Lestes dorothea Fraser, 1924

Hopkins, Paul, Kosterin, Oleg E., Phan, Quoc Toan & Keetapithchayakul, Tosaphol Saetung, 2025, Taxonomic reconsideration of Lestes dorothea Fraser, 1924, L. decipiens Kirby, 1893, bona species, L. praecellens Lieftinck, 1937 and L. praemorsus Hagen in Selys, 1862 (Odonata, Lestidae), Zootaxa 5642 (5), pp. 451-475 : 457-459

Lestes dorothea Fraser, 1924

( Figs 1e, f ; 2–3 ; 5a–d , 6–8 , 11 , 12a–e )

Specimens examined. Cambodia: 1 ♂ ( Fig. 5a–d ), Cambodia , Mondulkiri Province, 15 km NNE of Sen Momorom, a large sedgy swamp, 12.550° N, 107.258° E, 570 m a.s.l., 27 vi 2018, O. Kosterin leg. Thailand: 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (collected in tandem; Fig. 12a–e ), Kanchanaburi Province, Kroeng Krawia , 14.9463° N, 98.6516° E, 298 m a.s.l., 2 vi 2024, Q. T. Phan leg. India: 1 ♂ ( Fig. 11a–c ), Western Ghats, Kerala, Idukki District, Pambumkayam village env., a pond, 10.0951° N, 76.9319° E, 737 m a.s.l., 4 vi 2024 ; 1 ♂ ( Fig. 11d–f ), Western Ghats, Kerala, Idukki District, Pambumkayam village env., a pool under a rocky slope by Mankulam Power House , 10.0965° N, 76.9345° E, 760 m a.s.l., 19 vi 2024 . Vietnam: 4 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀, Kon Tum Province, Chu Mom Ray National Park , 14.4304° N, 107.7270° E, 662 m a.s.l., 11 v 2023, Q. T. Phan leg. (ZCDTU).

Characters. Males from Cambodia and Thailand. The paraprocts strongly diverge from their bases ( Fig. 5b ) and so are not seen from above ( Fig. 5a ). The apex of each paraproct terminates at the base of the cercus inner tooth ( Fig. 5b ). The length of the paraproct inner margin (as measured from the S10 border to the tip) comprises ca 44 % of the cercus length (as measured from the S10 border to the tip along the insect body axis). In ventral view, the paraproct shape look as almost skewed triangles ( Fig. 5b ), but the oblique lateroventral view shows them having a broad base and a narrow S-like curved distal part tapering to a subacute apex ( Fig. 5d ). In lateral view, the paraproct sharply narrows from that very broad basal part to the narrow distal part ( Fig. 5c ).

It was important to compare our Cambodian male with the holotype of the species, as well as with two more specimens from the Western Ghats (Kerala) in our disposal.

The anal appendages of the Cambodian male ( Fig. 5a–c ) have the same structure as the holotype ( Fig. 6c–e ). The only noticeable differences are as follows: (i) in ventral view, the paraprocts of the holotype look slightly Slike curved as well ( Fig. 6d ), and (ii) the central inner expansion of the cercus is better seen in lateral view in the Cambodian male ( Fig. 4c ) than in the holotype ( Fig. 6e ).

Our specimen from Kerala collected on 4 vi 2024 ( Fig. 11a–c ) had the anal appendages hardly distinguishable from those of the holotype ( Fig. 6c–e ). The second Keralan specimen collected on 19 vi 2024 ( Fig. 11d–f ) had the paraprocts with the basal part considerably narrower in lateral view. The Keralan males are larger than the Cambodian/Thai specimens: hindwing 24-25 mm, abdomen with apps 37–38 mm.

Measurements (in mm). Hindwing 23 in the Cambodian male, 24 in the Thai male, 24–25 in the Keralan males, 26 in the holotype (according to Fraser 1924) abdomen with appendages 35 in Cambodian and Thai males, 37–38 in the Keralan males, 40 in the holotype.

Females ( Figs 7c–d , 8 , 12a–e ). The cerci in dorsal view are gradually tapering, nearly conical, black at base, lower side and at the very tip ( Figs 8c–d , 12b–c ). The ovipositor is noticeably concave in lateral view, blackish, with brown areas at base ( Figs 8c , 12a ). The genital lamina is blackish-brown ( Fig. 12c ). The dorsal side of S10 is pale with a blackish dorsal stripe ( Figs 8d , 12b ) but the latter is poorly expressed in the Thai female ( Fig. 12b ). The prothorax hind lobe is slanting in lateral view ( Figs 7c , 10d ) and looks trapezoid in dorsal view ( Figs 7d , 12e ).

