Nesocordulia coloratissima, Bernard & Daraż & Ravelomanana & Dijkstra, 2025

Bernard, Rafał, Daraż, Bogusław, Ravelomanana, Andrianjaka & Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B., 2025, Six new species of Nesocordulia McLachlan, 1882 reveal an insular evolutionary radiation of dragonflies on Madagascar (Odonata: Anisoptera: Libelluloidea), Zootaxa 5660 (2), pp. 151-193 : 181

Nesocordulia coloratissima ?

( Figs 14a–d )

Female (NHMUK), Ankara-fansitra (locality not traced, could be Ankarafantsika), 09.01.1950, leg. A. R. While labelled as N. rubricauda , the colouration of Pt ( Fig. 14a ), frons, labrum ( Fig. 14d ), labium, and occipital triangle match N. coloratissima sp. nov., as does that of the synthorax, the two distinctive triangular yellow spots ( Fig. 14c ) being found in one of that species’ paratype males too. The characteristic yellow basal spot on S7 of N. coloratissima is absent, however ( Figs 14a,b ), being replaced with reddish brown, and the cerci are darker yellow, although both do appear paler than the areas in between. These features may have lost their contrast in preservation or be masked by darker pigmentation. The female could also represent a variety of N. coloratissima or a closely similar species, especially if it is indeed from Ankarafantsika National Park, which is also in the drier west of Madagascar but over 450 km north of where that species has been recorded. Total length 47.4, abdomen (excluding appendages) 34.0, Fw 33.7, Hw 32.1, Fw Pt 2.4, cerci 0.9. Fw Ax 11–12, Fw Px 8–9, Hw Ax 7, Hw Px 10.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Four females of Nesocordulia that cannot be identified. (a–d) possible N. coloratissima sp. nov. in NHMUK; (e–h) doubtful N. mascarenica described by Fraser (1956) in MNHN; (i) possible N. mascarenica from Masoala National Park; (j) possible N. spinicauda from the Palmarium Reserve. Photos by: a–h, Bogusław Daraż; i, Callan Cohen; j, Michiel Van de Velde.