Lestes curvatus Belle 1997

Lestes curvatus Belle, 1997

Fig. 4G–H (♁ and ♀ head), Fig. 7D–F (♁ pterothorax), Fig. 9 G-H (♁ genital ligula), Fig.11C–D (♁ caudal appendages), Fig. 12J–L (♀ pterothorax), Fig. 14D (♀ ovipositor), Fig. 17 (distribution), Fig. 22 (♁ field photo).

Etymology: named for the strong curvature in the cerci of the males.

Type locality: Marowijne, Surinam.

Distribution: Colombia (Guaviare, Meta), Guyana, Perú, Surinam.

Female described: Yes Larva described: No

Altitudinal range: 155–392 m IUCN status: LC— von Ellenrieder (2009a)

Records in previous references: Flórez et al. (2023)

Material examined (6♁♁, 6♀♀). Colombia, Meta, Puerto Gaitán, vereda Jag ¸ey, 4.2190N, 72.1250W, 184 m, from Dec-2014 to Jan-2015, L. Pérez & J. Montes leg., 2♁♁, 4♀♀ (UARC); as the previous but, 3.8050N, 72.2870W, 155 m, 2♁♁ (UARC); Villavicencio, vereda Corocora, 4.0650N, 73.5910W, 392 m, from Dec-2014 to Jan-2015, L. Pérez & J. Montes leg., 1♁, 1♀ (UARC); Guaviare, San José del Guaviare, “Naturlog” Nature Reserve, 2.5740N, 72.7130W, 180 m, 20-03-2022, Y. Cano leg., 1♁, (ANDES-E 23192); as the previous but, T. Pinzón leg., 1♀ (ANDES-E 23193).

Morphological characteristics: male and female mostly brown (Fig. 4G–H), mesepimeron and metepisternum with a black spot as in Fig. 7E; pectum pale brown, except anterior 0.25 of metapostepimeron black (Fig. 7F). Genital ligula rectangular, internal fold barely developed, width less than 1/3 of S2 (Fig. 9G), surface entire, no reaching S2 (Fig. 9H). Male cerci long, strong basal tooth projected ventrally; edge of medial portion without denticles; primary curvature type III (Fig. 11C); secondary curvature type II (Fig. 11D). Paraprocts reduced, globose, without apophyses, less than 1/3 of the length cerci (Fig. 11D). Lateral valves of the ovipositor with a row of small denticles increasing in size to the apex; cerci almost twice the length of S10; dorsal margin of basal plate longer than ventral (Fig. 14D); ventral margin split (Fig. 14C).

Remarks: This rare species has a large area of distribution, it has been recorded from six localities in Surinam, Guyana, and Peru (Belle 1997; von Ellenrieder et al. 2017). Recently it was reported for the first time in Colombia for the Guaviare department (Flórez et al. 2022). Here, we provide the second record for the Orinoco region (Meta department) (Fig. 17).