Measurements (mm). Hindwing 24 in the Thai female, 27 in the allotype ( Fraser 1924), abdomen (excluding the cerci) 33 in the Thai female, 36 in the allotype.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Drawings of Lestes spp. (all males but i-right female) from literature, with original identifications: a, “Lestes praemorsus praemorsus”, Philippines, Luzon, Bilucao (Lieftinck 1949: fig. 19); b, “Lestes praemorsus praemorsus”, N. New Guinea, Hollandia (Lieftinck 1949: fig. 20); c, “Lestes praemorsus decipiens”, India, Coorg, Gonocopal (Lieftinck 1949: fig. 17); d, “Lestes praemorsus decipiens”, Indonesia, Java, Buitenzorg (Lieftinck 1949: fig. 18); e, “Lestes dorothea” from the original description (Fraser 1924: plate XXVI, fig. 8); f, “Lestes praemorsa” (in fact Lestes dorothea) (Fraser 1934: fig. 12); g, “Lestes dorothea” (in fact Lestes decipiens, restored in species rank in this paper) (Fraser 1934: fig. 13); h, “Lestes sp.1”, Laos, Champasak Province, Bolaven Plateau, Paksong (Yokoi & Souphanthong 2014: fig. 5); i-j, “Lestes praecellens”, holotype (i-left,-j) and allotype (i-right) from SW Java;, Oedjoeng Benteng Bay (Lieftinck 1937: figs 2–3); k–l, “Lestes praemorsus decipiens”, Taiwan (Asahina 1985: figs 25–26); m, “Lestes dorothea” (Orr 2005: 28); a-left, b-left, c-left, d-left, e, f-left, g-h, j-right, l-right, m-left–anal appendages in dorsal view; a-right, b-right, c-right, d-right, f-right, j-left–the same in lateral view; i-left, k–thorax in dorsal view; i-right, m-right–the same in lateral view. Not to scale.

FIGURE 2. Male of Lestes dorothea. 8 vii 2024. Seima Forest, Cambodia (PH).

FIGURE 3. Another male of Lestes dorothea. 8 vii June 2024. Seima Forest, Cambodia (PH).

FIGURE 4. Habitats of (a) Lestes dorothea. Seima Forest, Cambodia, and (b) of L. dorothea, L. decipiens (species rank restored in this paper) and L. nigriceps; 15 km north of Sen Momorom, Cambodia (b) (PH).

FIGURE 5. Anal appendages of male specimens of Lestes dorothea (a–d) and L. praemorsus decipiens (e–h) collected at the same sedge swamp 15 km NNE of Sen Monorom, Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia, on 27 vi 2018; a,e–dorsal view; b,f–ventral view, c–g–lateral view; d–h–oblique lateroventral view. Scale bar = 1 mm. The pruinescence was washed off by acetone (OEK). Asterisk indicates the position of the paraproct tip.

FIGURE 6. The holotype of Lestes dorothea, from S. India, Coorg, Mercara, 17 iv1923, F.C. Fraser, male, preserved in the BMNH collection: a–dorsal general view; b–labels, c-e–the end of abdomen in dorsal, ventral and lateral views (photos by Dan Hall).

FIGURE 7. Thorax of the holotype, male (a,b), and allotype, female (c,d) of Lestes dorothea, in lateral (a, c) and dorsal (b, d) views (photos by Dan Hall).

FIGURE 8. The allotype of Lestes dorothea, from S. India, Greenfields, Sidapur. 26 iv1923, F.C. Fraser, preserved in the BMNH collection: a–dorsal general view; b–labels, c,d–end of abdomen in lateral and dorsal views (photos by Dan Hall).

FIGURE 10. A paralectotype, female (incorrectly designated as “the allotype” by Kimmins (1970)) of Lestes decipiens, from Ceylon, 6th Milestone, Nilavelli Road, 9 xii 1891, Yerbury: a–general habitus in lateral view; b–ditto in dorsal view; c–labels, d–end of abdomen in lateral view; e–ditto in dorsal view.

FIGURE 11. The anal appendages of two male specimens of Lestes dorothea from India, Western Ghats, Kerala, Iduikki District: a–c–a pond at 10.0951° N, 76.9319° E, 4 vi 2024; d–f–a pool under a rocky slope by Mankulam Power House, 10.0965° N, 76.9345° E, 19 vi 2024; a–d–dorsal view; b–e–ventral view; c–f–lateral view.

FIGURE 12. The end of abdomen (a–c, f–h) and thorax (d–e, i–j) of female specimens of Lestes dorothea (from Thailand, Kanchanaburi Province, Kroeng Krawia) (a–e) and L. decipiens (from Vietnam, Quảng Nam Province, Nui Thanh, Tam My Tay; species rank restored in this paper) (f–j) collected in tandem with males: a, d, f, i–lateral view; b, e, g, j–dorsal view, c–h–ventral view; d mirrored.