Amphipteryx jaroli, Jocque, Merlijn & Argueta, Ivany, 2014

Jocque, Merlijn & Argueta, Ivany, 2014, A new species in the genus Amphipteryx Selys, 1853 (Odonata, Amphipterygidae) from Pico Bonito National Park, Honduras, ZooKeys 408, pp. 71-80 : 73-77

Amphipteryx jaroli sp. n. Figs 2 A–E, 3 A–E

Etymology.

Named jaroli (noun in the genitive case), after our friend and guide through the cloud forest on our first expedition in Pico Bonito National Park (2012); Jarol Estrada. Jarol collected the first specimen of this species.

Type material.

Total: 9 males (32.597/1-10, Coll. I.R.Sc.N.B.) and 1 female (32.597/10). Holotype: male (32.597/1), Honduras, Pico Bonito National Park., Montaña de Corazal, cloud forest, north of the small village Los Horcones in Northern Honduras. Basecamp was at 1640m (N15.556, W86.918), all collections were made in the vicinity from this location.

Description.

Holotype dimensions: Fw 39,0 mm; Hw 36,0 mm; abdomen 46,0 mm; total length 51,0 mm. Head of male holotype with basal part of labium light cyan blue (Fig. 3D), labial palp and apex of mentum black, labrum and gena light cyan blue, mandible black except for well-defined pale yellow spot at base, large spot confluent with the genae on either side of antefrons, light cyan blue (Fig. 3A, C–D). Clypeus and midline of antefrons black, and most of the dorsal and posterior surfaces of the head, black, lateral area of antefrons light cyan blue; anterior portion of epicranium to epicranial furrow shiny black except for a small elongated yellow patch extending antero-laterally from each lateral ocellus (Fig. 3B); posterior portion of epicranium including postocular lobes, occipital bar, and rear of head matte black.

Prothorax black except for pale yellow anterior lobe and large lateral spot on either side of median lobe and below ventral margin of propleural suture (Fig. 3A, C–D); hind lobe (Figs 2D, 3A, C) with paired dorsal, upright, lamellate processes, which, in lateral view (Fig. 3C) are thin, and strongly erect, each anteriorly with pale yellow patch on distal half; distance between these lobes about twice the height of each lobe, middle lobe decumbent dorso-posteriorly and not as high as lateral lobes. Synthorax yellow green (Fig. 3A, C–D) with a broad mid-dorsal black stripe confluent with abbreviated broad black antehumeral stripe at upper half, its ventral portion acuminate, and not reaching mesinfraepisternum; this last with anterior half black, posterior half pale yellow green; side of thorax yellow green with three narrow lateral black stripes; one on middle of mesepimeron with its ventral portion expanding to mesinfraepisternum, its upper end along margin of antealar crest and meeting second (interpleural) stripe at upper posterior margin of metepimeron and ending antero-ventrally above metastigma; third thoracic stripe extending full length of posterior margin of metepimeron; venter of thorax pale. Coxae pale yellow washed with darker brown ventrally; legs blackish with bases and the inner, surfaces of the femora yellowish; armature and claws black. Wings hyaline; Ax Fw 8:9; Hw 8:8; Px Fw 31:28; Hw 23:27.

Abdomen black (Fig. 3A) with following parts yellow green: a narrow mid-dorsal line on S2-5, dorso-lateral spot on S1, a narrow dorso-lateral line on S2, a decreasingly smaller latero-basal spot on S3, S4 and S5, dorsum of S7-10 bright light blue dorsally (faded to brown due to postmortem affects), a thin mid-dorsal black line on S10, its postero-dorsal margin with a narrow median notch half as long as segment. Genital ligula with two dorsal and two ventral lobes, semi-hyaline with light brown patch at the base of the ventral lobes; semi-hyaline dorsal lobes about twice as long as ventral lobes, ending in elongate spatula shaped rounded tip; semi-hyaline ventral lobes ending in rounded tip. Cercus black, subequal to S10, robust, spinulose dorso-externally, in dorsal view fusiform with apex rounded, medial side with a well-developed scalariform tooth approximately halfway between apex and base (Fig. 2A, C), medial surface from tooth to base with a large robust ventro-medially directed lobe (Fig. 2A); medial surface from tooth to apex smooth, slightly convex; in lateral view cercus linear, with ventral surface dorsally arched exposing inner margin of tip of cercus (Fig. 2A). Paraproct subequal to cercus, its tip in lateral view directed dorsally (Fig. 2B), base in dorsal view inflated, paraproct tapering down, apex with quadrate tip pointing medio-dorsally (Fig. 2A, C).

Variation in paratypes.

Males differ in extent of black on body and in shape of pronotal lobes. The narrow mesepimeral stripe in some is complete and connects with black ventrally on mesinfraepisternum, interpleural stripe may be broken into elongate spots and third thoracic stripe may be reduced. Normally the pronotal lobes are pale, but the size of this patch varies in some specimens, height and morphology of the pronotal lobes is also variable. In some animals the normally erect lobes gently dip anteriorly when viewed laterally. In one male, wings were slightly infumed.

Female similar to male but black markings on head, pro- and especially on synthorax reduced. Mid-dorsal black stripe narrower than in male, occupying less than 0.25 of each mesepisternum, asymmetrical hourglass pattern, with the narrowest part anterior, steadily widening posteriorly, ventral acuminate portion isolated, only attached to mid dorsal stripe through a narrow black line at the edge of the pterothorax, in dorsal view an acuminate fish hook shape, extends less than half length of mesepisternum. Pronotal lobes smaller and less pronounced compared to male.

Dimensions.

Males (n = 25, including holotype; means in parentheses): Hw 34.0-37.5 mm (35.9 ± 1.0 mm); abdomen 39.5-43.0 mm (41.5 ± 0.9 mm); total length 50.0-54.0 mm (52.1 ± 1.0 mm). Females (n = 2): Hw 38.0 mm; abdomen 37.5 mm; total length 50.5 mm.

Distribution.

Currently only known from Pico Bonito National Park, Honduras (Fig. 1). Amphipteryx jaroli was collected from three neighboring river catchments, all within a narrow elevational range (1611 to 1673 masl).

Diagnosis.

The structure of the pronotal lobes in lateral view, with the two large, straight lobes, separates this species from other species in the genus. Additionally, the male is separable based on the position of the well-developed scalariform tooth on the internal side of the cercus approximately halfway between apex and base. Amphipteryx chiapensis , Amphipteryx meridionalis and Amphipteryx nataliae have a well-developed scalariform anteapical tooth, Amphipteryx agrioides has the scalariform tooth positioned more basally, but still closest to the apex ( González-Soriano and von Ellenrieder 2009).