Erythemis plebeja ( Burmeister, 1839 )

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 : 23-25

Erythemis plebeja ( Burmeister, 1839)

( Fig. 1a , 2a–c , 11 , 25 , 36 )

Libellula plebeja Burmeister, 1839: 856 .

Lepthemis verbenata Hagen, 1861: 162 .

Type material. (5 males, 1 female). BRAZIL, no more data, holotype 1 male ( MLUH). CUBA. 1858, no more data, paratypes 2 males ( MCZ). SURINAM, no more data, paratype 1 male ( MCZ). VEN- EZUELA, no more data, paratypes 1 male, 1 female ( MCZ). Examined.

Diagnosis. Thorax brown on sides and pale brown with darker stripes on front (female) or black (sexually immature male).Dorsum of the abdomen is brown and black with pale yellow crossbands in S3 and S4-7 (female and immature male). Thorax and dorsum of abdomen black (mature male). Dark basal area on HW brown. Dark basal spot on HW reaches beyond of the MP crossvein, and the AA. Ventral teeth on male cerci extending beyond the level of the apex of epiproct ( Fig. 12 ). Posterior lobe of the vesica spermalis is not covered by lateral lobe, which extends more posteriorly than medial lobe ( Fig. 19 ). Hook bilobed, triangular and is not perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vesica spermalis ( Fig. 18 ). Cornua is diagonal with respect to vesica spermalis transversal axis, with lobes separate to apex and covered by lateral lobes in lateral view ( Fig. 23 and 25 ).

Morphometric ratio of male. Lab/LcaS3>3.00.

Morphometric ratios of female. LHW/Lab<1.20; Lab/Las>2.50; Ansbt/Antr>2.40.

Head. Ll: 0.011 –0.014 mm (M); 0.011 –0.013 mm (F). Lw: 0.030 –0.036 mm (M); 0.030 – 0.041 mm (F). Hwd: 0.060 –0.068 mm (M); 0.054. 0.008 –0.070 mm (F). Hl: 0.029 –0.038 mm (M); 0.031 –0.046 mm (F).

Legs. Nsmf: 9–14 (M); 5–8 (F). Nshf: 21–30 (M); 6–14 (F). Hfl: 0.054 –0.063 mm (M); 0.053 –0.060 mm (F). Fbsd: 0.019 –0.023 mm (M); 0.021 –0.030 mm (F). Mfl: 0.036 –0.041 mm (M); 0.034 –0.044 mm (F). Dshf (the conditions separated by commas are present in different specimens): short spines-3 long spines (M), short spines-1 to 4 median spines-3 long spines (F).

Wings. LoptFW: 0.032 –0.038 mm (M); 0.034 –0.041 mm (F). AnptFW: 0.006 –0.008 mm (M); 0.005 –0.008 mm (F). LoptHW: 0.031 –0.041 mm (M); 0.033 –0.040 (F). AnptHW: 0.005 –0.008 mm (M); 0.006 –0.008 mm (F). DfwHW: 0.055 –0.074 mm (M); 0.054 –0.070 mm (F);. LbanFW: 15.69–17.66mm (M); 15.1–18.43mm (F). LbanHW: 12.92–15.57mm (M); 13.70–15.40mm (F). AndFW: 6.68–8.03mm (M); 6.66–8.20mm (F). Wb: 8.56–9.87mm (M); 8.68–10.47mm (F). LFW: 31.33–35.99mm (M); 30.93–36.72mm (F). LHW: 30.62–35.21mm (M); 30.87–35.32mm (F). AnsbtFW: 0.018 –0.025 mm (M); 0.017 –0.024 mm (F). AntrFW: 0.007 –0.008 mm (M); 0.006 –0.009 mm (F). LarFW: 0.003 –0.006 (M); 0.0019 –0.0060 mm (F). LarHW: 0.0018 –0.0068 mm (M); 0.0098 –0.0560 mm (F). LnptFW: 10.50–12.31mm (M); 10.46–12.16mm (F). LnptHW: 10.62–13.57mm (M); 11.01–13.58mm (F). At-MP: 0.0018 –0.0043 mm (M); 0.0018 –0.003 mm (F). LbaFW: 0.026 –0.032 mm (M); 0.026 –0.031 mm (F). LbaHW: 0.026 –0.035 mm (M); 0.028 –0.034 mm (F). RP2-loptFW: 0.0006–0068mm (M); 0.0018 –0.0056 mm (F). RP2-loptHW: 0.0012 –0.0062 mm (M); 0.0006 –0.0810 mm (F). Dat-lsbt: 0.0006 –0.0031 mm (M); 0.001 –0.003 mm (F). Lasa-ca: 0.004 –0.008 mm (M); 0.004 –0.009 mm (F). Crp: 7–10 (FW), 7–11 (HW). Cal: 3–6. Number of postnodal veins between C and RA veins previous to first postnodal vein between RA and RP1 veins: 2–3 (FW), 1–3 (HW). CdfFW: only 2 rows of cells; only 3 rows of cells; 1 triple cell-1 double cell-3 rows of cells; 1 triple cell-2 double cells-1 triple cell. Vt: 1. Csub: 3.

