Lestes decipiens Kirby, 1893

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 : 459-460

Lestes decipiens Kirby, 1893

( Figs 1c–d ; 5e–h ; 8f–j ; 9–10 ).

Specimens examined. Cambodia: 2 ♂♂ ( Fig. 5e–h ) , 1 ♀, 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. ; 1♂, Stung Treng Province, Thala Barivat District, 32.5 km NNW Stung Treng, 9.5 km NE Sam’ang village , 13.798°– 13.800° N, 105.860°– 105.866° E, 81–85 m a.s.l., a rivulet with a pond, 27 vii 2016, O. Kosterin leg. ; 1 ♂, Kampot Province, Bokor Plateau, ‘Praemorsus Pond’ , 2.9 km NE Bokor Palace, 10.6456° N, 104.0392° E, 926 m a.s.l., 9 xii 2010, O. Kosterin leg. ; 1 ♂, Kampot Province, Bokor Plateau, the Popokvil River at the lower bridge, 4.9 km NE Bokor Palace, 10.6583° N, 104.0525° E, 926 m a.s.l., 18 viii 2011, O. Kosterin leg. ; 1 ♂, Preah Sihanouk Province, 11 km NE Sihanoukville, Kbal Chhay Waterfall env., a pond at the main river right bank, 10.674° N, 103.607° E, 53 m a.s.l., a rivulet with a pond, 26 v 2013, O. Kosterin leg. ; 1 ♂, Koh Kong Province, Thma Bang village, ‘ Triangularis pond’, 11.6703° N, 103.4086° E, 371 m a.s.l., 25 viii 2011, O. Kosterin leg. ; 3 ♂♂, Koh Kong Province, 13 km ENE Koh Kong, a grassy swamp at ‘ Aciagrion Rivulet’ source, 11.6600° N, 103.0956° E, 316 m a.s.l., 13 viii 2011, O. Kosterin leg. ; 1 ♂, Koh Kong Province, Koh Kong S suburbs, ‘ Calamorum ponds’ E of the road to Peam Krasaop village , 11.584° N, 102.985° E, 316 m a.s.l., 26 viii 2011, O. Kosterin leg. Thailand: 1 ♀, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Wang Nam Khiao , 15 iii 2015, Makbun leg. ; 1 ♂, Krabi Province, Muang , 1 viii 2018, Makbun leg. Vietnam: 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ (collected in tandems; Fig. 8f–j ), Qu ảng Nam Province, Nui Thanh District, Tam My Tay Commune , 15.3757° N, 108.5761° E, 46 m a.s.l., 16 x 2019, Q. T. Phan leg. ( ZCDTU) ; 1 ♀, Lam Dong Province, Bao Loc , 11.5288° N, 107.7082° E, 622 m a.s.l., 24 v 2023, Q. T. Phan leg. ( ZCDTU) ; 4 ♂♂, Kon Tum Province, Dak Glei , 15.2091° N, 107.7358° E, 1097 m a.s.l., 2 ix 2024, Q. T. Phan leg. (ZCDTU).

Characters. Male ( Fig. 5e–h , 9 ). The paraprocts are set more or less parallel to each other, so well seen in dorsal view ( Fig. 5e ). Because of this position, the paraprocts extend well behind the level of the cercus tooth ( Fig. 5f ). The length of the paraproct inner margin (as measured from the S10 border to the tip) comprises ca 46 % of the cercus length (as measured from the S10 border to the tip along the insect body axis). In ventral view ( Fig. 5f ), their outer margins are convex and inner margins slightly concave, so that their bluntly terminated apical parts, somewhat converge to each other, as seen also in dorsal view ( Fig. 5e ). In the oblique lateroventral view, the paraproct distal part is much broader and less S-like curved than in L. dorothea , with broadly blunt apices ( Fig. 5h ). In lateral view, the paraproct looks evenly tapering and slightly curved up, without distinction into the broader basal and narrower distal part. The appendages of the holotype of L. decipiens are damaged so that the right cercus and left paraproct are missing ( Fig. 9e ). However, the remaining paraproct corresponds perfectly to our recent specimens of L. decipiens : it is directed behind and has the same shape, slightly curving inwards.

Measurements (mm). Hindwing 19.5–20, 20.7 in the holotype; abdomen with appendages 29–29.5, 21.2 in the holotype.

Female ( Figs 10 , 12f–j ). The cerci in dorsal view are finger-like, narrowing only in apical part, pale entirely ( Figs 10e , 12g –h ). The ovipositor is but very slightly concave in lateral view ( Fig. 12f ); blackish, with pale areas at base ( Fig. 10d , 12f, h ). The genital lamina is blackish-brown at base and pale at posterior margin ( Fig. 12h ). The dorsal side of S10 black in the studied specimens ( Fig. 12g ), dark-brown in the female paralectotype ( Fig. 10e ). The prothorax hind lobe is almost upright, very scarcely slanting in lateral view ( Fig. 12i ) and looks rounded in dorsal view ( Fig. 12i ).

Measurements (mm). Hindwing 20–21 (mostly 20), 20.0 in the female paralectotype, abdomen with appendages 27.8 in the allotype, 26.5 and 30 mm in Vietnamese specimens, 29–30 (mostly 30) in Cambodian specimens.

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 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 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 9. The lectotype, male, of Lestes decipens, from Ceylon, Mahagany, 20 ix 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 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 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.