Table Of ContentVol. 103,No. 5,November& December, 1992 161
TELEBASIS AUREA (ODONATA: ZYGOPTERA:
COENAGRIONIDAE), A NEW SPECIES OF
DAMSELFLY FROM COSTA RICA
1
Michael L.
ABSTRACT:AnewspeciesofZygoptera,Telebasisaurea, fromsoutheasternCosta Rica,
is described and figured. Brief notes on its ecology and probable relationships are
provided.
RESUMEN: Una nueva especie del suborden Zygoptera es descrita e eilustradas para
AmericaCentral:TelebasisaureaparaelsurestedeCostaRica.Sebrindan,ademas,breves
notas acercadesusecologiayprobables relacionesespecificas.
The Zygoptera ofthe neotropics, although better studied than most
tropical taxa, are still poorly known. Merely to catalog the diversity of
thatregionisamonumentaltaskfacingbiologistsoverthenextdecades.
What follows is intended as a small contribution to that effort.
The genus Telebasis is endemic to the NewWorld and is principally
Neotropical,with about 28 species (Tsuda, 1991). Telebasis has notbeen
treated comprehensively, but Calvert (1901-1908, 1909) and Kennedy
(1936) clearly illustrated diagnostic features for males ofmany species.
Comparison with descriptions and/or authoritatively identified speci-
mens of all the regional species confirm that the species described
here is new.
TERMINOLOGYAND METHODS
Terminology for the caudal appendages follows Snodgrass (1954).
forthepenisMillerandMiller(1981),andforthewingveinsTillyardand
Fraser(1938-1940).
mm
All measurementsarein andweremadewith a ruler(to0.5 mm)
or a filar micrometer (to 0.1 or 0.01 mm). Total length and abdomen
length include thecerci. Cerci and paraprocts were measured in lateral
viewfromaboutmid-heightofeach(notfromacommonpoint)toitstip.
Ovipositor lengths exclude the styli. Illustrations were modified from
sketches madeusingaWildRstereomicroscopeequippedwithacamera
1 ReceivedApril 27, 1992.AcceptedJune 10, 1992.
^ RDuetpgaerrtsmUennitveorfsEitnyt.omNoelwogByr,uNnsewwicJker.sNeyJA0g8r9i0c3u,ltUu.raSl.EAxperimentStation.CookCollege.
ENT. NEWS 103(5): 161-168,November& December. 1992
162 ENTOMOLOGICALNEWS
R
lucida and/ortracings ofelectron micrographs madewith an Hitachi
S-510scanningelectronmicroscope.Allspecimensarepreserveddryin
transparent envelopes.
Collectionsreferredtoareabbreviatedasfollows:ANSP Academy
ofNatural Sciences, Philadelphia; FSCA Florida State Collection of
Arthropods (Gainesville); IORI International Odonata Research In-
MLM
stitute (Gainesville): personal collection of M. L. May (New
Brunswick).
Telebasis aurea, spec. nov.
(Figs. 1A-E)
Material examined: Holotype: cf (#1),Costa Rica, Prov. Puntarenas, Peninsula de
Osa,pond5mi.S.ofRincon, 10August 1970,intandemwithallotype,coll.byM.L.May,
lORI.Allotype:9(#2),samedataasholotype.Paratypes: 1tf,19(pairintandem,#'s3,4),1
cf(notpaired,F#S5)C,Asamedataasholotype,MLM; 1cf,19(pairintandem,#6,7),samedata
as holotype,
Etymology:aurea, Latin forgolden,referringtothecolorofthe male.
Diagnosis:Alargeandrobustspecieswiththerearoftheheadmostlyblack,thedark
middorsal pterothoracic stripe fairly wide, and the abdomen nearly lacking dark
markings.Thegoldenorangecolorofthemaleisdistinctive,asaretheshapesofthecaudal
appendagesandpenis(Figs.1A-D).Thefemaleisdistinguishedbythepresenceandshape
oftheprothoracicprocessesand thepitson the middlelobeoftheprothorax(Fig. IE).
Holotype:Rightmetathoraciclegandleftmetathoracictarsusmissing,smallcrackon
leftsideofanteriormesepisternum.