Abdomen. Lab: 25.02–35.79mm (M); 26.10–32.38mm (F). LcaS3: 0.005 –0.010 mm (M); 0.005 – 0.012 mm (F). LclS3: 0.016 –0.025 mm (M); 0.015 –0.026 mm (F). Lecv-clS3: 0.012 –0.016 mm (M); 0.011 – 0.015 mm (F).

Caudal appendages. Las: 0.018 –0.027 mm (M); 0.006 –0.011 mm (F). Poas: 0.001 –0.006 mm (M); 0.0004 –0.0025 mm (F). Anas: 0.003 –0.015 mm (M); 0.002 –0.003 mm (F). Ddas: 0.003 –0.006 mm (M). Epl: 0.011 –0.016 mm (M); 0.003 –0.006 mm (F).

Larva. The following characters for the larvae were described by Calvert (1928): total length 14.50–15.50 mm, eight palpal setae. The midgut runs caudad as far as S7, leading into the hindgut it contracts to a narrow pylorus. Ampulla is small and is connected to anterior region of the latter, by a small pore in the midventral line. The subintestinal transverse muscle is attached to the ventral surface of the rectum, to the body wall and runs transversely along the long axis of the body. 30 lamellae in the dorsal hemibranch of gill I, which measured 3.68 mm. No pigment in gills V and VII, but some pigmentation in the axial and antaxial edges of I and XI, antaxial edge of III and IX gills, and on lamellae of the posterior half of the ventral hemibranchs of III and IX gills. The six dorsal hemibranchs of the rectum contain more pigment than the six ventral. Prothoracic ganglia length 0.45 mm, Prothoracic ganglia width 0.46 mm, Mesothoracic ganglia length 0.41 mm, Mesothoracic ganglia width 45.00 mm, Metathoracic ganglia length 0.27 mm, Metathoracic ganglia width 0.36 mm. Distance between Prothoracic and Mesothoracic ganglia 1.56 mm, distance between Mesothoracic and Metathoracic ganglia 0.17 mm. Eighth palpal setae ( Costa and Pujol-Luz 1993).

