Indolestes cyaneus
Creators: name: Phan, Quoc Toan
name: To, Van Quang
name: Payra, Arajush
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Odonata
Lestidae
Indolestes
Indolestes cyaneus

description: Indolestes cyaneus (Selys, 1862)
(Figs 1–5)
Lestes cyanea: Selys (1862): p. 335 (original description).
Indolestes helena: Fraser (1922): pp. 60–61, pl. vii Fig. 1 (original description; anal appendages in dorsal view).
Indolestes veronica: Fraser (1924): p. 85 (original description).
Ceylonolestes cyanea: Fraser (1933): Figs 27, 34 (wings and appendages in dorsal view), pp. 74–77; Fraser (1936): p. 183, recorded in Bhutan; Asahina (1966): p. 106, recorded in Taiwan; Prasad & Kumar (1977): p. 171, recorded in India.
Indolestes cyanea: Tyagi (1984): p. 62, recorded in India; Vick (1986): p. 114, recorded in Nepal.
Indolestes cyaneus: Mahato (1986): p. 122, recorded in Nepal; Vick (1989): p. 7, recorded in Nepal; Hämäläinen (1989): p. 17, recorded in Uttar Pradesh, India; Prasad & Varshney (1995): p. 395, recorded in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu-Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, India; Mitra (2006): p. 139, recorded in Bhutan; Mitra & Thinley (2006): pp. 6–7, figures of wings and appendages in dorsal view, recorded in Bhutan; Kosterin (2015): Fig. 1a (repeated Fig. 34 from Fraser (1933)), p. 2; Joshi & Kunte (2014): Fig. 6a (a photo of male in nature), p. 6469; Kalkman & Gyeltshen (2016): p. 9, recorded in Bhutan.
Specimens examined. [Vietnam]: 10 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀, A Banh 2 village (15.869 N, 107.345 E, 1,490 m a.s.l.), Tr’hy commune, Tay Giang district, Quang Nam Province, 17.IV.2017, V.Q. To leg. (in coll. To); 10 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀, Dak Hro village (14.366 N, 108.410 E, 1,130 m a.s.l.), Dak Roong Commune, K’Bang District, Gia Lai Province, 3.IV.2018, V. Q. To leg. (in coll. Phan). [Taiwan]: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Datong Mingchih, Ilan County, Taiwan, 15.VIII.2007, S. L. Chen & H.C. Tang leg. (in coll. Karube); 1 ♂, Chialouhu Tatung, Ilan County, Taiwan, 13. VI.2001, W.C. Yeh leg. (in coll. Karube). [India]: 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, Nuranang Waterfall (Jang), Tawang District, Arunachal Pradesh, India (27.5888 N, 91.9805 E, 2,090 m a.s.l.), 9.XI.2017, A. Payra & Deepak C. K. leg. (in coll. Payra); 2 ♂♂, Kleue Wetland (31.77429 N, 77.38067 E, 2,072 m a.s.l.), Kathagy village, Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh, India, 22.IV.2018, S.K. Sajan leg. (in coll. Payra). [Nepal]: 2 ♂♂, Pokhara (800m), Nepal, 14. V.1993, H. Karube leg. (in coll. Karube).
Redescription of Indolestes cyaneus based on specimens from Tay Giang.
Male. Head (Figs 1a, 2a). Labrum, anteclypeus, mandibles and genae greenish except for black distal margin of labrum. Other parts of head, including postclypeus, antennae, dorsal area and occiput, black.
Thorax (Figs 1a, 2 b–c). Prothorax marked yellow-black as in Fig. 2 b–c: anterior lobe yellow with black marking at mid-posterior margin and laterally; middle lobe largely black except a yellow marking mid-posteriorly; posterior lobe slightly raised upward, largely yellow with two black spots dorsally. Notopleural suture yellow with a black band laterally. Propleuron yellowish. Synthorax (Fig. 1a). Mesepisternum bronze-black with yellow marking as follows: a very narrow dorsal stripe and a long antehumeral stripe, distally tapering. Mesepimeron with a short yellow streak on its dorsoposterior corner connected to the antehumeral stripe. Mesinfraepisternum black with a yellowish part at level of mesepisternum. Metepisternum mostly yellow, dorsally bronze-black along the interpleural suture, the margin stepped; metepimeron entirely yellow. Legs (Fig. 1a). Coxae and trochanters yellowish, outer sides of femora and tibia black but inner sides dark reddish; tarsi, spines and claws blackish.
