Minagrion, Santos, 1965

Vilela, Diogo Silva, Jacques, Gabriel De Castro & Souza, Marcos Magalhães De, 2023, A new species of Minagrion Santos, 1965 (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) from the Cerrado of Northern Minas Gerais state, Brazil, Zootaxa 5374 (2), pp. 255-262 : 261

Key to male Minagrion (adapted from Vilela et al. 2020)

1. Larger species ( 54–61 mm total length), abdomen 2x longer than Fw length........................ M. mecistogastrum

1’. Medium species ( 31–44 mm total length), abdomen less than 2x the length of Fw.................................. 2

2. Dorsal plate of cercus broad; ventrobasal portion only 1/5 of the cercus length; tubercle digit-like with a rounded apex..... 3

2’. Dorsal plate of cercus narrow; ventrobasal portion at least 1/2 of cercus length; tubercle never digit-like or with rounded apex ................................................................................................... 4

3. Cercus less forcipate, with ventral margin mostly linear ( Figs. 4e , 5b ).................................... M. waltheri

3’. Cercus markedly forcipate, with the ventral margin deeply concave ( Figs. 4b , 5c ).......................... M. veredae

4. Longitudinal ridge of cercus not entire (i.e., disrupted along its length) forming a basal and an apical ridge, more pronounced on the distal 1/2; sclerotized apex of cercus globose with no apparent teeth; tubercle quadrangular with a slightly concave apex......................................................................................... M. canaanense

4’. Longitudinal ridge of cercus entire (i.e., a continuous ridge along its length); sclerotized apex of cercus not globose, with evident teeth; tubercle not as above....................................................................... 5

5. Cercus shorter than S 10 in lateral view, and with acute sclerotized apex, with one strong tooth; tubercle triangular with acute apex........................................................................................ M. ribeiroi

5’. Cercus subequal in length to S 10 in lateral view, rounded sclerotized apex, with one strong tooth; dorsal portion of cercus broad at basal half, narrowing towards the base, ventrobasal portion roughly quadrangular, reaching 1/2 of cercus; tubercle quadrangular, with the excavated “beak-like” apex; genital ligula with a small inner fold at the flexure in lateral view, a pair of lateral sclerotized processes, and entire apex....................................................... M. caldense

Figures

FIGURE 4. Male cercus in lateral (left), dorsal (middle) and mediodorsal (right) views: (a–c) Minagrion veredae sp. nov. HOLOTYPE; (d–f) Minagrion waltheri.

FIGURE 5. Closeup of male cercus showing diagnostic characters: (a, c) Minagrion veredae sp. nov. HOLOTYPE; (b) Minagrion waltheri.