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 males of Lestes spp. of the Western Ghats, India

1. Synthorax without metallic markings ..................... 2 1’. Synthorax with green metallic stripes .................... 4 2. Pterostigma unicolored .......................................... 3 2’.Pterostigma bicolored .............................. L. nodalis 3. No broad black dorsal stripe on synthorax (middorsal carina can be finely with black); paraprocts extend up to 1/3 of lamina of cerci … L. concinnus 3’.Synthorax dorsally reddish brown with thin dark olive green stripes;paraprocts longer,extend over about half the lengths of the cerci ........... L. patricia 4. Synthorax with dorsal dark metallic stripes deeply scalloped or crenulated on the outer sides ........ 5 4’.Synthorax with dorsal metallic stripe uniform or expanded posteriorly ............................................. 6 5. Small, abdomen 30–32 mm and hindwing 20–

21 mm; paraprocts longer relative to cerci .............. ........................................................... L. praemorsus 5’.Larger, abdomen 36–41 mm and hindwing 24–

32 mm; paraprocts shorter relative to cerci ............. ............................................................... L. dorothea 6. Abdomen length equal or greater than 30 mm ...... 7 6’. Abdomen 24–25 mm ....................... L. malabaricus 7. Dorsal green metallic stripes on thorax prominently expanded at posterior end making a distinct ‘J’- or hockey-stick shaped mark ......... L. elatus 7’.Dorsal green metallic stripes on synthorax straight or very slightly expanded posteriorly ........ 8 8. Vertex of head pale brown; dorsum of thorax pale brown, with thin dorsal metallic green stripes; S9 with an inverted triangular marking ....... L. viridulus 8’.Vertex of head dark with an olivaceous sheen; dorsum of thorax black with metallic green stripes and yellow to pale orange area laterally;

S9 with a small basal streak or pruinosed ................ ................................................................ L. nigriceps