A synopsis of the Neotropical genus Protoneura (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)
Author
Ellenrieder, Natalia Von
Author
Garrison, Rosser W.
text
Zootaxa
2017
2017-12-01
4361
1
1
76
journal article
31258
10.11646/zootaxa.4361.1.1
b15f5f11-6a00-4158-8ec8-3d0004605c28
1175-5326
1069337
53489D29-C68F-44FD-9EA2-CFCA7B949630
Protoneura romanae
Meurgey, 2006
Figs. 16
(
♂
habitus), 40 (
♀
habitus), 62 (
♀
mes. plate), 86 (gen. lig.), 112 (
♂
app.), 120 (map)
Protoneura romanae
Meurgey, 2006b
: 369
–373,
Figs. 1–6
(description of ♂ and ♀ from Guadeloupe, illustrations of ♂ caudal appendages, ♀ mesostigmal plates and S8–10, diagnosis from
P. ailsa
);—
Donnelly (2007: 14; Montserrat)
;—
Meurgey & Faucheux (2009: 269–271,
Figs. 1–5
; analysis and SEM photographs of sensillae on male caudal appendages)
;—
Meurgey (2010: 153–157,
Figs. 1–10
; description of last stadium larva, illustrations of habitus, prementum, labial palp, gonapophyses, and caudal lamellae, diagnosis from larvae of
P. ailsa
and
P. capillaris
, notes on habitat and behavior)
;—
Garrison
et al.
(2010
: 379
);—
Meurgey & Picard (2011: 227, 228, 232–235; color photos, characterization, habitat, biology, distribution)
;—
Meurgey & Poiron (2012: 310; Guadeloupe)
;—
Meurgey (2013: 302, 306, 328; distribution)
.
Protoneura ailsa nec
Donnelly, 1961
—
Meurgey & Williamson (2002: 161; Guadeloupe)
;—Meurgey
et al.
(2006: 32; Guadeloupe). Misidentifications.
Protoneura
spec. nov
.—
Meurgey (2006a: 16; French West Indies)
.
Primary
types
.
Holotype
♂
.
Guadeloupe
,
Basse-Terre
,
Rivière Salee
,
Source Sulfureuse de Sofaïa
,
1 ii 2006
,
F. Meurgey
leg. [
MNHN
].
Specimens
examined.
7 ♂
3 ♀
:
GUADELOUPE
,
Grande-Terre
: 1 ♂ 1 ♀,
paratypes
, Petit Canal, Beautiran (
16°22'28'' N
,
61°29'22'' W
,
12 ii 2006
,
R. Bouanchaud
leg. [RWG];
Basse-Terre
:
2 ♂
2 ♀
,
paratypes
,
Rivière Salée
,
Source Sulfureuse de Sofaïa
(
16°16'19'' N
,
61°32'58'' W
,
330 m
)
,
1 ii 2006
, F. Meurgey leg. [RWG]; 2 ♂,
same data but
J.J. Daigle
leg. [RWG];
2 ♂
,
same data but
2 ii 2006
,
F.C. Sibley
leg. [
FSCA
]
.
Characterization.
Male: Epicranium, thorax and abdomen brownish-black with metallic green to copper reflections; pale colors orange to yellow (
Fig. 16
). Pronotum anterior lobe pale, sometimes with anterior margin dark; posterior lobe dark with lateral corners pale. Mesepisternum entirely dark lacking pale middorsal and antehumeral stripes; remainder of pterothorax pale. Leg yellow, with tip of femur narrowly dark brown, sometimes with two diffuse brownish rings subbasally and subapically on femur and tibia; tibial spurs shorter than twice intervening spaces. Genital ligula lacking lateral lobes and with a slightly concave distal margin, with laterodistal corners projected ventrally (
Fig. 86
). Cercus shorter than S10 length, longer than half paraproct length and longer than wide, with a depression on external surface, dorsal margin sinuous and ventral margin slightly concave in lateral view (
Fig. 112a
), with a pointed ventrobasal tooth and two dorsal teeth, a long apical one on distal margin and a shorter subapical one at midlength, visible in dorsal and mediodorsal views (
Figs. 112b, c
). Paraproct longer than S10 length, approximately cylindrical (
Fig. 112
). TL 37.2–41.6; Hw 17.5–19.5.
Female: As male but pronotum anterior lobe with anterior margin dark, and posterior lobe pale with only posterior margin dark; pale lateral area of S9 extended dorsally medially to about 2/3 of segment height (
Fig. 40
). Middle lobe of pronotum dark dorsally, lacking pronounced lateral depressions; posterior lobe entire, smoothly convex and directed dorsally. Mesostigmal plate approximately triangular with medial margin upright and with a central concavity; mesanepisterum forming two adjacent cylindrical tubercles lying parallel to each other between posteromedial sides of mesostigmal plates (
Fig. 62
). TL 35.5–36; Hw 19.5–20.
Diagnosis.
Protoneura romanae
shares general color pattern, genital ligula and male appendage morphology and mesostigmal plate morphology with
P. ailsa
, and it is diagnosed under that species.
Habitat and biology.
Small montane rainforest streams at elevations from
150 to 1,000 m
, where males were observed patrolling low over shaded pools away from the main current itself, and shaded flooded forest with bloodwood (
Pterocarpus officinalis
) at the edge of the Port-Louis mangrove swamp at sea level in Grande-Terre (
Meurgey 2006b
).
Meurgey (2010)
described the last larval stadium, and provided detailed notes on the behavior of the species. Males patrol a
2–3 m
long territory facing the stream bank. Mating takes place in flight until the tandem pair reaches a suitable oviposition site. The tandem pair skirts the banks, never more than
15 cm
above the water, stopping on dead floating debris such as fallen branches, leaves, or flower petals. Oviposition begins as soon as the female chooses a site. Male always remains in tandem, beating wings constantly. Eggs are laid in floating dead leaves or small branches, and oviposition can take more than 30 minutes. The larvae live in calm areas of fastflowing montane rivers and streams under overhanging rain-forest vegetation, with at least one abrupt bank colonized by spike moss (
Selaginella
sp.) or ferns. In these
types
of habitats, water depth exceeds one meter, and the substrate consists of dead leaves and rocks. Larvae are found clinging on lianas or other plant roots, sometimes on the undersides of leaves. Emergence takes place during the day, between 10 am and 4 pm. The larvae climb out on rocks, plants or roots, always in the shadiest part of the support, and the maximum emergence height observed was
5 cm
from water level. Tenerals stay for about one hour beside their exuviae, and then rapidly fly into the canopy (
Meurgey 2010
).
Meurgey & Faucheux (2009)
studied the sensilla on the paraprocts of
P. romanae
and determined that there are two
types
of aporous mechanoreceptive sensilla present, sensilla chaetica and sensilla filiformia.
Distribution.
Montserrat
and
Guadeloupe
(
Fig. 120
).