Protosticta sanguinithorax Chandran A. V., Chandran R., Sawant, Koparde & Kunte, 2025

Protosticta sanguinithorax Chandran A. V., Chandran R., Sawant, Koparde & Kunte sp. nov.

Holotype. 1♂ ( IBC-CD209 ), Manjadininnavila , Aryanad Grama Panchayat, Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala, India ( 8.6195° N, 77.1058° E, 115 m a.s.l.), 22.v.2024, A. Vivek Chandran leg. GoogleMaps

Paratypes. 2♂♂ ( IBC-CD212 and IBC-CD213 ), the location same as for the holotype, 5.viii.2024, Reji Chandran leg. GoogleMaps ; 1♀ ( IBC-CD 216), the location same as for the holotype, 5.viii.2024, Reji Chandran leg. GoogleMaps

Etymology. The species epithet sanguinithorax is a noun in apposition, derived from the Latin sanguis meaning ‘blood’ and thorax, referring to the deep reddish colouration of the thorax, which is a distinguishing feature of this species.

Proposed English name. Crimson Shadowdamsel. This name is given based on the vivid reddish colouration of the thorax, a distinguishing feature of the species and the basis for the epithet sanguinithorax .

Description of holotype IBC-CD209 ( Figs. 1–2 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 ). In life, the thorax dark crimson red and brownish black with bluish–white markings. Post–mortem, some bluish–white markings fade away.

Head ( Fig. 1a–b View FIGURE 1 ). In life, eyes bottle green with a broad band of reddish brown in the middle. Post–mortem, eyes and the band turn darker. Labium pale yellowish brown, labrum, anteclypeus, and bases of mandibles turquoise blue. Labrum has a thick, black apical border. Postclypeus black. Antefrons and postfrons dark brown. Scape and pedicel of antennae light brown, flagellum dark brown. Ocelli round and translucent, median much larger than lateral. Occipital bar black, behind head light brown.

Thorax. Prothorax ( Fig. 1d–e View FIGURE 1 ). Dark rufous brown without any markings in life. Post–mortem, the anterior and middle lobes turn light brown, while posterior lobe turns blackish. The twin protuberances of middle lobe bean–shaped in dorsal view. Posterior lobe with a shallow depression at either end. Dorsal half of propleuron rufous brown, yellowish white below.

Pterothorax ( Fig. 1f–g View FIGURE 1 ). In life, the ground colour is crimson red, which becomes rufous brown post–mortem. Mesostigmal plates and mid–dorsal carina black. Broad, dark green stripes on mesepisternum. Mesepimeron crimson red. More than half of metepisternum bluish white, rest crimson red, the bluish white fades post–mortem. Metepimeron bluish white in life, fades to pale yellow post–mortem. Mesinfraepisternum crimson red, pale towards coxa. Metinfraepisternum and ventral side of thorax yellowish white.

Legs. Pale brown. Femora lined with dark brown on extensor surface. Tibiae and tarsi dark brown.

Wings ( Fig. 2a View FIGURE 2 ). Hyaline, Pt blood–red, rectangular, covering one cell. One cell between RP 3+4 -IR 2 and RP 2 -IR 1 in FW and HW. 2 Ax in all wings. 14 Px in all wings except right HW, where it is 13.

Abdomen ( Fig. 1c View FIGURE 1 ). Blackish brown marked with pale bluish white. S1–2 white ventrolaterally. S3 with a narrow annule at the base. S3–4 have a faded white ventral stripe in the middle. S4–7 with broader annules which are more extended ventrolaterally, the one on S7 being turquoise blue. S8 turquoise blue with black apical border, this black continuing along the mid–dorsum in a gradually narrowing fashion. S9–10 fully black without any marking. S6 is the longest segment, almost of same width throughout. S7 also very long, but broadens apically. S8 shorter, less than half the length of S7, slightly broadens apically. S9 shorter than S8, narrows apically. S10 very short.

Accessory genitalia ( Fig. 2b–e View FIGURE 2 ). Lamina depressed. Anterior hamuli broad with blunt ends. Posterior hamuli short and setaceous. Vesica spermalis elongated. Genital ligula: proximate segment setaceous, long and curved. Middle segment short, broadens apically. Distal segment produced into two filaments with nearly triangular tips.