Headwithlabrumandentireanterodorsalsurfacegoldenorange.Dorsumshinyblack
posterior to line extending from midpoint ofeach eye tojust anterior to lateral ocelli,
thenceanteriorlytomedianocellus.Small,orangebaralongoccipitalridge,rearofhead
black except ventral eye margins. Mouthparts yellowish, apexes of mandible and
maxillaeblack.
Prothoraxdullorangedorsally,greenishyellowonpleura,withdarkareaoneitherside
ofmidlineofmiddlelobeand alongsulcusbetween middleand hindlobe. Pterothorax
with black middorsal stripe (including middorsal carina and antealar sinus but not
antealarridgeormesostigmalplates)wideningfrom 1/3widthofmesepisternaatanterior
end to about 3/5 width posteriorly, finally expanded to mesopleural suturejust before
antealar ridge; remainder of sclerite golden orange. Dark lateral markings including
elongate spot on shallow fossa near upper end ofmesopleural suture; stripe about 1/2
widthofmesepimeron,extendingfromanteriorbulgetoextremeposteriorendofsclerite,
where much narrower along interpleural suture; hairline along metapleural suture.
Remainderofthoraxyellowish with slightgreenish cast,excepttan on mesinfraepister-
num and extreme anterior mesepimeron; venter unmarked. Legs mostly pale, blackon
extensorsurfaces and extreme apexesoffemora and on flexorsurfacesofall tibiae and
externalangleofprotibiae,tarsidarkbrown.Wingmembranesdistinctlyflavescent,veins
darkbrown,pterostigmata tan;vein R3 branchingfrom RTjustbefore7th (forewing)or
6th (hindwing)postnodalcrossvein.
Abdomenalmostentirelygoldenorange,palerwithgreenishcastlaterallyonsegment1
andanteriorendof2,withbrownishcaston9and 10;blackdorsalspotonbasal 1/2of1,
Vol. 103,No. 5,November& December, 1992 163
alsowithspermvesicle,marginsofhamules,subapicaldenticlesonsegments7-9,anddif-
fusedorsalstripesonbasal 1/2of9andfulllengthof10black.Thirdabdominalsegment
5.9timesaslongasitsheightatmidlength,2.3timesaslongassegment2.Cerci0.50mm.,
brown with black medial tooth; paraprocts 0.51 mm, brown, very broad basally, much
narrowerapicallyandcurvedupwardandinward(Figs.1A,B).Penisnotextrudedbutpre-
sumablyas in Figs. 1C, D.
Measurements: Total length 37.0,abdomen 29.0, hindwing 21.0.
Allotype: Bothantennaewithflagellabrokenoff,pterothoraxcrackedalonganterior
margin ofmesepisternum and anteriormesepimeron, abdomen somewhatcompressed
laterally.
Headpatternasinholotype,palecolorsdullbrownishyellow,withslightbluish-green
tintonlabrum;distinctdarkmediobasalspotandbasalmarginalstreaksonlabrum,dif-
fusespotson postclypeus. Eyesbrown.
Prothoraxbrownishyellowwithdark,laterallyconcavedorsalstripecoveringmedian
1/2ofmiddleand hind lobesand sulcusbetween anteriorand middlelobes; small dark
spotjustbeneath notopleural suture. Pairofdivergent, straight, taperingbut terminally
rounded, flat processes, closely appressed to prothoracic dorsum, each extending from
anterioredgeofhindlobetonearmedialedgeofadistinctexcavationataboutmidlength
ofmiddlelobe. Posteriorlobewith marginsinuateandsemi-erect.Pterothoraxbrownish
yellow,darkmarkingsasinholotypeexceptallstripesslightlywider,C-shapedblackmark
oneach mesinfraepisternum. Mesostigmalplateswithblackstripecrossingeachatmid-
width.Mesepisternawithdistinct,blackpitjustbehindmiddleofeachmesostigmalplate.
Legsasinholotypebutwithdarkareasmoreextensive,slightpruinescenceatbases.Wings
hyaline; vein R3 branching from R2 at 5th-6th (forewing) or 5th (hindwing) postnodal
crossvein.
