Mesopodagrion yachowensis Chao 1953, new status
Creators: name: Yu, Xin
name: Bu, Wenjun
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Odonata
Megapodagrionidae
Mesopodagrion
Mesopodagrion yachowensis

description: Mesopodagrion yachowensis Chao, 1953, new status
Mesopodagrion tibetanum: McLachlan, 1896: 372 –273, “Ƥ from Siao-Lon (now in Sichuan, China)”; Lieftinck, 1948: 7, “ Burma, China (Shaanxi)” (in part); Asahina, 1955: 130 –133, figs. 1–6, “ Burma, China (Shaanxi, Sichuan, Zhejiang, Yunnan)” (in part); Asahina,1956: 207, “Zhejiang”; SUI & SUN, 1986: 294 –295, Fig. 201, “ Burma, China (Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang)” (in part); Chao, 1987: 112, 120; “ Burma, China (Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang)” (in part).
Mesopodagrion yachowensis Chao, 1953: 330 –334, figs. 5–8, type locality: “Beh Luk Din, Sichuan, China ”; Kalkman, 2008: 187, key to species.
Material. 1 3, China, Gansu, Kangxian, Qinghe forestry centre, 1400m, 14-VII-1998, Shuyong Wang leg., IOZ(E)830140 (IZAS); 1 3, China, Henan, Songxian, Mt. Baiyun, 18-VII-2002, Xiujuan Yang leg. (CHU); 1 Ƥ, China, Henan, Huixian, Baligou, 13-VII-2002, Xiujuan Yang leg. (CHU); 2 3, 19 -VII-2002, ditto.; 1 3, China, Shaanxi, Liuba, Miaotaizi, 1400m, 22-VII-1998, Guangzhi Yu leg., IOZ(E)830116 (IZAS); 1 Ƥ, same data., 1600m, 21-VII-1998, Jian Yao leg., IOZ(E)830139 (IZAS); 1 3, China, Shaanxi, Ningshan, Huoditang, 1820m, 28-VII-1998, Jun Chen leg., IOZ(E)830120 (IZAS); 1 3, China, Shaanxi, Fengxian, Qinling railway station, 1500m, 27-VII-1994, Jianzhen Dong leg. (NKUM); 1 3, China, South Shensi, 16-VI-1936, E. Sueson leg. (BMNH); 1 Ƥ, China, Sichuan, Siao-Lou, 189? (BMNH) [paratype of M. tibetanum]; 1 3, 1 Ƥ, China, South Shensi, 16-VI-1936, E. Sueson leg. (CUMZ).
Description. Male. As in M. tibetanum by color pattern though larger. Differs from M. t. tibetanum as follows: Rear of head entirely black (Fig. 3 a). Antehumeral stripe excavated at upper fourth and with small anteriorly directed offshoot (Fig. 4 a). S10 pale dorsally (Fig. 5 a); basal half of cerci distinctly dilated, almost twice as wide as abruptly narrowed distal half (Figs. 5 a, 8–10); bifurcate process short, not longer than 1/2 width of S10, outer margin concave, hemline of bifurcate process less than 1/3 width of S10 (Figs. 8–10). Apical lobs of genital ligula bifurcate at base (Fig. 1, d & e).
Female. Similar to male in color pattern but slightly shorter in body length and more robust (Fig. 1 c). Antehumeral stripes broader than in male. Terminus of abdomen similar to female of M. t. tibetanum except ovipositor shorter, ending at about level of end of S10 (Fig. 6 a).
Remarks. Acknowledging the inaccuracy of illustrations of M. tibetanum by Fraser (1933), Chao (1987) later synonymized his own species with M. tibetanum. We doubt that Chao had seen the syntype male of M. tibetanum or had a specimen of true M. tibetanum, otherwise he would seen the distinct differences between these two species. We concur with Kalkman (2008) in treating M. yachowensis as a separate species.
Distribution. A more northerly species than M. tibetanum species occurring in mountainous areas along a largely east-west arc from central Sichuan (apparently sympatric with M. tibetanum there), Gansu north to Henan and east to Zhejiang provinces. This species occurs at lower elevations from about 1400m (Tianmu), to about 3000m (Qinling, Fig. 7). We have been unable, despite intensive search, to locate Siao-lou [Xiaolou] for McLachlan's female in Sichuan Province.
description: Published as part of Yu, Xin & Bu, Wenjun, 2009, A Revision of Mesopodagrion McLachlan, 1896 (Odonata: Zygoptera: Megapodagrionidae), pp. 59-68 in Zootaxa 2202 on page 67, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.189645