Leptobasis Selys, 1877

Small to medium slender damsefllies, only two of the nine species being found in Ecuador; undetermined specimens also exist in collections that could represent an undescribed species. The thorax usually has green stripes and the slender, elongate abdomen is often orange or yellowish (Fig. 22). See Garrison & von Ellenrieder (2010) and Johnson (2016) for identification. The Ecuador species inhabit open to partly shaded shallow marshes and the edges of small slow streams.

Leptobasis linda Johnson, 2016 . Publ. Recs. MN: Johnson (2016 — Holotype: ♂, from a small forested stream, N of Chindul, (0.2389, -79.8742, about 30m), 1 iii 2010, leg. JTJ [FSCA]); LR: Johnson (2016 — Allotype ♀: from a small stream, 1.8 km N of Hwy. 491, approx. 25 km E of Babahoyo, (-1.8111, -79.3189, about 60m), 7 iii 2010, leg. JTJ [FSCA]); EO: Johnson (2016).

Addl. Data. GY, Naranjal: 1 ♀, “Finca de la Gringa,” 15 km E of Tres Cerritos, near Cerro Cimalón (-2.4456, -79.5556, 25m), 12 iv 2008, leg. & det. JTJ [JTJ].

Note: Kennedy (1919) recognized that “the species (of Leptobasis labeled vacillans) in the Cornell University collection from Ecuador appears to be entirely new and have long forcipate inferiors.” He showed figures of the Cornell specimen genital ligula.

Leptobasis vacillans Selys, 1877 . Publ. Recs. ECU: Paulson (1983), Tsuda (1986 — as L. v. ecuadorica), Tsuda (1991), (H08), (P11), (H14); EO: Campos (1927); GY: * Calvert (1909), Campos (1922), Garrison & von Ellenrieder (2010); LR: * Calvert (1909 — as “ L. vacillans race ecuadorica ”), Campos (1922); SD: Daigle et al. (1997), Garrison & von Ellenrieder (2010 — as Pinchincha). Also BRA, CEN, GUF, SUR, VEN: (H08), (P11); plus COL: (P11), (P&P).

Addl. Data. GY, Guayaquil: 7 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, Quayaquil (-2.7333, -79.75, 17m), date?, leg. F. Campos, det. P. Calvert, data provided by RWG, [ANSP,USNM]; Naranjal: 2 ♀♀, [San Rafael], listed as “San Raphael” (-2.18, - 79.23, 200m), date?, leg. F. Campos, det.? [FSCA]; LR, Quevedo: 5 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Quevedo (-1.0333, -79.4500, 11m), date?, leg. F. Campos, det. P. Calvert 1909, data provided by RWG [ANSP]; MN, El Carmen: borrow pit/small slow stream, NW of El Carmen (-0.1375, -79.5728, 185m), 28 ii 2010, leg. & det. JTJ [JTJ]; SD: 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, seepage fen at Hotel Colorado, Hwy. 30 about 16 km E of Santo Domingo (-0.31, -79.03, 762m), 31 i 1997, leg. & det. KJT [KJT]; 2 ♂♂, same data but leg. & det. JJD [FAL, JJD]; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same data but 30 i 1997, leg. JJD, det. RWG [RWG]; 2 ♀, same data but leg. & det. WFM [FSCA, QZAC]; 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, 29 km W Santo Domingo de los Colorados, 5 vii 1975, leg. A. Langley & P. Spangler, det. RWG [USNM] .

Leptobasis unresolved: GY, Duran: Leptobasis nov. sp. “as por Calvert” (* Campos 1922); LR, Babahoyo: 6 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, 10 km N of Babahoyo, banana plantation, (-1.8167, -79.5167, 56m), 22 vi 1975, leg. J. Cohen, A. Langley, P. Monnig, det. RWG & NVE 2009 [USNM]; Buena Fé: 37 km N of Quevedo, 7 iv 1975, leg. J. Cohen & A. Langley, det.? [USNM]; Quevedo: 1 ♀, Pichilingue (-1.1000 -79.4833, 40m), 2 ii 1955, leg. E. I. Schlinger & E. S. Ross, det. RWG 2009 CAS [DRP].

Note: These are all probably Leptobasis linda, pending re-examination of the specimens.