Sympetrum paramo sp. n. (Odonata: Libellulidae) from the Venezuelan high Andes, with a key to the species of Sympetrum Newman, 1833 found in Venezuela

Recibido: 05-vi-2000
Aceptado: 22-i-2001
Correcciones devueltas por el autor 04-xii-2000

Abstract

Resumen

Introduction

The genus Sympetrum Newman, 1833 is represented in Venezuela by five species, one of which is described below as new to science. Sympetrum gilvum (Selys, 1844) is widely distributed in the Andes and is the only species present in the Coastal Cordillera. Sympetrum evanescens De Marmels, 1992 and the new species are known each from two localities in the Cordillera of Mérida only, while the remaining two species, viz. S. chaconi De Marmels, 1994 and S. roraimae De Marmels, 1988 are restricted to Pantepui (Guayana Highlands).

The new species was collected in the Páramo life zone, between 3500 and 3650 m elevation, at natural lagoons high above tree line. Only Aeshna marchali

Rambur, 1842 was also observed at one of the collecting sites (3500 m). The holotype and two paratypes are deposited at the MIZA; the remaining two paratypes (males) are stored at the Museo de Artrópodos, La Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo (MALUZ).

Material examined ( 4

, 1

). Holotype

: Venezuela (Mérida State): Sierra Nevada National Park, Páramo El Tisure, Laguna Tisure, 3650 m, 29.xii.1994, J. Camacho and M. García (MIZA). Paratypes: 3

, same locality, date and collectors as holotype (1

in MIZA, 2

in MALUZ); 1

, Laguna Mucubají, 3 500 m, 21.ii.1955, J. Racenis (MIZA).

Etymology. "Páramo" is the spanish name given to high plains of the northern Andes, above timber line. It is here used as a substantive in apposition.

Male (holotype). Head: Labium pale brown; labrum yellow brown, ante- and postclypeus olivaceous; vertical portion of frons ochreous, laterally olivaceous; top of frons ivory, except for broad, black basal band; top and facial portion of frons divided by a pale brown cross band, which is interrupted in middle. Top of vertex with a pair of blunt tubercles; frontal and lateral portions of vertex dark brown, top behind tubercles dirty white. Antennae black. Face and vertex beset with short, dark hairs; occipital triangle olivaceous; rear of head black, laterally yellow brown and densely covered with long, white hairs. Thorax: Prothorax dark brown, pronotal hind lobe pale olivaceous above, deeply bilobed, its dark brown hind margin raised and densely beset with long, white hairs. Mesepisternum pale bluish to olivaceous dorsally, brown black laterally. Lateral parts of pterothorax largely brown black; a white stripe beginning in the lower proximal corner of mesepimeron and ending close to dorsal distal angle of metepisternum (Figure 1). An ill-defined area behind metastigma, as well as ventral distal half of metepimeron, olivaceous. Entire pterothorax with haircover. Legs: Femora and external surface of tibiae dark brown, internal surface of tibiae and tarsi black; claws with long tooth in distal half. Wings: slightly infumated; venation black; an ill-defined, small, amber basal spot in costal and subcostal spaces of all wings (in hind wing also in cubital space). Pterostigma orange; 7.5 (8.5 in right wing) antenodal cross-veins (ax) in fore wing (FW), 6 ax in hind wing (HW). 7 postnodal cross-veins (px) in FW, 8 in HW. Triangle in FW crossed, in HW free; subtriangle in FW three-celled; discal field of FW with three cell rows; RSPL with one cell row; MSPL little defined; three cell rows between anal loop and hind margin of wing. 18 (20) cells in anal loop, including an extra cell at heel. Abdomen: weekly constricted at segment 4 (with no accessory transverse carina) and again expanding at segment 7; dark brown to black; dorsally with large ochreous spots on all segments (Figure 2). Anterior lobe of secondary genitalia low; genital lobe of same width throughout (lateral view), rounded at tip and curved mesad, about as high as inner branch of hamulus (Figure 6). Outer branch of hamulus conical, saccoid, distally slightly curved exad (Figure 7). Caudal appendages dark brown; cerci straight in dorsal view, slightly converging towards tip; the latter with a sharply pointed spine. Cerci in lateral view also straight, a bit slanting, little constricted basally and with 10 (11) small teeth arranged in a slightly sinuous curve along ventral margin (Figures 3-5). Epiproct reaching well beyond the most distal tooth of cerci.