Material examined. ARGENTINA, Salta Prov., pond 1 km E of Embarcación, on road to Misión Chaqueña , 23°12’18” 64°4’44”, 392 m, 25.viii.2008, R. W. Garrison and N. v. Ellenrieder leg., 1 male ( RWG) ; Buenos Aires Prov., Ensenada: Punta Lara , selva, 34°49’0” 57°58’60”, 4 m, 5.iii.1997, 1 male ( RWG) ; Entre Ríos, 17.iii.1951, 1 male ( MNRJ) . BRAZIL, Amazonas, Ilha no Solimões abaixo da confluência do Rio Negro , 23.x.1959, N. Santos leg., 2 males ( MNRJ) ; same, but Manaus, Rio Negro , Pauro leg., 23.vii.1941, 1 female ( MNRJ) ; same data as before except collected on following dates: 1941, 1 female ( MNRJ) ; xi.1941, 3 females ( MNRJ) ; Bahia, Açenda da Bambo do Serrinha , 05.vii.1951, N. Santos leg., 1 male ( MNRJ) ; same, but Caravelas , vi.1908, Garbe leg., 1 female ( MNRJ) ; same, but Rep. da Balandecia, rio Viluasri, Salvador , 15.vii.1951, N Santos leg., 1 female ( MNRJ) ; same, but Rio Vasa, Barro Canudos , 08.vii.1951, N. Santos leg., 3 males ( MNRJ) ; same, but Senhor do Boufiu , 16.vii.1978, 1 male ( MNRJ) ; same, but Vila Nova , 1908, E. Garbe leg., 1 male ( MNRJ) ; Ceará, Fortaleza , vi.1946, Frota Penôa leg., 1 male ( MNRJ) ; Espírito Santo, Baixo Guandú, borrego do Duvo , 04-09.v.1970, Elias e Paulo leg., 1 male ( MNRJ) ; same, but Conceição da Barra , vii.1971, Elias, Paulo leg., 1 female ( MNRJ) ; same, but Linhares , 22-27.v.1972, Elias e Paulo leg., 1 male ( MNRJ) ; same data as before except collected on following date: 10-15.iii.1972, 1 male ; same, but Estr. Linhares - Regência km. 4, iii.1944, Elias leg., 1 male, 3 females ( MNRJ) ; same, but São Mateus , 15-20.iv.1968, Paulo, Elias leg., 1 female ( MNRJ) ; Maranhão, Timon, Sitio Boa Vista, Riacho da Ivone , 21.viii.2004, J.M. C leg., 1 male, 2 females ( MNRJ) ; Mato Grosso, Bodoquena , xii.1941, C.I.O. Cruz leg., 1 female ( MNRJ) ; same, but Miranda , 15-17.1941. C.J.O. Cruz leg., 1 male ( MNRJ) ; same data as before except collected on: 07.x.1944, 1 female, same, but Raul Soares, La ejerai, vi.1949, Machado e Berla leg., 2 males ( MNRJ) ; Minas Gerais, Janaúba , vii.1949, N. Dias dos Santos, Machado e Berla leg., 6 males, 8 females ( MNRJ) ; same, but Pirapora , 19.v.1941, Bayley leg., 1 female ( MNRJ) ; same, but ii.1947, Santos, Machado leg., 2 males, 1 female ( MNRJ) ; same, but Lagoa do Palmital, Governador, Valadares , 9.ii.1955, N. Santos e Machado leg., 2 males ( MNRJ) ; Pará, Belém, Museu Soeldi , 04.viii.1955, N. Santos leg., 1 male, 1 female ( MNRJ) ; same, but Parque Museu , 03.xi.1963, N. Santos leg., 1 male ( MNRJ) ; Pernambuco, Recife, Dois irmãos, 09.vii.1944, Berla leg., 1 female ( MNRJ) ; same data as before except collected on following dates: 11.vii.1944, 2 females ; 12.vii.1944, 1 female ; 1 female, 26.vii.1944, 1 male; 27.vii.1944, 1 male, 1 female ; 07.x.1944, 4 males, 1 female; same, but Açude Dois irmãos, 30.vii.1944, Berla leg., 1 male ( MNRJ) ; same, but Reserva Florestal do Açude do Prata, Parque Dois irmãos, 08°- 09°S e 34°- 35°W, 08.ii.2001, J.M. C e L. Borges leg., 1 male ( MNRJ) ; same, but São Lourenço, Brejo do Macaco , 18.ii.1963, N. Santos e Dardano Lima leg., 1 female ( MNRJ) ; Rio de Janeiro, Tinguá, Haroldo, E. Rio, N. Santos e H. Sandim , 04.iv.1970, 1 male ( MNRJ) ; same, but São Cristóvão, Museu Nacional, J. C. Machado , 18.ix.1965, 1 