Abdomenmarkedmuchasinmale,palecolorochre.Sternummostlyblack,dorsaland
pairoflateraldarkstreaksonsegment7.basal2/3of8andallbutdistalmarginof10dark,
cerciandventralhalfofovipositordark.Thirdabdominalsegment4.1 timesaslongasits
height at midlength (height excludes visible portion of sternum but still slightly ex-
aggerated due to abdominal compression), 2.2 times as long as segment 2. Ovipositor
1.46mm.
Measurements: Total length 37.5,abdomen 29.0, hindwing 21.0.
Variation among paratypes: Males: Coloration like holotype except all 3 with
slightlywiderdarkthoracicstripes,extentofdarkonterminalabdominalsegmentsvari-
able,onewith dorsumof7largelydark;wingshyaline(slightlyimmaturespecimen?) to
stronglyflavescent;RT,branchingfromR2at5th-7th(f.w.)or5th-6th(h.w.)postnodal;third
abdominalsegment5.2-5.8timesaslongashigh. Females:colorationasinallotype.both
withmorepruinescenceonandaroundbasesoflegs;thirdabdominalsegment4.6timesas
longas high. Eyes in lifeblackabove,dull limegreen belowin males,brown above,tan
belowin females(Paulson,in litt.).
DISCUSSION
All specimens were taken from a semipermanent pond in seasonal
moistforestontheOsaPeninsula insoutheasternCosta Rica.Thepond
wascompletelysurroundedbytreesbutwaslargeenoughtoreceivesun-
light during much of the day. Abundant submerged and emergent
ENTOMOLOGICALNEWS
164
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LL
O
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Vol. 103,No. 5,November&December, 1992 165
vegetation grew around its perimeter, and the Telebasis flew mainly
among the latter, often in tandem pairs. I observed mature individuals
only after 10:00 h; numerous teneral specimens could be flushed from
thevegetation,especiallyfrom about06:00to08:30.AssociatedOdonata
includedLestesscalarisGund\ac\\,Acanthagrion inexpectum Leonard,/!.
trilobatum Leonard, Erythemis haematogastra (Burmeister), Micrathyria
atra (Martin), M. dictynna Ris, M. pseudeximia Westfall, Nephepeltia
phryne(Perty),Orthemisferruginea (F.), and Perithemismooma Kirby. D.
L.PaulsonhasalsotakenwhatisapparentlyT. aurea (inlitt;specimens
were not examined) at San Vito deJava, C. R., at an elevation ofabout
1500m.
Telebasis aurea is one ofthe largest Central American Telebasis, and
the only one with the males ofthe distinctive color that suggested its
name.Amongtheregionalspecies T.,garleppiRismaybelonger,butitis
amoreslenderinsect(third abdominal segment 6.7-7.3 timesaslongas
high in 3 males, 5.5 times as long as high in 1 female), it lacks the dark
mespimeral stripe, and the black color ofthe epicranium extends for-
ward to the bases ofthe antennae; the abdominal colorofmales is the
typical redorred-orangeofmost Telebasis, thecerci are stronglyconvex
dorsally and about as high as long, and the penis bears well-developed
pre-apical lateral lobes; the female prothorax is similarto that ofaurea
but the forward-projecting processes each curve inward and slightly
upward to an acute tip that lies medial to the lateral excavations ofthe
middlelobe. Telebasistheodori(Navas),fromsouthernSouthAmerica,is
similarincolor,especiallyinhavingflavescentwings,butdiffersinother
characters,includingtheshapeofthemalecaudal appendages,thepale
coloroftherearofthehead,andthemuch lessextensivedarkmarkings
ofthepterothorax(Jurzitza, 1980;Garrison, 1991,showedthatJurzitza's
T. aureipennis is a synonym ofT. theodori).
Relationships within the genus are not well understood, but the
forms of the male caudal appendages and penis suggest a possible
alliancewith T. coccinataCalvert,T. salva(Hagen),and perhaps T. livida
Kennedy.The female shares with several species thecharacterofstrap-
like projections extending over the middle lobe of the prothorax, but
their shape, together with the depth and position of the excavations
beneath and/or lateral to them (Fig. IE) is distinctive).
Figure 1 (opposite): Telebasisaurea spec. nov. A malecaudal appendages, lateral view;
B male caudal appendages, dorsal view; C right cercus ofmale, dorsomedial view;
D headanddistalshaftofpenis,ventralview;E headanddistalshaftofpenis,lateral
view;F prothoraxandmesostigmallaminaeoffemale,dorsalview.Scalebar= 0.5mm
mm
forA, B,C, F;0.3 for D. E.
