Lestes spp.

Joshi, Shantanu, Sawant, Dattaprasad, Dalvi, Akshay, Koli, Yogesh, Haneef, Muhammed, Sanap, Rajesh & Kunte, Krushnamegh, 2023, New records of Lestes nigriceps Fraser, 1924 (Odonata: Lestidae) from Maharashtra, India, with notes on L. patricia Fraser, 1924 and an updated key to Lestes of the Western Ghats, India, International Journal of Odonatology 26, pp. 132-144 : 143

Key to females of Lestes spp.

1. Synthorax without metallic markings ..................... 2

1’. Synthorax with green metallic stripes .................... 4

2. Pterostigma unicolored .......................................... 3

2’.Pterostigma bicolored .............................. L. nodalis

3. Synthorax usually pale brown,unmarked.Variable in color from brown to pale blue or olivaceous; abdomen pale brown to dark brown .... L. concinnus

3’.Synthorax dorsally black with dark olivaceous stripes enclosing dark reddish brown mid-dorsal area .......................................................... L. patricia

4. Synthorax with dorsal metallic stripes deeply scalloped or crenulated on the outer sides, ofen obscured by pruinescence ...................................... 5

4’. Synthorax with the dorsal metallic stripe uniform or expanded posteriorly ......................................... 6

5. Small, with abdomen 30–32 mm and hind-wing 20–21 mm; sides of thorax plain yellowish green; S10 mostly black ................................ L. praemorsus

5’. Larger, with abdomen 36 mm and hind-wing 27 mm; a green to olivaceous band on sides of thorax; S10 blue .................................... L. dorothea

6. Dorsal green metallic stripe of uniform width ........ 7

6’. Dorsal green metallic stripe expanded posteriorly. 8

7. Vertex of head pale brown; synthorax with very narrow metallic green stripes enclosing a pale brown area; no black markings on sides of synthorax; posterior half of S9 white with a black central stripe .......................................... L. viridulus

7’. Vertex of head metallic dark with small irregular brown spots posteriorly; synthorax with broad metallic green stripes enclosing a black mid-dorsal area; 2 black spots on thorax on each side; posterior margin of S9 dorsally with a pair of small pale blue triangular markings ....... L. nigriceps

8. Synthorax with broad metallic green stripes, slightly expanded posteriorly; 5 black spots on thorax on each side .......................... L. malabaricus

8’. Synthorax with a distinct ‘J’- or hockey-stick shaped metallic green stripe, thinner anteriorly; about 10 black spots on thorax on each side ........... .................................................................... L. elatus