Perissolestes rupestris Florez, Bota-Sierra & Cano-Cobos, 2023

Florez, Tatiana, Comoglio, Lorenzo, Pinzón, Tomás, Bota-Sierra, Cornelio A. & Cano-Cobos, Yiselle, 2023, A collecting trip to San José del Guaviare, Colombia, with the description of a new species of Perissolestes (Zygoptera: Perilestidae), International Journal of Odonatology 26, pp. 7-17 : 10-16

Perissolestes rupestris Florez, Bota-Sierra & Cano-Cobos sp. nov.

Etymology

Latin rupestris , masculine, third-declension two-termination adjective derived from rupes. The species name means that lives on cliffs or rocks and refers to the rock walls that rise on the sides of the small stream where the type material was collected ( Fig. 2f ). It is also a tribute to the pre-Columbian cultures of the area whose legacy survives in the form of rock paintings at the type locality ( Fig. 3 ).

Material examined

9 males, 2 females

Holotype

Colombia, Guaviare Department, San José del Guaviare Municipality, Nuevo Tolima Township, stream near Painted Rocks Trail , 2.463967° N, 72.753700° W, 270 m a.s.l., 23-03-2022, L. Comoglio leg ( ANDES-E 28363 ). Allotype: Same as holotype but Y. Cano leg ( ANDES-E 28361 ).

Paratypes

3 males, same data as holotype but Y. Cano leg (ANDES- E 28364 ) ; T. Florez leg ( ANDES-E 28362 ); T. Florez leg ( ANDES-E 28358 ) . 3 males, Casanare Department, Tauramena Municipality, Visinaca Township , stream in forest, 5.12745° N, 72.76492° W, 820 m a.s.l., 07-11-2017, C. Bota leg ( CEUA 119389 ) . 1 male and 1 female, Agua Azul Municipality, Las Brisas Township , stream in forest, 5.29258° N, 72.54315° W, 580 m a.s.l., 08-11-2017, C. Bota leg ( CEUA 119468 ) .

Male holotype

Head. Labium, labrum, and base of mandibles dark yellow, basal half of genae with metallic green reflections, antennal socket dark brown, basal half of pedicel light brown, apical half of pedicel and flagellum dark brown. Clypeus, frons, and upper part of head with metallic green reflections. Eyes green in life ( Figs 4a–b ). Postocular area dark, and the rear of the head iridescent black. Frons rounded. Postocular lobes at the level of the hind margins of the compound eyes ( Figs 5a, f ).

Thorax. Prothorax ( Fig. 5f ) brown with a yellow lateral stripe, anterior lobe and propleuron black, and posterior lobe lighter brown, posterior prothoracic lobe rounded. Pterothorax brown, middorsal carina, antehumeral stripe, metepisternal stripe, metepimeron, and venter pale yellow ( Figs 4a–b , 5a ). Coxae pale yellow, leg armature brown, nodus dark brown. Spurs gradually increase in size towards the apex of the femur and towards the base of tibia except for the protibia in which the apical third bear tibial combs on the external sides

( Fig. 5i ).

Wings. Hyaline. Pt dark brown, surmounting two cells in all wings ( Fig. 5a ). Px = 16 in Fw, 16 in lef – 15 in right Hw. RP2 arising at = 9 th Px in Fw, 9 th Px in lef and 8 th Px in right Hw. IRP1 arising at the 13 th Px in all wings. Cells below CuA = 16 in Fw, 13 in lef – 15 in right Hw.

Abdomen. Dark brown, S1–2 with pale yellow lateral stripe and a black ring at the ends of segments; pale yellow basal ring in S3–7, pale area in the anterior fourth in S4–7, S4–6 with brown on the posterior ¾; S8– 10 black, venter and cercus pale yellow ( Figs 3a–b , 4a ). Genital ligula apical portion broad and not elongated (undeveloped), with convex apex ( Figs 5g –h ).

Caudal appendages. Cercus in dorsal view with an internal subbasal tooth perpendicularly directed at 1/4 of the length, there is a medial convex lobe and a roughly triangular subapical lobe; apices incurving with round- ed tips and slightly thickened ( Fig. 5b ), in lateral view the cercus apical third curves upward ( Figs 5d–e ). Paraprocts undeveloped, with a pale coloration.

Measurements (length in mm): Fw = 25; Hw = 24; abdomen = 47; total = 55.

Allotype

Similar to the holotype, except as follows:

Head. Labrum and base of mandibles light brown, basal half of genae yellow ( Figs 6a, c ).

Thorax. Anterior and posterior lobes of prothorax paler brown ( Figs 6a, c ). Mesostigmal plates ridged and concave ( Figs 6b–c ). Interesternite elongated with dorsal apex rounded ( Fig. 6d ).

Wings. Px = 16 in lef Fw, 17 in right Fw, 16 in lef, 15 in right Hw. RP2 arising at 9 th Px in lef Fw, at 10 th Px in right Fw, and at 9 th Px in Hw. IRP1 arising at 13 th Px in lef Fw, at 15 Px in right Fw, and at 13 th Px in Hw. Cells below CuA = 16 in lef Fw, 18 in right Fw, 15 in lef and 17 in right Hw.

Abdomen. Paler and dark brown on S9–10. S9 with large, oval pale lateral spot ( Fig. 6a ). Genital valves black; stylus pale, place of attachment of vulvar stylus ventral to the cercus ( Fig. 6e ). Cercus dark brown and conical. Paraproct blackish yellow and rounded.

