Erythemis Hagen, 1861

Rodríguez, Fredy Palacino, Sarmiento, Carlos E. & González-Soriano, Enrique, 2015, Morphological variability and evaluation of taxonomic characters in the genus Erythemis Hagen, 1861 (Odonata: Libellulidae: Sympetrinae), Insecta Mundi 2015 (428), pp. 1-68 : 8-9

Erythemis Hagen, 1861

Erythemis Hagen, 1861: 168 [male p. 184, couplet 41; female p. 204, couplet 14] Type species: Libellula peruviana Rambur, 1842 [by Kirby 1889, subsequent designation] [NOTE: Kirby (1889: 305) gives

Libellula peruviana Rambur, 1842 as type species, but this name was not among the original three names ( E. furcata Hagen, 1861 ; E. bicolor Erichson, 1848 ; E. longipes Hagen, 1861 ) included under Erythemis . Hagen (1861: 169), under E. bicolor did state “Is it different from Libellula peruviana Rambur ?”-perhaps suggesting synonymy between these two names]. Garrison et al. (2006).

Syn Mesothemis Hagen, 1861: 170 . Type species: Libellula simplicicollis Say, 1840 [by Kirby 1889, subsequent designation].

Syn Lepthemis Hagen, 1861: 160 . Type species: Libellula vesiculosa Fabricius, 1775 [by Kirby 1889, subsequent designation].

Diagnosis. Hind femur thickened with numerous and distally directed short spines on its basal half, followed by 3–5 long robust spines on its distal half. In many specimens some spines of intermediate size may be observed ( Fig. 16 ). Thorax either brown, reddish-brown, black, green or blue. Abdominal dorsum either brown, reddish-brown, red, black, green and black or blue. Prothorax with a small, decumbent posterior lobe constricted at base and upright. Abdomen: S1-3 swollen and S4-10 narrow, the genus species have either slender and elongate or shaped abdomen. HW entirely hyaline or with a dark basal spot, last antenodal incomplete, Mspl and Rspl distinct, radial planates with one or two rows of cells throughout; median planate with one row of cells. Other characters useful in recognizing Erythemis proposed by Garrison et al. (2006) are: MP in HW arising at or near anal angle of triangle or distinctly separated from anal angle of triangle; anterior lamina complete; posterior hamule bifid with inner branch smaller than outer branch; vulvar lamina scoop shaped and projecting ventrally.

Remarks. Hagen (1861) established three genera for new and previously described species of dragonflies. The first, Lepthemis (p. 160), the second, Erythemis (p. 168) and the third, Mesothemis (p. 170). Gloyd (1980) discussed the dual use of the generic names Lepthemis (monotypic genus) and Erythemis , and discussed that page priority was not sufficient reason to choose Lepthemis over Erythemis . Thus, although the nominal genus Lepthemis Hagen, 1861 , can be selected to take precedence by the First Reviser action (Article 24.2, International Code of Zoological Nomenclature 1999), Pinto et al. (2012) proposed to conserve the widespread usage of the generic name Erythemis Hagen, 1861 , under Articles 23.9.3 and 81.1 of the Code ( ICZN 1999).

Figures

Figures 10–17. Discrete characters of vulvar lamina, abdominal appendages, thorax, and femur.Numbers represent the following species: 10) E. peruviana female; 11) E. plebeja female; 12) E. simplicicollis male; 13) E. mithroides male; 14) E. vesiculosa male; 15) E. peruviana female; 16) E. vesiculosa female, 17) E. attala male. Abbreviations indicate the following characters, S 8 -S 9: Abdominal segments 8-9; LV: Vulvar lamina; Pb: Posterior border; Vt: Teeth ventral; Ai: Inferior appendage; As: Antehumeral stripe.