Pseudagrion crocops Selys, 1876

Pseudagrion crocops Selys, 1876 View in CoL

Figures: 20–22 (holotype ♂ crocops , labels); 23–25 (syntype ♂ semicolon ); 82 (head ♂); 99 (pterothorax ♂); 116a, b (abdomen ♂); 133a–c (caudal appendages ♂); 154 (field photo ♂).

Pseudagrion crocops View in CoL : Selys (1876): 512 –513 (description ♂, Menado, Celebes);— Ris (1915b): 96 –98, Fig. 16 (♂ appendages; key ♂; Celebes);— Ris (1929): 146 (♂ Buru);— Lieftinck (1930a): 307 (♂ ♀ Buru);— Needham & Gyger (1939): 284, plate 16, Figs 223 & 224 (♂ appendages).

Pseudagrion semicolon View in CoL : Förster (1896): 325 –328 (description ♂ ♀; Maros & Kalibánkere [Mangkassar], Celebes);— Ris (1915b): 97 (considered a jun. syn. of Pseudagrion crocops Selys, 1876 View in CoL ).

Name-bearing type specimens examined (2♂♂, 1♀)

Pseudagrion crocops : ♂ holotype, Menado [Sulawesi, Indonesia], McLachlan Coll., NHMUK, no. 013384527 ( Figs 20–22) .

Pseudagrion semicolon : 1♂ syntype, 5.vi.1878, Kalibánkere, Mangkassar, UMMZ ( Figs 23–25);— 1♀ syntype, Mankassar, Celebes, Coll. Selys, IRSNB .

Other specimens examined (16♂♂, 3♀♀)

Indonesia, Buru Island: 1♂, 23.iv.1921, Station 6, L.J. Toxopeus leg., RMNH .

Indonesia, Sulawesi: 1♂,without particular locality, ex. Coll.H. Karube, RWG ;— 1♂, 1894, Rurukan , Kükenthal leg., SMF , no. 34067;— 2♂♂, 1897, Bonthain, SMF , no. 13758, 13759;— 1♂, 3.–4.ix.1904, Maros, Celebes, E. Lorenz Meyer leg., ZMH ;— 5♂♂, 1♀, 28.iv.1914, Maros, S. Celebes, Dr L. Martin leg., SMF , no. 13911–13915;— 2♂♂, 1♀, 14.x.1983, Bantimurung, Scipio S. Pariwono leg., RMNH , no. 1519263, 1519265, 1519268;— 1♀, 19.x.1983, Bantimurung , Scipio S. Pariwono leg., RMNH , no. 1519267;— 1♂, 14.xii.1983, Bantimurung , Scipio S. Pariwono leg., RMNH , no. 1519266;— 1♂, 30.iv.1991, 9 km W of Malili, Sg. Waimane , 0–50 m asl., c. 2°36’S 120°58’E, J. van Tol leg., RMNH GoogleMaps , no. 1658919;— 1♂, 3.iv.1997, Gimpu, Lore Lindu NP, south of Palu , Central Sulawesi, 450 m, ca. 1°41’S 120°03’E, J. van Tol leg., RMNH GoogleMaps , no. 1658920.

Remarks on P. semicolon

Pseudagrion semicolon was described from 2♂♂ and 3♀♀ collected at Maros and Kalinbánkere (Makassar) in southern Sulawesi ( Förster 1896). Ris (1915b) considered P. semicolon a junior synonym of P. crocops and it is indeed suspicious that, from Förster’s description, P. semicolon apparently strongly resembles P. crocops in most aspects, except for the male abdominal segments S7–10 and caudal appendages. We studied the syntype male held at the UMMZ ( Figs 23–25) and, although the general colouration seemingly agrees, looking at Fig. 23 it is clear that S7 onwards belong to another species and were mistakenly added to a body of a male P. crocops . Unfortunately, S10 and the caudal appendages are missing in the syntype studied, but the proportions of S7–9 do not agree with those of P. crocops . In particular the base of S7 is thinner and the segment is longer than it would be in P. crocops ( Fig. 23). Förster (1896) described the dorsum of S1–6 as blackish with metallic greenish glossy, but that of S7 as with metallic bluish glossy. Furthermore Förster (1896) stated that S8–10 are slightly thickened and that the paraproct is half as long as the cercus and almost straight. The red colour pattern, with posterior part of S7 red and S8–10 entirely red and thickened relative to the base of S7 agrees, for example, with Teinobasis helvola Lieftinck, 1930 , the type locality of which is also Maros. It is therefore possible that S7–10 originate from T. helvola or a similar Teinobasis Kirby, 1890 species. If so, Förster (1896) possibly mistake the male cercus and paraproct, since in his description he noted the paraproct to be half as long as the cercus and almost straight. That would also roughly correspond with T. helvola in which the cercus is half as long as the paraproct ( Lieftinck 1930a: 156, fig. 21). The immature male and the female as described by Förster (1896) agree with those of P. crocops . A difference in the pattern of the pronotum ( Fig. 25) mentioned by Förster (1896) is not decisive as this is variable in P. crocops . However, we propose to follow Ris (1915b) and continue to regard the name P. semicolon as a junior synonym of P. crocops .