Measurements (lengths in mm): Fw = 26; Hw = 24; abdomen = 44; total = 54.

Variation in paratypes

Males. Coloration paler in the abdomen and legs of Casanare specimens. Internal subbasal tooth of cerci directed laterodistally ( Fig. 5c ). In some cases, wings with dark brown Pt surmounting one and a half to three cells in Fw, although these are close in size to the holotype. Px in Fw 13–19, Px in Hw 12–17; RP2 arising at 8–11 th Px in Fw and at 8–10 th in Hw; IRP1 arising at 12–16 th Px in Fw and at 12–15 th Px in Hw; cells behind CuA in Fw 16–19 and in Hw 15–18.

Measurements (lengths in mm): FW = 25–26; HW = 24– 25; abdomen = 47–50; total = 55–60.

Female. Basal half of genae and ventral half of rear of head iridescent black. Px = 15 in Fw, 14 in Hw; RP2 arising at 9 th Px in Fw and at 8 th in Hw; IRP1 arising at 13 th Px in Fw and at 11 th Px in Hw.

Measurements (lengths in mm): FW = 27; HW = 25; abdomen = 43; total = 52.

Diagnosis

The genus Perissolestes was introduced by Kennedy (1941) based on wing venation, and it currently includes 11 species that range from the Amazon in Peru and Brazil and the Guiana Shield in eastern South America to southern Mexico ( Garrison et al., 2010). The males of this genus can be divided into two morphogroups: one with a well-developed internal subbasal tooth in the basal fourth of the cercus ( Figs 5b–c ), in which we include P. rupestris together with P. klugi Kennedy, 1941 , P. paprzyckii Kennedy, 1941 , and P. remotus ( Williamson & Williamson, 1924) ; the other group lacks the internal subbasal tooth or it is located close to the middle of the cercus. P. rupestris can be differentiated from P. klugi by the preapical process in P. klugi being not developed. P. rupestris can be differentiated from P. paprzyckii and P. remotus in dorsal view, by its medial convex lobe in the cercus afer the subbasal tooth ( Figs 5b–c ) whereas in the other species the internal side of the cercus afer the internal basal tooth is concave. Although the genital ligula is not well developed it is similar to what is seen in P. klugi and P. parzyckii where the convex apical lobe is larger ( Figs 5g –h ) compared to P. remotus .

Females of P. flinti De Marmels, 1988 and P. remus Kennedy, 1941 are unknown. Kennedy (1941a) used some structural characters, but mostly coloration, to key out females in this genus. However, the lack of an erect median spine in the hind lobe of the prothorax ( Figs 6b–c ), and the point of attachment of vulvar styles ventral to the cerci ( Fig. 6e ) will group P. rupestris females with P. guianensis ( Williamson & Williamson, 1924) and P. castor ( Kennedy, 1937) . At the current state of knowledge, it is hard to separate these three female species. A detailed study of other structural characters, such as the intersternites, that have underscored their importance in distinguishing females in other groups where cercus morphology is similar to Perissolestes , such as Heteragrion ( Stand-Pérez et al., 2019) or Hetaerina ( Garrison, 1990) , is needed to help diagnosing the females of this genus.

Biology

Perissolestes rupestris sp. nov. was observed on a clear-water creek and streams with rocky beds, perched on vines hanging close to stone walls and on the riparian vegetation. It usually hangs with the abdomen bent dorsally from S7 to S10 with the wings opened to around 100° ( Fig. 4b ), but may also sometimes hang with the wings closed ( Fig. 4a ).

Distribution and conservation

Three localities are known for this new species, all of them in eastern Colombia, two in the foothills of the Cordillera Oriental (Colombian Eastern Andean Range), in the department of Casanare between 580 and 820 m a.s.l., and one 296 km to the southeast, in the Amazonian foothills at 270 m a.s.l. in the department of Guaviare ( Fig. 1a ). None of these three locations lies inside a protected area. The rapid expansion of agriculture in this region during recent years may lead to the transformation of these localities and probably result in its extinction, therefore we consider it a threatened species.

Figures

Figure 1. a – Records of Perissolestes rupestris sp. nov.; b – sampled localities.

Figure 2. Habitats. a – Ecotourism trail inside the Reserva Playa Guio; b – Guaviare River; c – Laguna Negra; d – stream on the road to Puentes Naturales; e – Puentes Naturales; f – Nuevo Tolima. Photos by TF.

Figure 3. Rock paintings that inspired the name of the new species, at Nuevo Tolima Township, San José del Guaviare. Photo by YC-C.

Figure 4. Habitus of a male Perissolestes rupestris sp. nov. in Tauramena Casanare hanging with the abdomen bent dorsally (a), perching with closed wings. b – perched as it usually does with its wings opened. Photos by CAB-S.

Figure 5. Male holotype (a, b, d); c, e–i – paratype from Casanare Department: Tauramena. a – Habitus; b, c – cerci in dorsal view; d, e – cercus in lateral view; f – head and prothorax in dorsal and lateral views. Ligula in dorsal (g) and lateral (h) views. i – Legs with tibial combs. i s-t – internal subbasal tooth; m l – medial lobe; sa l – subapical lobe; s s – specialized spines.

Figure 6. Female allotype. a – Habitus; b – prothorax and mesostigmal plates in dorsal view; c – head and prothorax in dorsal and lateral views, respectively; d – intersternite in lateral view; e – S8–10 in lateral view.