Planaeschna celia Wilson & Reels, 2001

Kompier, Tom, Karube, Haruki, Futahashi, Ryo & Phan, Quoc Toan, 2021, The genus Planaeschna McLachlan, 1895 and its subgroupings in Vietnam, with descriptions of three new species (Odonata: Aeshnidae), Zootaxa 5027 (1), pp. 1-35 : 13-17

6. Planaeschna celia Wilson & Reels, 2001

( Figs 8 , 9B, 9D, 9F, 9H )

Planaeschna celia: Wilson & Reels (2001) pp. 178–180, Figs 88–91; Zhang (2019) p. 77 (checklist).

Materials examined. 2 ♂♂, Xuan Son NP, Phu Tho Prov., 26-X-2014 , TK leg.; 1 ♂, same location and collector, 20-XI-2016 .

Additional observations. 1 ♂, Xuan Son NP, Phu Tho Prov., 9-XI-2014, TK .

Notes. This species was assumed endemic to Hainan, China, where it is known from only a few locations ( Wilson 2009) and considered vulnerable. At Xuan Son NP the species was found at only one location, where it inhabits a densely vegetated shallow stream of 6–7 meters wide under heavy forest cover. The stream springs forth from the karst rocks and is only several hundred meters long before joining a larger stream. Males were observed hovering low over small open areas of water. Although the area was visited many times, this species was only encountered three times. In Hainan it was recorded in June, but at Xuan Son NP it was found during October- November. It occurred with five other Planaeschna species at the same stream .

Vietnamese specimens of P. celia are almost identical to the Hainan specimens from the original description, displaying the characteristic basal ventral hump adorned with small spines of the cerci and the strongly inwardcurved anterior hamule with a strongly pointed tip. Meanwhile, the Xuan Son specimens have two squarish yellow spots on the labrum ( Figs 8B , 9B ), which are absent in the holotype. Given only a few specimens are known from Hainan, it is difficult to say whether this is within normal variation, or whether this may imply some difference between populations .

Planaeschna celia is superficially similar to P. tamdaoensis , but differs by the pattern on S2, facial pattern and anal appendages. Planaeschna celia lacks the yellow lower border of the antefrons ( Fig. 9A ) seen in many P. tamdaoensis . Planaeschna tamdaoensis also lacks the characteristic ventral basal hump ( Fig. 9D ) and has one large central yellow area on the labrum ( Fig. 9A ).

Distribution. China (Hainan Island), Vietnam (Phu Tho Prov.).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Planaeschna celia males [A] scan of dorsal habitus, [B] face, [C–D] lateral habitus alive. (A) Xuan Son NP, Phu Tho Prov., 20-XI-2016, (B–D) same location, 26-X-2014 (two individuals).

FIGURE 9. Comparison of details of male Planaeschna tamdaoensis and male P. celia [A, B] facial pattern, [C, D] anal appendages lateral, [E, F] anal appendages dorsal, [G, H] dorsal pattern of S2. [A, C, E, G] P. tamdaoensis, [B, D, F, H] P. celia. (A) Pia Oac NP, Cao Bang Prov., 12-IX-2015, (B) Xuan Son NP, Phu Tho Prov., 26-X-2014 (different specimen than Fig. 2B), (C, E) Tam Dao NP, Vinh Phuc Prov., 27-VIII-2016, (D, F, H) Xuan Son NP, Phu Tho Prov., 20-XI-2016, (G) Pia Oac NP, Cao Bang Prov., 27-VI-2015.