Characterization of male

Head ( Figs 24, 82): Labrum, clypeus, antefrons and postfrons yellow; yellow of postfrons distinctly separated from black vertex at level of lateral ocelli; postocular spots reddish, but may be obscure and hardly visible; rear of head black, but broadly pale yellowish along the eye margins; base and scape of antennae yellow, following segments brownish; eyes when alive brownish, with anterior half greenish-yellow, continuing yellow colour of the frons.

Thorax ( Figs 20, 22, 23, 99, 154): Anterior lobe of pronotum orange-reddish, its anterior margin black, its posterior centre extending orange-reddish towards middle lobe, this colour pattern may be centrally divided; middle pronotal lobe black with a centrally divided orange-reddish patch in the middle, and on each side an orange-reddish patch dorsolaterally; propleuron black above, orange-reddish below and to rear; posterior lobe of pronotum blackish, apical edge of posterior lobe broadly convex. Pterothorax dorsally and towards humeral suture black; with a pale greenish antehumeral stripe; laterally red with a black stripe along interpleural suture, and anteriorly a black patch; metapleural suture black, expanded posteriorly, but also may be reduced to just an elongated patch at posterior third; ventral pale, may be covered with whitish pruinosity. Legs with outside of femora blackish, inside pale; tibiae washed-out blackish along black spines.

Abdomen ( Figs 20, 22, 23, 116a, b, 154): S1–8 dorsally blackish; laterally S1–2 reddish, and S3–8 pale yellowish; S9 reddish with the posterior half dorsally black, the black margin may be serrated; S10 reddish with black dorsal “x”-like marking, variable in exact shape.

Caudal appendages ( Figs 133a–c): Cercus shorter than S10, laterally dark, dorsally superior lobe darkish, inferior lobe pale yellowish, superior lobe shorter than inferior lobe; in lateral view cercus subrectangular, inter-lobe notch deep, apex of inferior lobe almost square, that of superior lobe subtriangular with rounded apex; in dorsal view both lobes broadly rounded apically with terminus of the superior lobe curved tooth-like to inwards; a small blackish tooth-like subbasal interior projection present on the inferior lobe, best visible in dorsolateral view; paraproct pale yellow-ochre, reaches to two-third of the cercus; in lateral view subtriangular and tapered with rounded apex; in dorsal view broadly rounded, concave bowl-like, medial edge without tooth.

In younger specimens the red colour and the greenish antehumeral stripe are replaced by yellowish.

Characterization of female

Head: Similar to the male but frons and postocular spots rather ochre-greenish.

Thorax: Pronotum as in the male, but orange-red more replaced by yellowish; posterior lobe of pronotum with two horns directed towards the head, approximately as long as the posterior-quarter of middle lobe. Pterothorax as in the male but pale orange-ochre instead of red; antehumeral stripe less greenish.

Abdomen: S1–9 dorsally black, laterally pale yellowish-ochre; S10 pale yellowish-ochre. Cercus pale brownish, as long as half of S10; paraproct darkish, rounded laterally; ovipositor pale yellowish-ochre, its apex not reaching to posterior end of S10; two brownish styles reaching beyond S10; inferior edge of ovipositor bearing several very small teeth.

Wings of both sexes with 12.5–15.5 px in forewing, and 11.5–15.0 px in hindwing.

Measurements of both sexes (mm): Total length (with appendages) 43.5–48.5; abdomen length (without appendages) 34.0–39.7; hindwing 22.5–27.6; forewing 24.2–29.0; Pt in forewing 0.8–0.9; male cercus 0.4–0.6.

Diagnosis

The morphology of the male cercus of P. crocops is distinct compared to all congeners by its “stepped” shape in lateral view due to a short superior lobe ( Fig. 133a). Mature males are also easily separated from all congeneric males by the distinct colouration of the pterothorax with a pale greenish antehumeral stripe contrasting to a black dorsum and humeral area, and the red colour laterally ( Figs 99, 154). In particular the pterothorax colouration separates P. crocops from males of the co-occurring P. ustum , which has an almost completely red thorax ( Figs 112, 168). The females of these two species can also be separated by the thorax markings, though the red is replaced by orange-ochre.

Distribution

Generally known as an endemic species of Sulawesi, but also recorded from Buru (if not mislabelled; Fig. 3).