Table Of ContentOdonatologica37(3):279-282 SeptemberI,2008
Descriptionof thelarva of
Protoneuraailsa Donnelly
(Zygoptera: Protoneuridae)
F.Meurgey
Museumd’Histoire Naturelle,12rueVoltaire,F-44000Nantes,France
[email protected]
Received May25,2007/ RevisedandAcceptedDecember2, 2007
Thelast instar larva isdescribed and illustrated forthefirsttime based onspeci-
mensfromMartiniqueintheLesserAntilles.Additional notesonitsecologyand lar-
valhabitatareincluded.
INTRODUCTION
Protoneuraisawidespread neotropical genusconsistingof21 species. Current-
ly, seven species havebeenrecorded in theWestIndies(PAULSON, 2007) with
two species known from the LesserAntilles(MEURGEY, 2006). Thelarvaeof
mostProtoneuraspecies are unknownwithonlythe larvalstagesof P.capillaris
(Rambur) (WESTFALL& MAY, 1996) described.
ProtoneuraailsaDonnelly iscurrentlyknown fromDominica, Martinique,and
StLucia(DONNELLY, 1961, 1970;MEURGEY,2005). 1describethefinallar-
valinstar, basedon specimens fromMartinique, andgive additionalecological
notes. Thelarvaidentifiedas P.ailsaby Donnelly (1970) fromDominicaisreally
Enallagma coecum (Hagen), based onmy examinationof reared specimens of
thatspecies.
PROTONEURA AILSA DONNELLY
Figures 1-10
Material -45lastinstarlarvae(6reared).MARTINIQUE:Trois-Ilets,LaPagerie,14-III-2007,
G.David leg. All materialdepositedin the Natural HistoryMuseum ofNantes inNantes,France.
DESCRIPTION.-Head. — Trapezoidal,widestateyelevel, largerthanprotho-
280 F.Meurgey
rax (Fig. 1). Occipital margin strongly concave. Uncleft prementumprominent,
strongly convex, andfinely serrated withtwo premental setae (Fig. 2). Margins
sinuate with 10-11 small, strongsetae onthe distalthird. Palpal lobewith5 se-
tae;movablehookslender,curved, andlongerthanpalpalsetae Distalmarginof
palpal lobe withalong sinuousmedialhookand ashorttruncate,hook-shaped
serratedlobe(Fig. 3).Antenna(Fig. 4) seven segmented, ringed withblackand
whiteonsegments2-5, thirdsegmentthelongest.
Thorax.- Pronotumquadrangular. Pterothorax markedwithblack spots
oneach side.Translucentwing pads parallel, theinneronesreaching theendof
abdominalsegmentfour.Whitelegs withthreedarkbandsonfemoraandtibiae,
tarsus withone darkband.
Abdomen.- Cylindrical, darkwithalongitudinal whitishstripeextending
from abdominalsegment 1-8,enlarged on9;laterally borderedwithblack spots.
Femalegonapophyses surpassing distalendof segment 10and outerones den-
ticulate(Fig. 5).Malegonapophyses as infigure6. Maleandfemalecercus as in
figures 7 and8. Caudallamellaelanceolate, planate,except forthemidrib, with
the apexextending intoafinely acute point. Central lamella(Fig. 9)about five
timesas long as its maximumwidth;nodus locatedat 0.51 of its length, trape-
zoidalandendingin anacute spineoneachside. Bothdorsalcarinaandventral
carinawithapproximately 12-15setae.Lateral lamella(Fig. 10)about six times
as long as widewith astrong, S-shaped nodusending inan acute spine, located
at0.65ofitslength. Dorsal carinawithapproximately 10-12setae,ventralcarina
withapproximately20-30setae. Basalportion ofthelamellaestronglysclerotized
andpatterned withblack transverse spots. Distalportion paler, whitishand un-
spotted
Measurements (inmm).-Total length(withoutcaudallamellae)8.4-9.0,inner wingpads
3.4-4.0, abdomen (withoutcaudal lamellae)2.8-3.5,central caudal lamellae 2.T-3.4,lateral caudal
lamellae 2.9-3.6.
ECOLOGICALNOTES
Protoneuraailsaisacommonspecies inMartinique,occurringbetweensealevel
and400meterselevation. InDominica,DONNELLY(1970) reported thisspecies
from 16stations between460 and600meters altitude,and statesthatP. ailsa is
commonalong smallstreams.On thesameisland, MEURGEY (2007) reported
P. ailsa from 8 stationsbetween 46and 360meters altitudeon highly vegetated
streams. On St Lucia, wherethe species was first described, the typelocality is
situatedontheupperCul deSacriver, nearBexon,CastriesQuart,andwas found
in anarrow stream withalternaterifflesandpools (DONNELLY, 1961).
P ailsa can befoundflying in shadedand heavily vegetated areas along the
banksofstreamsandsmallrivers,orhanging verticallyonsmallbranches.Adults
canalsobe seenflyingin nearby forestedareas. Bothmalesand femalesfeedon
Larva ofProtoneuraailsa 281
smallinsectscaught atslowareas atbasins andpools. Mating takesplace inthe
vegetation alongthe banksof streamsand rivers.Tandempairs fly to asuitable
oviposition site. Femalesoviposit intandem(very rarelyalone) in leaves, stream
debris,mosses, orstemsofaquatic plantsorroots inslowor standing waters of
pools, basins, ditchesor dams.
InMartinique, larvaewere foundatthreestations onthe sameriver,between
Figs 1-10.Protoneuraailsa,last larvalinstar:(I)generalaspect, dorsalview;—(2)prementura,dor-
sal view; — (3)leftpalpallobe,movable hook omitted,dorsalview;— (4)leftantenna, lateralview;
—(5)femalegonapophyses,lateralview; —(6)malegonapophyses,lateralview; — (7)femalecer-
cus, lateral view; — (8)malecercus, lateral view; — (9)central lamella,lateral view; — (10)lateral
lamella,lateral view.
282 F. Meurgey
5 and 50meters elevation.The depth of this temporary river withalternating
pools is highly variable, dependent on rainfalland usually does not exceed50
centimeters. Exuviaewere foundclinging vertically onthe sidesofabridge and
inshadedareas nearthewatersurface.Emerging individualswereseenunderthe
bridge, clinging to the roof. Oneemergencetookplace ona smallrock closeto
the water surface. Dythemissterilis(Hagen) larvaewerealso foundatthis site.
DISCUSSION
Generically, Protoneuraailsa larvae share with P. capillaris (WESTFALL &
MAY, 1996)thepresenceoftwo premental setae andfivepalpal setae. P.ailsais
amoistmontane ora driertransition forestspecies fromMartinique, St. Lucia,
andDominica.It canbefoundatlowerelevations, especially ifsuitablehabitats
arepresent. Thishasconsequencesforitsconservationstatus asaLesserAntilles
endemic. Mostdisturbancesandpollution from sugarcaneandbananaplanta-
tionsoccurbetweensealeveland500meterselevationontheseislands, especially
Martinique. Pollutantsaredirectly dischargedintothenearbystreams andrivers.
Monitoring ofthesesources anditsimpacts on receiving water bodiesis neces-
sary to insure thewater qualityandsurvival of P. ailsa.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
IthankJERRELLJ.DAIGLE,T.W.DONNELLY, and DENNISR.PAULSONforsuggestions
onthe manuscript, and GWENEL DAVID and BENEDICTS THIEBAUTfor collecting speci-
mens.
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