ENTOMOLOGICALNEWS
166
The following keywill separate all the species ofTelebasis known to
occur in Mexico and Central America. Further information on the
known range ofeach species, except aurea, appears in Paulson (1982)
and Tsuda(1991).
Keys to Telebasis ofMexico and Central America
Males
1 Cercimuchlongerthanparaprocts,inprofiletheirdorsalmarginstronglyconvex,
ventral marginstraightorsmoothlyconcavein apical2/3 corallina
1' Cercisubequal toorshorterthan paraprocts.notshapedasabove 2
2(1') Posteriorsurfaceofheadlargelyblack 3
2' Posteriorsurfaceofheadlargelypale 8
3(2) Paraprocts about 1/2 the length ofabdominal segment 10 at midheight, blunt
apically;mmmesepisterna almost wholly black; small species, hindwing no longer
than 13 flliola
3' Paraproctsmuchmorethan 1/2thelengthofabdominalsegment 10,taperingand
moreorlessacuteapically;mesepisternausuallynotalmostwhollmybmlack(except
somedigiticollis); largerspecies,hindwingusuallylongerthan 15 4
4(3') Abdominalsegments4-7 mostlyblackdorsally;cerci,indorsalview,widerthan
long collopistes
4' Abdominal segments 4-7 mostly red orgolden orange dorsally; cerci, in dorsal
view,longerthanwide 5
5(4') Pale color of abdominal dorsum mostly golden orange; black on epicranium
extending anteriorlymbamrely beyond ocelli; cerci and paraprocts nearly equal in
length; hindwing20 orlonger aurea
5' Palecolorofabdominaldorsum mostly redororange-red;blackonepicranium
extendinganteriorlyatleasttobasesofantemnnmae;paraproctsdistinctlylongerthan
cerci,or,ifnot,hindwingshorterthan20 6
6(5') Cerci, in profile, about as long as hmigmh; middle lobe ofpronotum mostly pale;
hindwingsgenerallylongerthan20 garleppi
6' Cerci, in profile, distinctly longer than highm;mmiddle lobe ofpronotum mostly
black; hindwingsgenerallyshorterthan20 7
7(6') Cerciabout3/4lengthofparaprocts,orless,and,indorsomedialview,appearing
roundedatapex(similartoFig. 1 C);mesepimeronwithnarrowblackstripeoften
extendingmostoflengthofsclerite digiticollis
T Cerci nearlyaslongasparaproctsand,indorsomedialview,appearingsquarely
truncateatapex; mesepimeron usuallywith blackstripeabsentorreduced
griffinii
8(2') Paraproctstruncateatapexes,onlyslightlylongerthancerci;palecolorofthorax
mostly pale green, mesepisterna with black middorsal stripe uniform in width,
mesepimerawithoutdarkmarkings isthmica
8' Paraproctstaperingandmoreorlessacuteatapexes,atleast 1/3longerthancerci;
palecolorofthoraxmostlyorangeorred,mesepisternawithblackmiddorsalstripe
abruptlywidened nearposteriorend,mesepimerawith darkstripeorspot ... 9
9(8') Cerci, in ventrolateral view, with black subapical tooth bifid; Baja California
only incolumis
9' Cerci, in ventrolateral view, with subapical black tooth not bifid; widespread
salva
.
