Rhipidolestes chaoi Wilson, 2004, SP. NOV.
Creators: name: Wilson, K. D. P.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2004
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Odonata
Megapodagrionidae
Rhipidolestes
Rhipidolestes chaoi

description: RHIPIDOLESTES CHAOI SP. NOV.
Figures 9-14
Material. — Holotype S: Mangshan (nearBabaoshan), Shikengkong, SHunan, China, 26-VI-2000, K. D.P. Wilson leg. — Paratype: 1 S, ditto, 26-V-2002, coll. K.D.P. Wilson. Holotype will be deposited at Tai Lung ExperimentalStation, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Lin Tong Mei, Sheung Shui, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Etymology. — Named in honourof the late Chao Hsiu-fu.
Description. — Medium-sized Rhipidolestes with ochreous face. Males with tiny conical projection on dorsum ofninth abdominal segment, inferior appendage with small upward and minute outward, sharply pointed projections and penile organ with short, simply--shaped, broad lobes.
MALE. — Labium dark brown. Labrum, postclypeus, face and antennae chrome yellow. Anteclypeus reddish-yellow. Top of head above antennae matt blackish-brown with pale mid-brownish areas between antennae, surrounding the ocelli anteriorly and laterally and rear of head laterally (Fig. 9). The occiput is blackish-brown. Prothorax matt-black with a pair of broad pale yellow dorso-lateral stripes. Dorsum of synthorax black with broad, yellow antehumeral stripes, which fall short of the posterior margin below the wings, typical of the genus. Small pale spot below wings. Sides of thorax black with broad ochreous yellow metepistemal stripe covering the spiracle. Metapostemum pale yellow. Metepimeron mainly black with small area adjacent to metapostemum and dorsal comer below hindwings pale yellow. Coxae mainly pale with smoky--black central areas. Legs pale ferruginous. Wings have medium venation density with mid-brown pterostigma subtending three segments (Fig. 14). Extreme tips beyond pterostigma smoky-brown. Abdomen dark brown. Base of ninth segment with tiny, vestigial projection with single, blunt point. Caudal appendages blackish brown. Superior appendages very stout distal half with prominent, inwardly pointing, basal projection, minute outward pointing projection towards tip and narrow finger-like projection at tip (Figs 12-13). Inferior appendages short, squarish, peg-like with dorsal, finely pointed projection and short, ventral projection. Penile organ with short, stout, squarish lobes (Figs 10-11).
Measurements (mm). — abd. + app. 45.0-48.5, hw 31.5-32.0.
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS. — R. chaoi can be separated from all other congeners by the following characters; (1) vestigial or minute non-bifurcated dorsal projection at the dorsal base of the ninth abdominal segment, (2) ochreous face, (3) penile organ with pair of short, broad, squarish-shaped projections, and (4) squarish, peg-like inferior appendages with both upward and outward projections. The closest congeners are R. malaisei LIEFTINCK (1948) and R. jucundus LIEFTINCK (1948). R. malaisei lacks a prominent dorsal projection on the ninth abdominal segment, which is blunt in profile. The inferior appendages of malaisei lack a ventral projection. R. jucundus has a bifid vestigial abdominal projection and its inferior appendages are broad and flat and not peg-like.
REMARKS. — Three further species of Rhipidolestes species are known from neighbouring Guangdong and Hong Kong. These comprise R. cyanoflavus WILSON (2000) and R. truncatidens Schmidt and janetae WILSON (1997).
description: Published as part of Wilson, K. D. P., 2004, New Odonata from South China, pp. 423-432 in Odonatologica 33 (4) on pages 427-428, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3358876