male ( MNRJ) ; same data as before except collected on: 25.ix.1965, 1 female ; same, but São Cristóvão, Museu Nacional, horto do Museu , Heber , 30.x.1961, 1 male ( MNRJ) ; same, but Iguabinha , 26.i.1972, 1 male ( MNRJ) ; same, but Itaipu, D. Lacombe , ii.1961, 1 female ( MNRJ) ; same, but Jacarepaguá , próximo ao Mono do Rangel, J.M. C, 03.x.1991, 2 males, 1 female ( MNRJ) ; same, but Represa do Camorim , N. Santos, 26.v.1963, 1 male ( MNRJ) ; Rio Grande do Sul, Pelotas , 02.i.1944, C. Biezanko leg., 1 male ( MNRJ) ; Santa Catarina , Brejo, entre Blumenau e Guará-Mirim , 13.ii.1982, N. Santos, L. F. Netto e M.M. C leg., 2 males ( MNRJ) ; São Paulo, Emas, Tanques de Piscicultura, Represa de Promissas , 07.x.1985, N. Santos, L. Fernandes e José Roberto leg., 1 male ( MNRJ) ; Sergipe, Aruari, Santo Amaro , xi.1961, J.b.m.b. leg., 1 male ( MNRJ) ; no data, 14 males, 7 females ( MNRJ). CO- LOMBIA, Antioquia, Caucasia, Hacienda la Candelaria , 80 m, 23.xi.2007, Grupo Entomología leg., 1 male ( CEUA) ; Atlántico, Ciénaga La Larga, Palmar de Varela , 3.ix.2006 - 15.x.2007 - 7.ii.2008, M. Lobo y M. Moreno leg., 3 males, 3 females ( UARC) ; same, but Repelón Bijibana , 3.vii.2006, M. Lobo y M. Moreno leg., 1 male ( UARC) ; Bolívar, Regidor, Finca Las Pavas ó Labrador , Bosque Montaña de Toronto , 8º 46’ 43.7 N 73º 54’ 53.8” W, i.2009, M. Moreno leg., 1 female ( UARC) ; same, but Finca La Herradura (Amiagro), Cultivo de palma de aceite, 8º 41’ 6.6” N 73º 53’ 45,7” W, i.2009, M. Moreno leg., 8º 46’ 43.7 N 73º 54’ 53.8” W, i.2009, M. Moreno leg., 3 females ( UARC) ; same, butFinca Las Brisas, Corredor de vegetación alrededor de caño, 8º 45’ 39.5”N 73º 52’ 02.2” W, i.2009, M. Moreno leg., 1 male ( UARC) ; same, but Cartagena , viii.1981, H. Stocker leg., 1 male ( ICN) ; same, but Santa Catalina , 3-4, x.1999, 2 males, 2 females ( ICN) ; Magdalena, Santa Ana , 4.i.1978, P.A. Jiménez, 1 male ( ICN) ; Córdoba, Montería, Tres Palmas , 18 m, ix.1972, R. Velez leg., 3 females ( MEFLG) ; same, but Santa Cruz de Lorica , 16.vii.2006, N.C. Rojas leg., 1 male ( ICN) ; Meta, Puerto López , 220 m, 01.x.2002, S. Remolino leg., 1 male ( ANDES) ; same, but San Juan de Arama , 23.ix.2005, N.C. Rojas leg., 1 male ( ICN) ; Santander, Bucaramanga, Quebrada “ La Grande ”, Barro Blanco , 435 m, 17.iii.2006, C. Garzón leg., 1 female ( ANDES) ; Sucre, San Onofre, Reserva Sanguaré , 0 m, 11.x-23.xi.2003 - 20.iii-29.iv.2004, Grupo Entomología leg., 3 males, 4 females ( CEUA) ; Valle del Cauca , 13.ix.2003, 1 male (MUSENUV) ; no data, 1 male, 1 female ( UARC) ; MEXICO, Nayarit, Arroyo poblado Las Piedras Km. 67 carretera Tepic - Pto. Vallarta , 16.iii.1981, E. González, R. López leg., 1 male ( CNIN) . PANAMA, Canal Zone, Pipeline Road , 25 km NW of Gamboa, 9°6’ 79°42’, 29.vii.1979, R. W. and J. A. Garrison leg., 1 female ( RWG) ; Panama Prov., Reserva Sobrina Pipeline Rd. , 9 km mark, 25.vi.1994, N. Smith y R. Kasabian leg., 1 male ( RWG) . PERU, Tacna Dept., Humedales de Ite , 17°55’32” 70°56’11”, 68 m, 2005, N. Flores leg., 1 female ( RWG) . PARAGUAY, Puerto General Díaz , iv.1944, Mis. Cient. Brazil leg., 2 males, 2 females ( MNRJ) . PUERTO RICO, Lajas, Hwy 306 just W of Laguna Cartagena S of Hwy 101, 18°0’49” 67°2’2”, 14 m, 14.ii.1982, R. W. and J. A. Garrison leg., 1 male ( RWG) .