Vol. 103,No. 5,November&December, 1992 167
Females
1 Posteriorsurfaceofheadlargelyblack 2
1' Posteriorsurfaceofheadlargelypale 7
2(1') Dorsum ofabdominal segments 1-3 and8-10pale.4-7black; pronotumwithout
elongateprocesses collopistes
2' Dorsumofabdominalsegments1-9moreorlessconcolorous,or8-10onlywithdif-
fusedarkareas; pronotal sculpturingvariable 3
3(2') Dorsumofabdomenlargelypale;pronotalprocessesstrap-like,appressedtosur-
faceofpronorum 4
3' Dorsum of abdomen largely black or bronze; pronotal processes erect or
absent 5
4(3') Pronotalprocessesslightlydivergent,roundedapically(Fig. IF);abdominalseg-
ment3 about4.5 times aslongas its heightatmidlength aurea
4' Pronotalprocessesslightlyconvergentindistal 1/2,subacuteapically;abdominal
segment3 about5.5times aslongasitsheight at midlength garleppi
5(3') Mesostigmalplateseachwithmlamrge,posterodorsally-projectinglobe;smallspecies,
hindwingnolongerthan 13 filiola
5' lMoensgoesrtitghmanal1p5lamtemswithoutlargeprojectinglobe;largerspecies,hindwingusually6
6(5') Pairoferect,divergentprocessesprojectinganterodorsallyfromhindlobeofpro-
notum digiticollis
6' Pronotumwithouterect processes griffutii
7(1') Pronotum without erect or strap-like processes projecting from hind lobe;
mesepisternawithmiddorsalstripesobscure,orbrownwithonlylateralmargins
black isthmica
T Pronotumwitherectorstrap-likeprocessesarisingfromhindlobe;mesepisterna
with distinct,blackmiddorsal stripe,only middorsalcarinapale 8
8(7') Mesepisterna withblackmiddorsal stripe uniform in width; mesostigmal plates
each with distinct lateral protuberance, separated from main part of plate
corallina
8' Mesepisterna with black middorsal stripe abruptly widened nearposteriorend;
mesostigmal plates withoutseparated lateral protuberances.... .... 9
9(8') Pronotalprocessesdistinctlydivergent,arisingatornearmidlengthofhindlobe,
extending almost vertically and not overhanging middle lobe; Baja California
only incolumis
9' Pronotal processes nearly parallel, arising from anterior 1/3 of hind lobe, ex-
tending somewhat anteriorly and usually partly overhanging middle lobe;
widespread salva
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
MysincerethankstoS.W. Dunkleand M.J.Westfall forgivingmefreeaccesstothe
IORIandFSCAcollectionsandtoDonAzumaforpermissiontoexaminespecimensfrom
the Calvert collection at the ANSP. R. Garrison generously provided information on
species not available to me and critically read the manuscript. Finally, I thank D. R.
Paulson,whocollectedthisspeciesbeforeIdid.fortheprivilegeofdescribingit.NewJersey
Agricultural Experiment Station Publication D-08425-19-91.
ENTOMOLOGICALNEWS
168
LITERATURECITED
Calvert, P. P. 1901-1908. Neuroptera. Odonata. In F. D. Godman & O. Salvin, [eds.],
BiologiaCentral!American!,pp. 17-420. Porterand Dulau,London.
Calvert, P. P. 1909. Contributions to a knowledge ofthe Odonata ofthe Neotropical
region,exclusiveofMexicoandCentralAmerica.Ann.CarnegieMus.6:73-280.
Garrison, R. W. 1991. TelebasisaureipennisJurzitza 1980, ajuniorsynonym ofTelebasis
theodori(Navas, 1934)(Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae).Odonatologica20:459-463.
Jurzitza, G. 1980. Telebasis aureipennis spec. nov. aus Iguazu, Misiones, Argentinien
(Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae).Odonatologica9:185-187.
Kennedy, C. H. 1936. Telebasisflammeola, T. carota and T. livida, newdragonflies from
Ecuador.Ann. Ent. Soc.Amer. 29:804-815.
Miller,P.L.,&C.A.Miller. 1981.FieldobservationsoncopulatorybehaviorinZygop-
tera, with an examination ofthe structure and activity ofthe male genitalia. Odo-
natologica 10: 201-218.
Paulson,D.R. 1982.Odonata.InS.H.Hurlbert&A.Villalobos-Figueroa [eds.].Aquatic
BiotaofCentralAmericaandtheWestIndies,pp.249-277.SanDiegoStateUniv.,San
Diego,CA.
Snodgrass,R. E. 1954.Thedragonflylarva. Smith. Misc.Coll. 123: 1-38.
Tillyard,R.J.,&F.C.Fraser,1938-1940.AreclassificationoftheorderOdonatabasedon
somenewinterpretationsofthevenationofthedragonflywing.Austr.Zool.9: 125-169,
195-221,359-390.
Tsuda, S., 1991.ADistributional ListofWorldOdonata.Osaka.