Measurements. Total length (incl. caudal appendages) 40.5; abdomen (incl. app.) 27.0; cerci 1.6; FW 31.0; pterostigma (FW) 3.1; HW 28.6.

Male (paratypes). Similar to holotype . 7.5-9.5 ax in FW, 6 in HW; 6-8 px in FW, 7-8 in HW; 16-20 cells in anal loop. None has accessory transverse carina on abdominal segment 4. Penis as in Figures 8-9.

Measurements. Total length (incl. app.) 40.2-41.0; abdomen (incl. app.) 26.2-27.0; cerci 1.7-1.8; FW 30.0-31.4; pterostigma (FW) 2.7-2.8; HW 28.1-29.4.

Female (paratype). Teneral, yet showing the same general color pattern of head, thorax and abdomen as male. Amber spot at wing bases identical. Venation also similar; 19 (21) cells in anal loop. Abdominal segment 4 with accessory transverse carina. Vulvar lamina broadly excised at middle (Figure 10).

Measurements. Total length 38.9; abdomen 24.9; FW 31.0; pterostigma (FW) 2.9; HW 29.0.

Sympetrum illotum (Hagen, 1861) (3

, 1

). U.S.A. (California): Marín Co., Alpine Lake, 1

, 7.iv.1979, R. W. Garrison; Stanislaus Co., Del Puerto Cyn. at N. Fork of Del Puerto Creek, about 14 mi W of Patterson, 900 feet, 1

, 22.v.1976, R. W. Garrison; Contra Costa Co., Point Richmond, 1

, 7.v.1973, J. Hafernik. Mexico (San Luis Potosí): Las Rusias, Hwy 70 near km 204, 1

, 30.viii.1992, Baldó & Villegas (all MIZA).

Sympetrum gilvum (numerous

and

). Venezuela (Táchira, Mérida, Trujillo, Lara and Aragua States and Distrito Federal) (MIZA).

Sympetrum chaconi (1

, 1

). Venezuela (Bolívar State): Auyán Tepuí (the type series; MIZA).

Sympetrum evanescens (5

, 3

). Venezuela (Trujillo State): (of the type series; MIZA).

Sympetrum roraimae (2

, 2

). Venezuela (Bolívar State): Mts. Roraima and Kukenam (2

of the type series, plus 2

from Mt. Roraima, 15.i.1991, A. Chacón; MIZA).

Discussion

The checkered abdominal color pattern of the new species is more similar to the pattern found in the two species of Pantepui, and is probably primitive with respect to the uniformly bright red abdomina in males (uniformly brown in females) of S. gilvum and S. evanescens.

1601b0201.gif (38884 bytes)

Figures 1-10. Sympetrum paramo sp. n.: 1. pterothorax of holotype

(left lateral view), 2. abdomen, holotype (left lateral view), 3. abdominal segment 10 with caudal appendages, holotype (left lateral view), 4. same (dorsal view), 5. left cercus of paratype

(ventral view), 6. secondary genitalia of second and third abdominal segments of paratype

(right lateral view), 7. right hamulus of holotype

(right lateroventral view), 8. penis of paratype (left lateral view), 9. same (ventral view), 10. abdominal segment 8 with vulvar scale of paratype

(ventral view). (Figures not to scale)

1601b0202.gif (19026 bytes)

Figures 11-22. Sympetrum gilvum: 11. abdominal segment 10 with caudal appendages of male from Cubiro, Lara State (Venezuela) (left lateral view), 12. left cercus of same specimen (ventral view), 13. secondary genitalia of second and third abdominal segments of male from Sanare, Lara State (Venezuela) (right lateral view), 14. right hamulus, same specimen (right lateroventral view), 15. penis of male from Cubiro (left lateral view), 16. same of male from Sanare (ventral view). 17-22. Sympetrum illotum: 17. abdominal segment 10 with caudal appendages of male from Las Rusias, San Luis Potosí State (Mexico) (left lateral view), 18. right cercus (transposed), same specimen (ventral view), 19. secondary genitalia of second and third abdominal segments of male from 14 mi W of Patterson, Stanislaus Co., California (U.S.A.) (right lateral view), 20. right hamulus of male from Las Rusias (right lateroventral view), 21. penis, same specimen (left lateral view), 22. same (ventral view).

