Lestes Leach 1815
Creators: name: Belle, J.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 1997
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Odonata
Lestidae
Lestes

description: Keys to the species of <i>Lestes</i> The colour pattern of the pterothoracic venter (= pectoral colour pattern of Calvert, 1909: 93) is of great importance for the identification of the Surinam species of <i>Lestes.</i> The dark markings of this pattern appear to be identical, or nearly so, in both sexes of the same species. However, aged specimens often have this colour pattern obscured by pruinosity. If a clean-out is possible, the complete pattern will become discernible. Males of all species are rather easily distinguished by differences in shape of the superior caudal appendages (cerci). Caution should be taken in using the key since the males of <i>Lestes</i> sublatus Hagen in Selys and <i>Lestes trichonus</i> spec, nov., and the female of <i>Lestes basidens</i> spec. nov. are unknown. Key to the males 1. Small species: abdomen 26-29.5, hind wing 16-19. Inner side of superior caudal appendages with a strong spine-like basal and subapical tooth and a row of minute teeth between them. Pectoral colour pattern shaped as shown in fig. 2......................................................................................................... <i>L. mediorufus</i> Calvert. - Larger species: abdomen 30-37, hind wing 20-23. Shape of superior caudal appendages different....................................................................................................2 2 (1). Caudal appendages pale; apical half of superior caudal appendages regularly and strongly curving downward (fig. 15). Pectoral colour pattern only consisting of a posterior pair of dark spots (fig. 4)......................... <i>L. curvatus</i> spec. nov. - Caudal appendages not pale; apical half of superior caudal appendages not strongly curving downward.......................................................................................3 3 (2). Inner side of superior caudal appendages without spines of any kind. Pectoral colour pattern with three pairs of dark oblong spots close to ventro-lateral carina (fig. 7).................................................................................. <i>L. edentatus</i> spec. nov. - Inner side of superior caudal appendages with spines.......................................... 4 4. Inner side of superior caudal appendages with a truncate basal tooth and a subapical row of minute spines (fig. 18); branch of each inferior caudal appendage reaching backward to a point about one-third the way along superior caudal appendage.................................................................................... <i>L. tenuatus</i> Rambur - Inner side of superior caudal appendages with a strong acute tooth at base followed by a row of minute spines (fig. 10); branch of each inferior caudal appendage reaching backward to a point about two-thirds the way along superior caudal appendage <i>............................................................... L. <i>basidens</i> spec. nov.</i> Key to the females 1. Small species: abdomen 25-28, hind wing 18-19. Pectoral colour pattern shaped as shown in fig. 2...................................................................... <i>L. mediorufus</i> Calvert - Larger species: abdomen 29-37; hind wing 21-26.....................................................2 2 (1). Abdomen 29, hind wing 23. Antehumeral stripes brassy black and conspicuously large, extending over whole length of mesepisternum and breadthways extending from middorsal carina to a distance from humeral suture of one-third its own width. Sides of pterothorax yellow except for a small metepimeral black spot below. Pectoral colour pattern shaped as shown in fig. 9............................................................................................................................. <i>L. sublatus Hagen</i> in Selys - Colour pattern of female different; antehumeral stripes narrower and not touching middorsal <i>carina</i>.....................................................................................................3 3 (2). Caudal appendages pale, stout, not conical i.e. not regularly tapering from base to apex (fig. 33). Pectoral colour pattern only consisting of a posterior pair of dark spots (fig. 4)..................................................................... <i> <i>L</i>. curvatus</i> <i>spec</i>. nov. - Caudal appendages not pale, conical i.e. regularly tapering from base to apex... 4 4 (3). Caudal appendages slender and about three and a half times as long as it is wide at base. Pectoral colour pattern with three pairs of dark oblong spots close to ventro-lateral carina (fig. 7)............................................. <i>L. edentatus</i> <i>spec</i>. nov. - Caudal appendages short, thick, conical and twice to two and a half times as long as it is wide at base...............................................................................................5 5 (4). Venter of pterothorax with long pale hairs. Pectoral colour pattern with welldeveloped dark metasternal spots (fig. 8).......................... <i>I</i>. <i>trichonus</i> spec. nov. - Venter of pterothorax glabrous. Pectoral colour pattern without or with weakly developed dark metasternal spots........................................... <i> <i>L</i>. tenuatus</i> Rambur Treatment of the species The species are treated in alphabetical order. For each species are given the material studied and a description, a redescription or descriptive notes.
description: Published as part of <i>Belle, J., 1997, The genus Lestes (Odonata: Lestidae) Leach, 1815, in Surinam, pp. 89-103 in Zool. Med. Leiden 71 (11)</i> on pages 89-91, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3520781
description: {"references": ["Calvert, P. P., 1909. Contributions to a knowledge of the Odonata of the neotropical region, exclusive of Mexico and Central America. - Ann. Carnegie Mus. 6 (1): 73 - 280, pls 1 - 9."]}