Descriptions and records of South-East Asiatic Odonata (II)
Author
M. A. Lieftinck
text
Treubia
1940
1940-01-01
17
4
337
392
journal article
http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3571116
a02f182b-32e4-4649-afe0-983cb21ceb9e
3571116
Amphicnemis smedleyi
LAIDLAW
.
1915. RIS, Tijdschr. Ent. 58, p. 13 14. - ♀ Simaioer id. (
louisae
).
1926.
LAIDLAW
, J. Mal. Br. Roy. As. Soc. 4, p. 232 fig. 3 (apps. ♂). — ♂♀ Siberoet & Pagai Ids. (
louisae
smedleyi
).
Material studied: -
2 ♂
(ad, crushed),
2 ♀
(one ad., one juv.),
Siberoet Id
.,
Sept. 1924
,
C. Boden
KLOSS
& N. SMEDLEY
, ex coll.
F. F.
LAIDLAW
.
These specimens differ from
wallacei
(=
louisae
LAID
.) in a number of characters, which I have enumerated in the key to the species. The ♂ is easily distinguished from
wallacei
by the different shape of the superior anal appendages and by the absence of a prothoracic spine. The ♀ has been described at length by Ris. This species is obviously most closely related to
gracilis
, KRUGER, and
kuiperi
, LIEFT., two species in which the prothoracic spine is either also reduced, or absent altogether. Apart from the differences found in the sculpturing of the hinder lobe of the prothorax, the ♂ of
smedleyi
may be distinguished from that of
kuiperi
by the presence of a black streak to the outer surface of all femora; it differs further from
kuiperi
in the shape of the superior anal appendages, which bear a very close resemblance to those of
gracilis
, being in fact practically identical with those of that species (pl. 16
fig. 2
). On comparing
smedleyi
with
gracilis
, these species proved to resemble each other very closely, and I could find no other distinctive features than those mentioned already in the key to the species. Granting the characters of the prothorax to be constant, there should be no difficulty in separating them; but it is doubtful if these differences are of specific significance. In view of the rarity of these extremely delicate species in collections, it seems worth recording the observed differences even on the small series available. Personally I am of opinion that
smedleyi
is only a subspecies of the Sumatran
gracilis
, KRUGER.