Planaeschna sp. 1

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 : 30

12. Planaeschna sp. 1

( Fig. 19 )

Material examined. 1 ♀, Xuan Son NP, Phu Tho Prov., Vietnam, 26-X-2014 , TK leg.; 1 ♀, same location and collector, 29-XI-2014 ; 1 ♀, same location and collector, 22-X-2016 ; 1 ♀, same location and collector, 20-XI- 2016 .

Additional observations. 1 ♀ Xuan Son NP, Phu Tho Prov., 22-XI-2015, TK .

Notes. A small species (abdomen incl. appendages 42 mm), with a distinctive dorsal and lateral pattern to S2 ( Fig. 19 ). Zhang (2019: p. 214) published photos of female P. owadai Karube, 2002 from Yunnan. Karube (2002b) described P. owadai based on a single male collected from Bach Ma NP (Thua Thien-Hue Prov. of central Vietnam) and a formal description of the female is still unavailable. According to Zhang (2019), this small species has a late flight period of September to December. The photos, size and flight period of our specimens fit those presented by Zhang for P. owadai well, but whether our sp. 1 is identical to P. owadai remains to be confirmed.

Ecology. This species occurs at a densely vegetated shallow stream springing from karst rocks under heavy forest cover at approximately 380 m asl. It shares this habitat with at least five other Planaeschna species. Females were caught flying low over the stream, where they were likely searching for places to oviposit. All records were from late October to late November.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Planaeschna sp. 1, all female [A–B] lateral habitus including face, alive, [C–D] scans of dorsal habitus. (A, D) Xuan Son NP, Phu Tho Prov., 26-X-2014, (B) same location, 29-XI-2014, (C) same location, 22-X-2016.