Sixty new dragonfly and damselfly species from Africa (Odonata) Author Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B. Author Kipping, Jens Author Mézière, Nicolas text Odonatologica 2015 44 4 447 678 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.35388 Pseudagrion aureolum Dijkstra, Mézière & Kipping sp. nov. – Nugget Sprite ( Type Photo 18 , Photos 26 –28 , 52 , 62 , Fig. 12 ) Taxonomy Genetically, morphologically and ecologically unlike any other species of the B-group of Pseudagrion Selys, 1876 (see Dijkstra et al. 2007 ). Material studied Holotype ♂ . Gabon , Haut-Ogooué Province , Batéké Plateau, road to Léconi Park, Laboumi River , sandy stream ( 4–6 m ), 445 m a.s.l. ( 1.5232 ° S 14.2906 ° E ), 30 -xii- 2008 , leg. N. Mézière , RMNH . Further material. GABON ( Haut-Ogooué Province ): 2 ♂ , as holotype, RMNH . 1 ♂ , locality as holotype, 04-vii- 2009 , leg. N. Mézière , RMNH . 2 ♂ , Franceville-Kessala Road , Kessala , Mpassa , large sandy river (> 20 m wide), 410 m a.s.l. ( 1.8958 ° S 13.8975 ° E ), 09-xi- 2009 , leg. N. Mézière , RMNH . 1 ♂ , Lac aux Caïmans, Léconi , large lake with swamps and pools, 460 m a.s.l. ( 1.6533 ° S 14.2763 ° E ), 06-ii- 2010 , leg. N. Mézière , RMNH . 1 ♂ , same locality, 13 -ix- 2010 , leg. N. Mézière , RMNH . 2 ♂ ♀ ( RMNH.INS.503281 , RMNH.INS.503282 ), 5 km after Bongoville towards Léconi, Andzaba River, Ekala , sandy and swampy stream ( Photo 62 ), 389 m a.s.l. ( 1.6319 ° S 13.8887 ° E ), 28 - iii- 2010 , leg. N. Mézière & J. Renoult , RMNH . 1 ♂ 2 ♂ ♀ , Bongoville-Léconi road after Ekala, old village of Boubou , stream ( 2 m wide) with gravel bottom ( Photo 52 ), 393 m a.s.l. ( 1.6114 ° S 13.9105 ° E ), 20 -ix- 2009 , leg. N. Mézière , RMNH . 2 ♂ , Léconi road, Souba , lake in grassland, 428 m a.s.l. ( 1.5767 ° S 14.0492 ° E ), 27 -xii- 2010 , leg. N. Mézière , RMNH . 1 ♂ ( RMNH.INS.508773 ), same locality, 09-iii- 2013 , leg. N. Mézière , RMNH . 1 ♂ 2 ♂ ♀ , Léconi, Les Eaux Claires, Laboumi River , small sandy river ( 4–6 m ) with gallery forest in savanna,, and associated swamp and pools, 446 m a.s.l. ( 1.5753 ° S 14.2014 ° E ), 29 -xii- 2009 , leg. K.- D.B. Dijkstra , N. Mézière & C. Vanappelghem , RMNH . 2 ♂ , same locality, 04-vii- 2009 , leg. N. Mézière , RMNH . 1 ♂ ( RMNH.INS.502420 ), same locality, 20 -ix- 2009 , leg. N. Mézière , RMNH . 2 ♂ ( RMNH.INS.503367 ), 50 km N of Franceville, Franceville-Okondja Road, Léconi River at bridge N of Onvouri-Olounga , large sandy river, 307 m a.s.l. ( 1.1776 ° S 13.5389 ° E ), 10 -i- 2010 , leg. K.- D.B. Dijkstra , N. Mézière & C. Vanappelghem , RMNH . 1 ♂ , 34 km E of Franceville, Franceville-Léconi road, NE of Bongoville, small streams at forest edge, 417m a.s.l. ( 1.6131 ° S 13.9056 ° E ), 31 -xii- 2009 , leg. K.- D.B. Dijkstra , RMNH . 1 ♂ ( RMNH.INS.508800 ), Batéké Plateau, Parc de la SPB, Ekala 2, Léconi Valley , forest pond with much leaf litter, 420 m a.s.l. ( 1.3673 ° S 14.1463 ° E ), 05-iv- 2013 , leg. N. Mézière , RMNH . 1 ♂ , Akieni , sandy stream ( 4–6 m ), 474 m a.s.l. ( 1.1708 ° S 13.8740 ° E ), 07-ii- - 2009 , leg. N. Mézière , RMNH . 1 ♂ , Léconi, Léconi River near Léconi town , sandy river with gallery forest in savanna ( Photo 28 ), 484 m a.s.l. ( 1.5847 ° S 14.2450 ° E ), 30 -xii- 2009 , leg. N. Mézière & C. Vanappelghem , RMNH . 1 ♂ , Batéké Plateau, Léconi, Léconi River , sandy stream (> 10 m wide), 527 m a.s.l. ( 1.5844 ° S 14.2443 ° E ), 04-vii- 2009 , leg. N. Mézière , RMNH . 7 ♂ , Batéké Plateau, Laboumi River 7.5 km NE of Léconi , sandy river with very clear water in dense gallery forest, 446 m a.s.l. ( 1.5232 ° S 14.2906 ° E ), 25 -i- 2012 , leg. J. Kipping , CJKL . 1 ♂ , Batéké Plateau, Léconi River 2 km W of Léconi , sandy river with very clear water in open landscape, 440 m a.s.l. ( 1.5844 ° S 14.2442 ° E ), 28 -i- 2012 , leg. J. Kipping , CJKL . Type Photo 18 . Holotype of Pseudagrion aureolum sp. nov. , RMNH (horizontally mirrored from original). Genetics Two unique haplotypes (n = 7) are well-separated from but nearest to P.glaucescens Selys, 1876 and P. isidromorai Compte Sart, 1967 . Male morphological diagnosis Unlike any Pseudagrion of the B-group by the combination of (1) the small size, Hw 15.5–17.5 mm (n= 13); (2) the orange-yellow face and front of eyes; (3) the deep rufous back of the eyes, postocular spots and thorax, all almost devoid of black markings; and the male structures that are close to but distinct from those of its (genetically) nearest relatives, especially P. glaucescens : (4)the penis is simple and square-ended; (5) the cerci are somewhat longer than the simple paraprocts and have a distinctive though small subapical tooth on the lower flange, which creates a three-pointed tip in dorsal view ( Fig. 12 ). Etymology Latin “golden” refers to the rich colour of this species (neuter adjective). Photo 27. Pseudagrion aureolum , male; Batéké Plateau, Gabon. Photo: JK (21-ix- -2013) Photo 28. The crystal clear Léconi River on the Batéké Plateau, Gabon. Pseudagrion aureolum is common on its grassy banks. Photo: JK (22-ix- -2013) Figure 12. Penis in lateral and ventral view (left) and male appendages in dorsal (middle) and lateral view (right) of selection of Pseudagrion B-group species; P. tanganyicum sp. nov. is structurally identical to P. massaicum . Range and ecology Open and clear streams, rivers and lakes between 300 and 550 m a.s.l. on the sandy Batéké Plateau in south-eastern Gabon ( Photos 26 , 28 ). This is an unusual habitat for the B-group of Pseudagrion , which prefers warmer habitats such as sluggish rivers and ponds.