Wings (Fig. 3f). Hyaline with black venation. 13 Px in FW and 11 Px in HW respectively. Pt brownish, covering 1.5 cells.
Abdomen (Fig. 1a). S1 yellow except for a small anterodorsal black spot; S2 yellowish with a black dorsum throughout; S3–6 bluish with a dorsal black spot at the posterior end of each segment; S7–8 black with dark reddish stripe laterally; S9 black; S10 mostly bluish except for black posterior margin.
Anal appendages (Figs 3 a–c, 4a–b). Cerci typical for the genus, with an acute spine about two-third the length of inner side, yellowish (lateral side) or pale bluish (dorsal surface), but gradually darkening to brown distally (Fig. 4 a–b). In lateral view, cerci approximately 1.5 times the length of S10, their apices curved downward, first slightly expanding and then tapering to a point (Fig. 3b). In dorsal view (Fig. 3a) cerci directed inward and touching at apices, inner sides slightly swollen basally, then concave toward an acute spine, directed slightly downward and visible in lateral view (Fig. 3a). Paraprocts short and shiny black, their dorsal and ventral sides concave (Fig. 3a, c).
Genital ligula (Fig. 3 d–f) inflated, the second segment oval-shaped in dorsal view; the third segment rising at mid-posterior end of the second segment, the tip strongly curved internally forming a question-mark shape.
Measurements (in mm). HW 25; abdomen (incl. appendages) 36.
Female. Coloration and wing venation (Fig. 1b) similar to male except for color of abdomen: S1–7 and S8–9 black dorsally and yellow laterally and ventrally; in S3–7 this yellow marking expanding to the antero-dorsal margin of tergite; S10 dark yellow with a black antero-dorsal marking (Fig. 3g). Cerci yellowish, ovipositor black with small yellow anterior and posterior markings as on Fig. 3g.
Measurements (in mm). HW 23; abdomen (incl. appendages) 30.
Variation of Indolestes cyaneus. Indolestes cyaneus from Nagaland (see Fig. 6a in Joshi & Kunte 2014) or the material from Ilan County of Taiwan, Himachal of India and Pokhara of Nepal do not differ from the Vietnamese specimens apart from the ground color of specimens from Arunachal Pradesh is brownish (Fig. 5 a–b). The ground color of mature individuals of I. cyaneus is bright blue, as described by Fraser (1933) and can be seen in Image 6a by Joshi & Kunte (2014). Fraser (1933) mentioned age-related colorational changes of I. cyaneus resulted in description of two its junior synonyms, Indolestes helena Fraser, 1922 (from four teneral males and two females from Kurseong) and Indolestes veronica Fraser, 1924 (from two females from Kumaon), both with the brownish ground color (Fraser 1922, 1924). The same ground color was observed in specimens from Bhutan reported by Kalkman & Gyeltshen (2016: 14) who noted: “..all specimens we encountered lacked blue and were pale brownish. Also at some places the species was found in numbers in open spots in forest. We speculate that this species overwinters as adult and only turns blue in spring when reproductive activity starts”. The Arunachal specimens were collected in November and hence refer to the same overwintering immature state. Below we provided a detailed description of the color pattern of these immature Arunachal Pradesh specimens. The structures of the specimens from both India and Nepal are similar to the Vietnamese ones as described above.
Male. Head. Dorsum of head including postclypeus, antennae, occiput matt black. Labrum, labium, anteclypeus brown. Presence of small triangular green spot at the corner of each lateral ocellus.
