A study of the genus Protosticta Selys, 1855, with descriptions of four new species from Vietnam (Odonata: Platystictidae)

Abstract

The genus Protosticta Selys, 1855 from Vietnam is revised. Four new species, P. ngoai spec. nov., P. socculus spec. nov., P. pseudocuriosa spec. nov., and P. spinosa spec. nov. are described; detailed morphological structures of four species P. beaumonti Wilson, 1997 (dark form), P. caroli van Tol, 2008, P. grandis Asahina, 1995, and P. satoi Asahina, 1997, are provided. P. beaumonti is newly recorded for Vietnam. The female of P. caroli is described for the first time. P. linnaei van Tol, 2008, is also listed here, based on the original description and visual inspection of the type specimens. The occurrence of P. khaosoidaoensis Asahina, 1984, in Vietnam is reviewed and rejected. A total of nine Protosticta species have now been recorded for Vietnam.

Description of Protosticta binhi sp. n. from the Central Highlands of Vietnam (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae)

“…According to Phan and Kompier (2016), the male of Protosticta grandis in Vietnam is easily separated from P. ngoai and P. taipokauensis by its broad cercal tips (figures 3B, 4C in Phan & Kompier 2016). P. grandis or P. ngoai or even P. taipokauensis may be a junior synonym of the P. robusta, given that they were all described without knowledge of the variability of Px amongst this group and no other differential characters were established to separate these species from…”

“…Morphological terminology follows Phan & Kompier (2016). Abbreviations: S1-10, abdominal segments 1 to 10; Px, postnodal crossveins.…”

“…Among the genus Protosticta Selys, 1855, the new species and P. robusta Fraser, 1933, P. grandis, P. taipokauensis Asahina & Dudgeon, 1987 and P. ngoai share a similar robust body size, black synthorax with two distinct yellow/whitish stripes and pale yellow/white labrum and appendages (the labrum of the holotype P. ngoai was described as black (Phan & Kompier 2016), P. robusta (Asahina, 1984;Asahina & Dudgeon 1987;Phan & Kompier 2016). Indeed, we could verify no reliable characters by which to differentiate the holotype female of P. robusta ( Figures 16-21) from the examined specimens of P. grandis sensu Asahina from Vietnam (see Phan & Kompier 2016) and P. ngoai sensu Phan & Kompier from Vietnam (see Phan & Kompier 2016) and Laos (1 ♂, 2 ♀, Vang Vieng, Laos, 19 April 2002; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Oudomxay, Laos, 2 May 2009; 2 ♂, Lak Sao, Laos, 20 May 2016, all collected by Naoto Yokoi) in this study. As mentioned above, it will require further study to settle the taxonomic status of P. grandis, P. ngoai and P. taipokauensis.…”

“…nigra Kompier, 2016, as well as providing a description of the previously unknown female of P. linnaei van Tol, 2008 and including a key to the males of the P. curiosa group of Vietnamese and Thai fauna. Subsequently, P. albifrons was shown to be a junior synonym of P. curiosa Fraser, 1934 (Kompier 2018), resulting in a total of 12 species of Protosticta for Vietnam as follows: P. beaumonti Wilson, 1997(dark form), P. caroli van Tol, 2008 (Asahina, 1984), P. linnaei, P. ngoai Phan & Kompier, 2016, P. nigra, P. proboscis, P. pseudocuriosa Phan & Kompier, 2016, P. satoi Asahina, 1997, P. socculus Phan & Kompier, 2016and P. spinosa Phan & Kompier, 2016. Females of P. ngoai, P. proboscis and P. socculus are still unknown.…”

Mesostictinae subfam. nov., an archaic group of platystictid damselflies (Odonata: Zygoptera) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

“…Platystictidae (shadowdamsels) currently consist of about 250 extant species in eight genera and four tropical subfamilies (Wilson 1997;Van Tol 2005;Van Tol et al 2009;Dow & Orr 2012;Dijkstra et al 2014;Haber & Wagner 2014;Schorr & Paulson 2015;Suhling et al 2015;Dow et al 2016;Phan & Kompier 2016;Bedjani c et al 2016), and two fossil species of the genus Mesosticta Huang, Azar, Cai & Nel, 2015 from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (Huang et al 2015;Zheng et al 2016a). The subfamily Palaemnematinae (Palaemnema Selys, 1860) is confined to central and north-western South America, while Sinostictinae (Sinosticta Wilson, 1997), Platystictinae (Platysticta Selys, 1860, Ceylonosticta Fraser, 1931 and Protostictinae (Protosticta Selys, 1885, Drepanosticta Laidlaw, 1917, Telosticta Dow & Orr, 2012 and Sulcosticta van Tol, 2005) are restricted to South-East Asia.…”