Merogomphus aryanadensis Chandran A.V., Chandran R., Sawant & Jose, 2025

Merogomphus aryanadensis Chandran A.V., Chandran R., Sawant & Jose sp. nov.

Holotype. 1♂ ( IBC-CD221 ), Manjadininnavila , Aryanad Grama Panchayat, Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala, India (8.6195° N, 77.1058° E, 115 m a.s.l.), 13.viii.2024, A. Vivek Chandran leg. GoogleMaps

Paratypes. 1♂ ( IBC-CD222 ), the location, date of collection, and collector the same as for the holotype. GoogleMaps 1♀ ( IBC-CD223 ), the location and collector the same as for the holotype, 14.viii.2024 GoogleMaps .

Etymology. The species epithet is derived from the type locality (adjective in genitive).

Proposed English name. Dainty Longleg. Specific name is given based on its relatively small size. ‘Longleg’ is the common name proposed for the genus based on the characteristic long hind femora.

Description of holotype IBC-CD221 ( Figs. 1–2 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 ). In life, black with citron-yellow markings. Post-mortem, the markings became greenish yellow.

Head ( Fig. 1a–c View FIGURE 1 ). In life, eyes grass green, post-mortem yellow green. Head black; labium, labrum, mandibles, clypeus, antefrons black, crest of postfrons has a narrow yellow band. From above, this band has a black incursion shaped like a curly bracket. Scape and pedicel of antennae black, flagellum brown. Median ocellus oval and larger than lateral rounded ocelli. Occiput black, behind head yellow.

Thorax. Prothorax ( Fig. 1b–c View FIGURE 1 ). Black with yellow spots on the middle lobe, a triangular pair very close to each other medially, a small elliptical pair on the anterior protuberances, and large oval ones laterally.

Pterothorax ( Fig. 1d–e View FIGURE 1 ). Black marked with yellow as follow: mesothoracic collar with a wide gap in between; very narrow antehumeral stripes diverging anteriorly from mid-dorsal carina; a large stripe on mesepimeron; a thinner, less conspicuous stripe on metepisternum that begins as a rounded spot connected to the main stripe by a thin line, and extends to the coxa of hindleg; a large stripe on metepimeron almost fully covering it.

Legs. Black; hindlegs are exceptionally long, each femur of hindleg bears 5 prominent spines along with numerous fine spines; rest all legs bear small spines; citron yellow markings on flexor surface of foreleg femora.

Wings ( Fig. 1f View FIGURE 1 ). Hyaline, tinted brown throughout. Bases tinted brown. Pt black, long, covering 4.5 cells in FW and 5 cells in HW. Crossveins below subcosta 14 in FW and 12 in HW. Cubito-anal space with one crossvein. Anal triangle three celled with a squarish central cell. Anal loop absent. Discoidal field commencing with two cells in both FW and HW. Ax 14 in both FW, 10 in left HW, 11 in right HW. Px 11 in both FW, 12 in both HW.

Abdomen. Black with citron yellow markings as follows: S1 with a mid-dorsal triangular spot extending anteriorly as a thin line, a large oval spot covering three-quarters of the segment ventrolaterally; S2 with a wavy mid-dorsal stripe from base not reaching the apex, a large, irregular spot ventrolaterally covering three-quarters of the segment; S3–6 with paired mid-dorsal spots, larger and joined in S3 only, these spots extending laterally to form rings at the base of the segments; S7 with a broad basal ring covering almost one-quarter of it with a small, mid-dorsal extension towards the apex; S8 very broad with a small, mid-dorsal oval spot at base with a sharp tip produced towards the apex; S9 and S10 unmarked.

Accessory genitalia ( Figs. 1g –h View FIGURE 1 , 2 a–c View FIGURE 2 ). Lamina depressed, auricles round, yellow, with tiny black spines at posterior ends. Anterior hamuli black, short, broad at base and hooked at the apex; posterior hamuli black, long, broad at base, become broader and curve inside at the middle, and taper to hook-like tips. Vesica spermalis blackish brown, proximal segment funnel shaped, middle segment broad with a dorsal spine, distal segment produced into two thin, curving, white filaments turning brown towards their apices and ending with transparent tips. Genital lobe black and cylindrical.