Caudal appendages ( Fig. 2f–h View FIGURE 2 ). Black. Cerci more than twice the length of S10, with a large, sharp spine before the middle, making an angle of about 60° with the cerci. The apical half of cerci broad and flattened, ending in pincer–like tips. The inner fork is short, with rounded border, resembling thumb. The outer fork is longer, with a shallow notch making the apex bilobed. The dorsal surface of the cerci apex does not bear any tubercle (marked with arrow). The longer, outer fork with a broad, shallow dent. Paraprocts half the length of cerci, broad at base, curve inwards, tapering to a blunt point which is pale yellow. Paraprocts also curve upwards, almost touching the cerci at the middle.

Measurements. Abdomen without appendages 37; HW 22; total length 43.

Variation in males ( Figs. 3–6 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5 View FIGURE 6 ). IBC- 212 male has a darker rufous ground colour post-mortem; however, the bluish white markings are well preserved. Posterior lobe of prothorax slightly asymmetrical with the left end having a shallower depression compared to the right. Px 15 in both FW, 14 in both HW. IBC-CD 213 male is more similar to the holotype, but the bluish white markings of thorax more preserved. Posterior lobe of prothorax slightly asymmetrical with the depression at the left side deeper and pronounced, shallower and less defined at the right. Px 14 in both FW, 13 in both HW.

Measurements.

IBC-CD212: Abdomen without appendages 35; HW 21.5; total length 40.

IBC-CD213: Abdomen without appendages 37; HW 23.5; total length 44.

Description of paratype female IBC-CD216 ( Figs. 7–8 View FIGURE 7 View FIGURE 8 ). In life, dark crimson red and brownish black with bluish–white markings.

Head ( Fig. 7a–b View FIGURE 7 ). In life, eyes bottle green above and pale blue below, the two colours separated by a broad, equatorial band of reddish brown. Eyes fade to pale green post–mortem and the band becomes narrower. Labium pale yellowish brown. Apical half of labrum and postclypeus black. Basal half of labrum, anteclypeus, and bases of mandibles turquoise blue. Antefrons and postfrons dark brown. Scape and pedicel of antennae light brown, flagellum dark brown. Ocelli round and translucent, median larger than lateral. Occipital bar black, behind head light brown.

Thorax. Prothorax ( Fig. 7d–e View FIGURE 7 ). Dark rufous brown without any markings in life. Post–mortem, the anterior lobe turns light brown, while the middle and posterior lobes turn blackish. The twin protuberances of middle lobe bean–shaped in dorsal view. Posterior lobe with asymmetrical depressions at either ends, the left one being shallow and the right one deeper. Dorsal three–quarters of propleuron rufous brown, yellowish white below.

Pterothorax ( Fig. 7f–g View FIGURE 7 ). In life, the ground colour is dark crimson, which becomes rufous brown post–mortem. Mesostigmal plates and mid–dorsal carina black. Broad, dark green stripes on mesepisternum. Mesepimeron dark crimson. More than half of metepisternum bluish white, rest dark crimson. Metepimeron bluish white in life, fades to pale yellow post–mortem. Mesinfraepisternum dark crimson, pale towards coxa. Metinfraepisternum and ventral side of thorax yellowish white.

Legs. Pale brown. Femora lined with dark brown on extensor surface. Tibiae and tarsi dark brown.

Wings. Hyaline, Pt blood–red, rectangular, covering one cell. Ab is absent. One cell between RP 3+4 -IR 2 and RP 2 - IR 1 in FW and HW. 2 Ax in all wings. 12 Px in all wings, except left HW, where it is 11.

Abdomen ( Figs. 7c View FIGURE 7 , 8e–f View FIGURE 8 ). Blackish brown marked with pale bluish white as follows. S1 with a large ventral spot. S2 with a narrow basal ring that continues as a ventral stripe till three–quarters of the segment. S3–4 have a faded white ventral stripe in the middle, much smaller than in the male. S3–7 with broader annules which are more extended ventrolaterally, the one on S7 being turquoise blue. S8–10 black with a brownish tinge ventrolaterally. S8 short, cylindrical, as broad as S7. S9 broader and longer than S8. S10 very short and narrow.

Caudal appendages ( Fig. 8b–d View FIGURE 8 ). Cerci black, conical, shorter than S10. Paraprocts much shorter and stubby. Vulvar scale robust, extending beyond the abdomen.

Measurements. Abdomen without appendages 30; HW 20; total length 35.