Pseudagrion deflexum Lieftinck, 1936

Seehausen, Malte, Kalkman, Vincent J. & Bedjanič, Matjaž, 2025, Revision of the Pseudagrion red-group occurring in Asia west of Lydekker’s line, with description of four new species (Odonata: Coenagrionidae), Zootaxa 5587 (1), pp. 1-66 : 20-21

Pseudagrion deflexum Lieftinck, 1936 stat. nov.

Figures: 29–30 (lectotype ♂, envelope); 84 (head ♂); 101 (pterothorax ♂); 118a, b (abdomen ♂); 135a–c (caudal appendages ♂); 156–160 (field photos ♂).

Pseudagrion pilidorsum deflexum Lieftinck (1936): 130 , 134, Fig. 13c (description ♂; ♂ appendages; key; Timor);— Lieftinck (1953): 157 (Damar, Wetar);— Seehausen (2017): 5, 8, Fig. 6 (Timor; photo ♂ preserved dry specimen);— Seehausen et al. (2018): 9, 11, 13–14, 17–18, 42, 56; Figs 10, 13, 14, 18, 23, 24 (Timor; descriptions & photos of habitats; photos ♂ alive; map);— da Silva Pinto et al. (2020): 8, 40 (Rote, Semau; map).

Name-bearing type specimen examined (1♂)

♂ lectotype, xii.1931 – i.1932, Amarasi, Timor, Indonesia, E. Handschin leg., RMNH, JvT no. 2814 ( Figs 29–30). Lectotype designation by Lieftinck (1971: 83).

Other specimens examined (38♂♂, 12♀♀) Indonesia, West Timor : 2♂♂, Kolbano, Timor Central, ex-coll. le Moult, IRSNB ;— 1♂, vii.1897, Atapupu,

West Timor , A. Everett leg., SMF, no. 13770;— 7♂♂, 1♀, 1929, Soe, Central Timor, 880 m a.s.l., SMF, no. 30113 –

30119;— 18♂♂, 9♀♀, vi.1929, Soe, Timor Central, ex-coll. le Moult, IRSNB ;— 1♀, vi.1935, Nikiniki, C. Bühler

& Meyer, Basel Museum, MCZ;— 1♂, xi.1992, without particular locality, Coll. von Rosen , ZSM, no. GvRosen 13022 .

Timor-Leste: 1♀, viii.1935, Baguia , C. Bühler & Meyer, Basel Museum, MCZ ;— 4♂♂, 19.x.1973, Fatu Maca , 10 km south of Baucau, Tom Weir leg., MAGNT ;— 2♂♂, 25.v.2012, Kablaki Hotel, Same , 8.999969°S, 125.648072°E, AMS , no. K462953;— 1♂, 3.vi.2012, Gully 0.5km NE Laclubar, 8.74647°S, 125.91497°E, AMS , no. K376343;— 3♂♂, 5.vi.2012, spring, 3.8km WNW Manatuto, 8.50847°N, 125.98292°E, AMS , no. K376350.

Characterization of male

Head ( Figs 29, 84, 157, 158): Labrum, clypeus, antefrons and postfrons bright yellow; colour of postfrons sharply separated from red vertex at level of lateral ocelli; postocular spots red, separated by a very thin black line from postfrons; rear of head black, but broadly yellow-orange along the eye margins; base and scape of antennae yellow, following segments brownish; eyes when alive red with anterior half yellow, continuing in line with the yellow frons.

Thorax ( Figs 29, 101, 156, 157, 160): Anterior, middle, and posterior lobe of pronotum dorsally red; middle pronotal lobe with a black patch on each side dorsolaterally, along the margin between anterior and middle lobe; sutures of middle lobe black, posterior margin of middle lobe broadly black; apical edge of posterior lobe convex. Pterothorax red, with thin black middorsal carina; black stripes at posterior quarter of humeral suture and metapleural suture, both expanded in the middle; ventrally pale, may be covered with pruinosity; when immature basic colouration yellowish instead of red, with broadly brownish dorsum and humeral stripe ( Fig. 160). Legs pale; femora with blackish stripe outside, narrowing proximally; tibiae blackish along spines; spines black.

Abdomen ( Figs 29, 118a, b, 156, 160): S1 red; S2 red, with black marking dorsally along posterior carina; S3–8 dorsally black, laterally whitish-yellow; S9 red with posterior edge black; S10 red, with black dorsal “x”-like marking, variable in shape; when immature basic colouration yellowish instead of red ( Fig. 160).

Caudal appendages ( Figs 135a–c, 159): Cercus laterally blackish, slightly shorter than S10; in lateral view whole cercus distinctly arched, apex subrectangular with inter-lobe notch almost central; in dorsal view cercus appearing narrow, apex of the superior lobe narrowly rounded and turned inwards; a subtriangular interior projection present at ca. the centre of the superior lobe of the cercus; a tiny interior tooth-like projection before half-length on the inferior lobe of the cercus; paraproct pale yellow-ochre, slightly longer than half of the cercus, in lateral view subtriangular and tapered with rounded apex; in dorsal view broadly rounded, concave bowl-like, medial edge without tooth.

Characterization of female

Head: As in male but red replaced by orange-ochre.

Thorax: Pronotum and pterothorax as in male but red replaced by orange-ochre; posterior lobe of pronotum with two horns directed towards the head, almost reaching the centre of the middle lobe; antehumeral pale, tinted ochre-greenish when alive.

Abdomen: S1 orange-ochre; S2 orange-ochre, with black marking middorsally; S3–8 as in male; S9–10 laterally orange-ochre, dorsally with black markings variable in shape. Cercus washed-out dark brownish, as long as half of S10; paraproct brownish, in lateral view rounded; ovipositor pale yellowish, its apex not reaching to posterior end of S10; two brownish styles reaching beyond S10; inferior edge of ovipositor bearing several very small teeth.

Wings of both sexes with 10.5–12.5 px in forewing, and 9–11 px in hindwing.

Measurements of both sexes (mm): Total length (with appendages) 38.0–45.5; abdomen length (without appendages) 32.5–37.5; hindwing 20.8–23.5; forewing 22.0–25.7; Pt in forewing 0.6–1.0; male cercus 0.5–0.6.

Diagnosis

The morphology of the male appendages of P. deflexum is unmistakable: the cercus is arched in lateral view ( Figs 135a, 159), a unique character compared to all congeners. Additionally P. deflexum is distinctly different from all congeners, except for the adjacently distributed P. declaratum , in having a largely yellow-red head with just a very thin black line around the large red postocular spots ( Figs 29, 84, 157). But the yellow colour of the frons is continuous in line to the anterior half of the eyes in live males of P. deflexum ( Figs 157, 158), whereas the eyes are reddish in P. declaratum ( Fig. 155).

Distribution

This species occurs on Timor, as well as on adjacent islands of Rote, Semau, Wetar, and Damar ( Fig. 2).