, and metapleural suture. The stripe on humeral suture relatively broad with a short, narrow yellow stripe in the middle.

Wings ( Fig. 4 ) hyaline, venation blackish brown. Arculus at 2nd antenodal. Antenodals 12 (1st and 5th primary) in both FW; 9 (1st and 5th primary) in both HW; postnodals 11 (right)–12 (left) in FW, 12 (left)–11 (right) in HW. One cubito-anal vein in all wings except left FW (two). Triangles not crossed. Anal loop three-celled in left HW, two in right HW. Anal triangle 3-celled in left wing, 4 in right wing. Pt pale brown with black bordering veins (considering this may be not a fully matured individual, the color could be darker later), overlying 5 cells in all wings.

Abdomen black with light-yellow markings ( Figs. 2 , 4 ). S1 almost wholly light yellow. S2 with a huge triangular dorsal light-yellow spot; auricles light yellow; S2 light yellow laterally with a narrow crossed black marking in the middle. S3–9 each with a large subtriangular light-yellow middorsal spot and a pair of irregular light-yellow spots laterally. S10 with a pentagonal light-yellow middorsal spot, light yellow spots on sides.

Caudal appendages relatively simple and robust ( Figs. 5–6 ). Cerci dark brown, paler laterally, forcipate, twice as long as S10, almost touching to each other, in lateral view decurved distally. Epiproct dark brown, widely divaricate, shorter than cerci, in lateral view bending upward with a distinct swelling at basal third followed distally by a slightly expanded apex. ( Fig. 6 ).

Secondary genitalia ( Figs. 7–10 ). Blackish brown. Anterior hamule with apex strongly hooked in lateral view ( Fig. 7 ) with long, robust hairs medially; posterior hamule simple and robust, conical, with long hairs, and terminating in a strong spine ( Fig. 8 ). Vesica spermalis with a large basal segment, triangular in lateral view; second segment broad, recurved, gently expanding apically; third segment robust, prepuse linear, spine-like; apical segment with a pair of flagella and a hook-like projection apically ( Figs. 9–10 ).

Measurements (mm): Total length 50.0; abdomen + appendages 36.0; hind wing 33.0.

Diagnosis. The body colour pattern, penile organ and hamuli of the new species most closely resembles O. spinicornis , but differs by the more slender cerci and the divaricate epiproct. The colour pattern is similar other congeners such as O. obscurus , O. cecilia (Fourcroy, 1785) , and some American species like O. aspersus Morse, 1895 , O. carolus Needham, 1897 , O. mainensis Packard in Walsh, 1863, O. occidentis (Hagen, 1885) , and so on but the more slender cerci and divaricate epiproct differs from all of these species.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Living photos of the holotype of Ophiogomphus tibeticus.

FIGURE 3. Face of the holotype.

FIGURE 4. Habitus photos of the holotype.

FIGURE 5. Caudal appendages of the holotype, dorsal view.

FIGURE 6. Caudal appendages of the holotype, lateral view.

FIGURE 7. Anterior hamule of the holotype.

FIGURE 8. Posterior hamule of the holotype, removed from the body.

FIGURE 9. Vesica spermalis of the holotype, lateral view, blue arrow indicating the hook-like projection.

FIGURE 10. Vesica spermalis of the holotype, ventral view.