Somatochlora shennong Zhang, Vogt & Cai, 2014, sp. nov.

Somatochlora shennong sp. nov.

Figs. 1–9

Material examined. Holotype: ♂, Dajiuhu National Wetland Park in Shennongjia National Nature Reserve (31°28'47''N, 110°00'35''E), altitude 1754 m, Shennongjia City, Hubei Province, China, 9 August 2012, Haomiao Zhang leg.; Paratypes: 11 ♂, 3 ♀, same data; 3 ♂, same locality and collector, 28 August 2013.

Etymology. The name “ Shennong ” refers to the type locality, Mt Shennongjia, an unexplored mountain in central China. “ Shennong ” is also the alternative name of the emperor Yan, a Chinese leader in ancient times. Emperor Yan and emperor Yellow are jointly known as the “The ancestors of the Chinese,” so the name “ Shennong ” also refers to China. It is considered a noun in apposition.

Holotype male: Head: eyes dark green in living specimen. Labium yellow, labrum black. Anteclypeus yellow, postclypeus mainly black with a pair of small yellow stripes near the upper corner. Frons fundamentally brownish yellow with a large metallic blackish green spot frontally, and entirely metallic blackish green dorsally. Occiput black, fringed with whitish setae.

Thorax: prothorax with the anterior lobe yellow, middle lobe black and hind lobe with a large yellow spot dorsally. Synthorax shining metallic dark green with two broad yellow stripes on mesepimeron and metepimeron (Figs. 1 & 3). Legs mainly black, fore legs with coxae yellow. Wings hyaline, nodal index 6: 7: 7: 6 / 6: 5: 5: 8. Pterostigma black.

Abdomen: black with yellow markings on sides of S2 and S3 (Fig. 1): S2 with a large rounded spot under the auricle and a yellow posterior ring slightly interrupted both dorsally and laterally; S3 with large anterolateral spots.

Anal appendages black. Cerci about 2 times length of S10, the tip curved upwards and outwards (Fig. 5). Outer margin of cerci with two small teeth, not pointed, and inner margin with a prominent bulge (Fig. 5). Epiproct slightly bent, about 4/5 length of cerci. In dorsal view, Cerci converging in apical half (Fig. 6).

The genital ligula (penile organ) is shown in Fig. 8, the distal segments with a pair of curved flagella; 3rd segment straight and robust, 2nd segment with a distal spine. Genital hamule and lobe are shown in Fig. 7.

Paratype female: Color pattern of head and thorax very similar to that of the male (Fig. 2). Wings hyaline, nodal index 7: 8: 8: 8 / 9: 5: 5: 7. Pterostigma black.

Abdomen expanded in basal three segments and with yellow markings (Fig. 2). S2 with a yellow semicircular lateral spot and a very narrow posterior ring slightly interrupted dorsally; S3 with paired semicircular anterodorsal spots and anterolateral spots. Subgenital plate well developed, in ventral view the apex rounded in shape with a median furrow longitudinally (Fig. 9). End of subgenital plate reaching hind margin of S10 (Fig. 10). Cerci long, 1.5 times length of S10 (Fig. 10).

Measurements (mm). Holotype: total length 46.5, abdomen (including anal appendages) 34.0, hind wing 31.0; Paratype males: total length 44.5–50.0, abdomen (including anal appendages) 32–36.5.0, hind wing 29.0–31.5; Paratype females: total length 49.0–50.0, abdomen (including anal appendages) 35.5–36.0, hind wing 33.5.

Distribution. China (Hubei and Guangxi).

Notes on biology. The new species inhabits wetlands of Shennongjia National Nature Reserve at about 1700 m elevation. There are some large lakes as well as other habitats including marshes, small ponds and ditches at the reserve. S. shennong can be seen at very narrow ditches, about 0.5 m wide and with very dense emergent aquatic plants, as well as at marshes at which it is not easy to see the water. Males possess strong flight ability, usually traveling long distances among the wetlands. They fly at a rather low speed at about 2–3 m above ground on very sunny days. Territorial behavior was observed in the afternoon, males holding territory about 0.5 m above water, with some hovering (Fig. 3). Copulation was observed between 13:00 and 16:00. The pair in Figure 4 first circled above the marshes several times and then perched very low on the plants. Somatochlora shanxiensis is sympatric but not syntopic with S. shennong at the type locality and is also a dominant species there. S. shanxiensis occupies only the ponds with few emergent aquatic plants. It is also seen at some higher-elevation ponds of the reserve, about 2300 m in elevation.