Thorax. Prothorax marked pale blue to yellow and black. Notopleural suture pale brown with lateral black band. Mesepisternum with long pale brown antehumeral stripe. Mesepimeron with brown streak on its dorsoposterior corner followed by antehumeral stripe. Metepisternum anteriorly whitish to pale brown posteriorly, dorsally black along the suture. Metepimeron entirely whitish.
Legs. Coxae and trochanters brown. Posterior of femora and tibia pale brown but inner side with blackish metallic sheen.
Wings. Hyaline with black venation; wing membrane enfumed with brown colour. Brownish pterostigma covering 3 cells in FW and 2 cells in HW. 11–13 Px in FW and 11–12 Px in HW respectively.
Abdomen (Fig. 5b). S1 dorsally brown with lateral black mark and pale below. S2 pale brown dorsally with dorso-lateral shining black stripe and pale brown to matt yellow ventro-laterally. S3–6 pale brown with shining blackish posterior end of each segment. S7–9 shining black dorsally with pale brown to whitish ventro-lateral side. S10 brown dorsally and whitish laterally and below.
Anal appendages (Fig. 4 c–d). Cerci brown dorsally, the downward curved apices brownish to deep black. An acute spine at about two-third the length of inner margin, deep brown to black. Paraprocts brownish dorsally.
Female (Fig. 5b). Body coloration pattern of the female resembles that of the male.
Measurements (in mm): ♂ HW 22.5–23.5; abdomen (incl. appendages) 32–35.
♀ HW 22.5, abdomen (incl. appendages) 30 mm.
Habitat and Ecology in Vietnam. Indolestes cyaneus was collected at a small pool with standing water (about 4–5 by 2–3 meters) in a high mountain area. The bottom of this pool was muddy with decomposing leaf litter causing the water to become black. Surface of the water was extensively covered with overhanging vegetation along the edges of the pool (Fig. 6).
Habitat and Ecology in India. Arunachal Pradesh: More than 15 individuals (males and females) were observed on the way to Nuranang waterfall from Jang Inspection Bungalow. They were perching in groups on small shrubs, about 30 cm above the ground. Place of observation was near the road and characterized by small shrubs and secondary vegetation. There was no nearby water source. Some individuals were also observed near Nuranang waterfall. They were perching on shrubs about 1 m above the ground, near a small stagnant water pool (3 m × 2 m).
Himachal Pradesh: More than 10 individuals were observed near a wetland of Kathagy village in Great Himalayan National Park. They were perching on grassy vegetation.
Distribution. Bhutan (Paro town, Paro District; Trashigang Dzongkhag; Bumdeling & Old Dzong, Trashiyangtse; Mewang, Thimphu District; Trong, Zemgang District; Phobhjikha valley, Gangte, Wangdi Phodrang District; Chabchha & Gedu, Chukha District) [Fraser 1936, Kalkman & Gyeltshen 2016, Mitra & Thinley 2006]; India (Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu-Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal) [Fraser 1933, Baijal 1955, Joshi & Kunte 2014, Hämäläinen 1989, Prasad & Kumar 1977, Prasad & Varshney 1995, Tyagi 1984, this study], Nepal (Phalyak & Sangu, Taplejung District; Tarke Gyang village, Helambu; Pokhara) [Mahato 1986, Vick 1986, this study], Taiwan (Alishan National Scenic area, Chiayi County; Miyama, Yilan County; Tattaka Mountain, Sung-kang, Nantou) [Asahina 1 966, this study], China (Xizang; Guizhou) [Yu 2010], Vietnam (Tay Giang District, Quang Nam Province; K’Bang District, Gia Lai Province) [This study].
description: Published as part of Phan, Quoc Toan, To, Van Quang & Payra, Arajush, 2019, First record of Indolestes cyaneus (Selys, 1862) from Vietnam and notes on its color variation (Odonata: Zygoptera: Lestidae), pp. 409-416 in Zootaxa 4571 (3) on pages 410-414, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4571.3.8, http://zenodo.org/record/2612786