Remarks. The paratypes deposited in MCZ are labeled as Types 1–5. The abdomen of the specimen number four is missing from the fourth segment, and the abdomen attached to the specimen number five does not belong to this species, it instead belongs to E. vesiculosa .

Biology. Erythemis plebeja inhabits lakes and other lentic water habitats where multiple males may engage in interspecific aggression for territory ( De Marco 2008). It is common to see males perched on dead branches close to the ground or near the water. This species is aggressive and may use up to 10% of its time in territorial disputes due to their high thermoregulatory capacity ( May 1979). Males are commonly observed simulating oviposition, which apparently is an altruistic behavior to increase the chance of survival of females and their offspring by attracting the attention of predators such as toads ( De Marco et al. 2002).

Distribution. From U.S.A. to Argentina ( Fig. 36 ), between 0–1676 m. asl.

Figures

Figure 1. a) Plot showing continuous variation for the character distance between lateral and ventral carinae (dlvc), opposite to meeting point of lateral and medial transverse carinae on S3 (lmt). Numbers represent the following species: 1) E. attala, 2) E. carmelita, 3) E. collocata, 4) E. credula, 5) E. haematogastra, 6) E. mithroides, 7) E. peruviana, 8) E. plebeja, 9) E. simplicicollis, 10) E. vesiculosa. b) S1-3 E. carmelita males showing the measures from Williamson (1923): distance between lateral and ventral carinae (dlvc), divided by the measure of distance between meeting point of lateral and medial transverse carinae and ventral carinae (lmt).

Figure 2. Plots of the first two discriminant functions of the discriminant analysis. a) The first two discriminant functions explain 72.5% in males, the cases in where species are overlapped were analyzed by separated in b. b) The first two discriminant functions explain 88.3% in males, and c) The first two discriminant functions explain 83.7% in F. Polygons define the limits of proposed groups.

Figure 36. Erythemis plebeja distribution map.

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.

Figures 18–25. Discrete characters of vesica spermalis. Numbers represent the following species:18) E. mithroides, dorsal view; 19) E. carmelita, left side view; 20) E. vesiculosa, left side view; 21) E. peruviana, left side view; 22) E. credula, dorsal wiew; 23) E. haematogastra, right side view; 24) E. credula, finger-shaped structures, dorsal view; 25) E. plebeja, dorsal view. Abbreviations indicate the following characters, C: Cornua; L: Lateral lobe; H: Hook; Pb: Posterior border; M: Medial lobe; P: Posterior lobe; NH: Hook not bilobed.