Caudal appendages ( Fig. 2d–f View FIGURE 2 ). Cerci slightly longer than S10, lyrate, yellowish white, with short, blunt spines with a pointed beak at the middle, fumed black from base to its three-quarters, end with sharp tips pointing outwards parallelly, covered with small, brown hairs. Epiproct 1/3 rd the length of cerci, blackish brown, rectangular, curved outwards at the ends; in lateral view, it ends with a short spine towards the cerci.

Measurements. Abdomen without appendages 38; HW 33.5; total length 50.

Variation in paratype male IBC-CD223 ( Figs. 3–4 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 ). Presumably a younger male as indicated by brighter yellow markings and hyaline wings without brown tint ( Fig. 3c, g View FIGURE 3 ). Pt reddish brown. Only 1/3 rd of cerci fumed black from the base dorsally ( Fig. 4c–d View FIGURE 4 ).

Crossveins below subcosta 16 in FW and 13 in HW ( Fig. 3c, g View FIGURE 3 ). Ax 14 in left FW, 13 in right FW; Px 10 in both HW ( Fig. 3c, g View FIGURE 3 ).

Measurements. Abdomen without appendages 38.5; HW 33; total length 50.

Description of paratype female IBC-CD222 ( Figs. 5–6 View FIGURE 5 View FIGURE 6 ). In life, black with bright citron yellow markings. Post-mortem, the yellow faded only a little.

Head ( Fig. 5a–b, d View FIGURE 5 ). Eyes bottle green in life, fades to khaki post-mortem. Head similar to male except for a narrow yellow band on the crest of frons. Back of head yellow.

Thorax. Prothorax ( Fig. 5b, d View FIGURE 5 ). Black marked with yellow spots as in male, the medial markings more rounded.

Pterothorax ( Fig. 5e–f View FIGURE 5 ). Black marked with yellow as in male, but the stripe on metepisternum broken into three- a rounded spot near the wings, a broad stripe in the middle, and a short wavy stripe that extends to the coxa of hindleg. Legs as in male, femora of forelegs with citron yellow stripes on flexor surface; hind femora longer than in male.

Wings. ( Figs. 5c View FIGURE 5 , 6a View FIGURE 6 ). Hyaline, bases tinted brown. Pt reddish brown, covering 5.5 cells in FW and 6 cells in HW. Crossveins below subcosta 17 in both FW, 11 in left HW, 12 in right HW. One crossvein in cubito-anal space. Ax 19 in left FW, 18 in right FW, 12 in both HW. Px 14 in left FW, 12 in right FW, 11 in both HW.

Abdomen. ( Fig. 5c View FIGURE 5 ). Black with citron yellow markings as follows: S1 with a mid-dorsal oval spot with flat border towards the apex and produced into a small blunt tip towards the base, a large oval spot covering three-quarters of the segment ventrolaterally; S2 with a wavy mid-dorsal stripe beginning at the base, not reaching the apex, a large, irregular spot ventrolaterally covering three-quarters of the segment; S3–6 with paired mid-dorsal spots, larger on S3, but all separated, these spots extending laterally to form rings at the base of the segments; S3 also has a ventrolateral stripe near its apex; S7 with a broad basal ring covering one-quarter of it with a small, mid-dorsal extension towards the apex; S8 broad with a basal ring on the dorsum, a small, mid-dorsal oval spot at base with a sharp tip produced towards the apex; S9 and S10 unmarked.

Caudal appendages. ( Fig. 6b–d View FIGURE 6 ). Cerci slightly longer than S10, white in life, yellowish post-mortem, conical, with small, light brown hairs. Vulvar scale conical, with a notch at the middle that begins broadly and ends sharply.

Measurements. Abdomen without appendages 39; HW 34.5; total length 53.5.