The shape of the outer branch of the hamulus in S. paramo is unique in being slightly curved exad at tip. Otherwise the hamulus is similar to that of S. evanescens. The penis of all species is much alike, but most similar between S. paramo and S. evanescens. Noteworthy is the strong expression over its entire length of the first white lateral thoracic stripe in S. paramo, again a character shared with S. evanescens, although in mature males of the latter the stripe finally becomes totally obscured. In S. gilvum and in the two Pantepuyan species both white lateral stripes persist in the mature state, but only in their lower third (De Marmels 1988, 1992, 1994).

Sympetrum gilvum was given specific status by Tai (1967) on the basis of a careful comparative study. I was able to compare several specimens of S. illotum from the United States and Mexico with Venezuelan S. gilvum. This study has confirmed Tai's findings, and there can be no doubt that S. gilvum is indeed a species separate from S. illotum (Figures 11-22).

Key to the species of Sympetrum found in Venezuela
[wing vein nomenclature follows Riek and Kukalová-Peck (1984)]

1.	Andes and/or Coastal Cordillera ........................................ 2
,
-	Pantepui ............................................................................ 4
,
2[1]	No dark stripe in front of vertex; dark brown basal spot in subcostal field of HW reaching close to or beyond ax1; amber basal coloration in HW at least to tip of triangle; tibiae pale brown. Tamá, Cordillera of Mérida, Coastal Cordillera ............................................... S. *gilvum*
,
-	Dark stripe in front of vertex present; no dark brown basal spot in HW; amber basal coloration in HW restricted to extreme base, not reaching ax1; tibiae and tarsi brown black ........................................ 3
,
3[2]	Posterior half of dorsal surface of frons black, anterior half white; usually only 7.5 ax in FW; wing venation black; abdomen vividly patterned with black laterally and ochreous dorsally; male epiproct not reaching to apical spine of cerci. Cordillera of Mérida ..................... S. *paramo*
,
-	Posterior half of frons black only in front of middle ocellus and laterally along compound eyes, anterior half red or brown; usually 9.5 ax in FW; wing venation in male red, in female black; abdomen unicolorous (dark red in male) with conspicuous black dorsomedian spot on segments 8 and 9; male epiproct reaching to base of apical spine of cerci. Cordillera of Mérida ...................................................... S. *evanescens*
,
4[1]	Male cerci almost straight in lateral view; dark brown portion of basal spot in subcostal field of HW reaching close to ax2; HW at most with 1-2 duplicated cells at wing margin between RP3-4 and MA, and 2-3 between CUA and the vein springing from heel. Auyán Tepuí ........................................................................... S. *chaconi*
,
-	Male cerci strongly bent ventrad in lateral view; dark brown portion of basal spot in subcostal field of HW reaching to ax1; HW with 2-5 duplicated cells at wing margin between RP3-4 and MA and three or more between CUA and the vein arising from heel. Roraima and Kukenam .................................................... S. *roraimae*

Acknowledgements

I feel indebted to Ing. Agron. Jesús Camacho and to Mr. Maurizio García (Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo) for allowing me to study the specimens of the new species collected by them. To Dr. Rosser W. Garrison (Azusa, California, U.S.A.) my thanks for donating a small series of Sympetrum illotum, as well as a copy of an excerpt of the doctoral thesis by L.C.C. Tai. Ing. Agron. Quintín Arias (MIZA, Maracay) scanned and edited the figures. The Consejo de Desarrollo Científico y Humanístico (CDCH) of the Universidad Central de Venezuela covered publication costs.

Sympetrum paramo sp. n. (Odonata: Libellulidae) from the Venezuelan high Andes, with a key to the species of Sympetrum Newman, 1833 found in Venezuela

Abstract

Resumen

Introduction

Discussion

Acknowledgements

References