Heteragrion itacolomii Ávila Júnior & Lencioni & Carneiro 2020, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Ávila Júnior, Walter F.
name: Lencioni, Frederico A. A.
name: Carneiro, Marco Antônio A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Odonata
Megapodagrionidae
Heteragrion
Heteragrion itacolomii

description: Heteragrion itacolomii sp. nov.
(Figs. 1–7, 9–10)
Holotype. ♂ (deposited in ABMM /CCT-UFMG, NC: UFMG-ODO-2000000). Brazil, Minas Gerais, Ouro Preto, Parque Estadual do Itacolomi, Trilha da Lagoa, (23-xii-2018, 20º25’57”S, 43º30’27”W, 1350 m, Ávila-Jr, W.F. leg.).
Paratypes. 6 ♂♂. Three with same data as holotype; one with same data as allotype but Carneiro, M. A. A. leg.; one with same data as allotype, collected in tandem; and one with same data as holotype but collected on 25-x-2018; 1 ♂ deposited in MNRJ (NC: ODO-0283); 2 ♂♂ deposited in FAAL (NC: 4816 and 4819); 1 ♂ deposited in DZUP (NC: 500256); 2 ♂♂ deposited in LEE.
Allotype. ♀ (Deposited in ABMM / CCT – NC: UFMG-ODO-2000001, same data as holotype, but collected in tandem on 20-iii-2019)
Etymology: The name of the new species is in reference to the type locality, Itacolomi State Park. Itacolomi is of Tupi “indigenous language” origin (Ita = stone + curumim = child).
Description of holotype (Figs. 2 A, 3 A, 4 A, 5, 6 A, 9 D, 9 L)
Head. Labrum dark yellow with black spot in center; postclypeus black; post frons with black plate across epicranium (PF + VX + OC); antennae black (Fig. 3 A).
Thorax. Anterior lobe of prothorax black, middle lobe with black pigment on both sides and posterior lobe with central black spot extending to edges of side; propleuron pale yellowish (Fig. 6 A). Pterothorax: middorsal carina black; mesepisternum in dorsal view black with yellow spot; mesepisternum in lateral view pale yellowish with wide black stripe on mesepimeron, metepimeron pale yellowish; antealar carina black (Fig. 4 A).
Wings. Hyaline; FW 21 (Px); HW 18 (Px); pterostigma covering 2 cells of left FW; 3 cells in left HW; 2 cells in right FW; 2 + 1/2 cells in right HW.
Abdomen. S1 pale yellow with dorsal black spot; S2 pale yellow with black band of sides reaching dorsum without contact, forming yellow dorsal band; S3 equal to S2 except black band located ventrally near S4; S4–6 equal to S3; S7 black; S8 with black spot near S7 and pale yellow coloring near S9; S9 pale yellow; S10 pale yellow with dorsal black spot (Fig. 2 A).
Caudal appendages. Cerci in lateral view with dorsobasal expansion present, ventrobasal expansion robust, occupying 2/3 of length, ventral margin rounded (Figs. 5 A; 9 H); cerci in dorsal view with subequal basal and medial portions, apical portion long, ventral branch of medial process a triangular plate with truncate apex, a ridge like an inverted S, dorsal branch absent (Figs. 5 B, 9 L).
Measurements. Abdomen 41.68; FW length 30.25; HW length 29.46, cerci 1.48.
Variation in males. Wing: FW with 20 to 22 (Px); HW with 17 to 19 (Px); number of cells covered by pterostigma of left FW ranging 1/2 + 2 to 3; of left HW ranging 1/3 + 2 to 3; of right FW ranging 1 + 1/2 to 2 + 1/2; of right HW ranging 2 to 2 + 1/3.
Measurements. Abdomen 32.63–41.46, FW length 27.20–32.08, HW length 26.28–30.92, cerci 1.29–1.42.
Description of allotype (Figs. 2 B, 3 B, 4 B, 6 B, 7, 10)
Head. Labrum brown with black spot in center; postclypeus black, antefrons with black spot in frontal region extending to frontal region of eyes; black band connecting middle of the eyes to occiput (Fig. 3 B).
Thorax. Anterior lobe of prothorax black with two elliptical pale spots; middle lobe of prothorax pale; posterior lobe of prothorax with large black spot in center and small black spot with hair on ends; propleuron and procoxa pale (Fig. 6 B). Pterohorax: black stripe accompanying the middorsal carina; mesepisternum pale with black spot in posterior region; mesinfraepisternum pale; mesepimeron with incomplete black strip reach to mesopleural fossa; antealar carina black; metinfraepisternum, metepisternum and metepimeron pale (Fig. 4 B), intersternite surpassing setifer, dorsally curved with dorsal end elongated and rounded, with the presence of a crossing carina (Fig. 7).
Wing. Hyaline, left FW 20 (Px); right FW 20 (Px); left HW 15 (Px); right HW 17 (Px).
Abdomen. S1 pale with black dorsal surface; S2 pale with incomplete lateral black stripe on dorsal surface forming a thin pale line; S3 similar to S2 with incomplete black ring between S3 and S4; S4–8 similar to S3; S9 pale with segment of black lateral stripe ending in medial region; S10 pale (Fig. 2 B). Genital valves of ovipositor with ventral edge containing teeth disposed in four rows (Fig. 10 B)
Measurements. Abdomen 32.6; FW length 29.7; HW length 28.8, appendages 0.65.
Differential diagnosis. The species with the most similar cerci to those of H. itacolomii is H. freddiemercury. However, H. freddiemercury has an almost straight margin of the ventral expansion, a ventral branch as a triangular plate with a truncated apex and a ridge dividing it into two parts, and a roughly triangular dorsal branch that is fused with the ridge at 2/3 from the base and with a strongly sclerotized inner edge (Lencioni 2013). For H. itacolomii sp. nov., the ventral expansion is more robust and has a rounded ventral margin, the ventral branch is a triangular plate with a truncated apex, a ridge like an inverted S and no dorsal branch of the medial process (Table 1, Figs. 5, 9 H, 9 L). For other species in which thorax color is similar, the difference in cerci morphology can be found in the (Fig. 9).
Habitat and Ecology. The Itacolomi State Park presents a transition vegetation between Atlantic Forest and Cerrado. In addition to assisting in the conservation of animal and plant species in these two important biomes,the Conservation Unit also features areas called Rupestrian field, an environment with outcrop rocky and high rates of endemic species and an altitude above 900m (Giulietti et al. 1987, Safford 1999).
Heteragrion itacolomii was collected in a narrow (approximately 1.5m wide) stream that flows into a forest, with a little direct incidence of sunlight. The vegetation is considered secondary Atlantic Forest and the area was widely used in the last century for Camellia sinensis L. (tea) to export commercially (Fig. 8). Individuals were observed on the same perches on sticks or leaves near water level during every visit. A few individuals were observed throughout the study and no agonistic behavior was exhibited.
description: Published as part of Ávila Júnior, Walter F., Lencioni, Frederico A. A. & Carneiro, Marco Antônio A., 2020, Heteragrion itacolomii sp. nov. (Odonata: Zygoptera: Heteragrionidae) from Itacolomi State Park, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil, pp. 121-130 in Zootaxa 4779 (1) on pages 122-128, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4779.1.9, http://zenodo.org/record/3831790