Notul. Vol. No. December 2009 38 odonaloi, 7, 4, pp. 37-44, 1,

Drepanosticta starmuehlneri St. Quentin, 1972 from Sri Lanka, a syno-

nym of D. lankanensis (Fraser, 1931) (Zygoptera: )

M. Bedjanič

Kolodvorska 21b, SI-2310 Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenia; - [email protected]

Abstract — The badly damaged holotype of nal segment. Although head and prothorax

D. starmuehlneri in the Vienna Natural Histo- could not be checked, the specimen itself and

Museum is with Fraser’s of St. Quentin’s seem to agree ry compared original parts description

description and illustrations and with the type- with the description of D. lankanensis by FRA-

-checked specimens of D. lankanensis, and it is SER (1933a, 1933b). The only exception are

of basal inferior for concluded the former is a junior synonym spines on appendages which,

unknown described and the latter. reason, are not prop-

erly illustrated in Fraser’s original description

Introduction (FRASER, 1931 also FRASER, 1933a), but

In Sri Lanka, the family Platystictidae consists are clearly depicted in FRASER (1933b, fig.

with To confirm the anal of more than 20 exclusively endemic taxa, 12). ultimately identity, ap-

with remarkable species radiation seen in the ge- pendages were carefully compared my own

total of 15 endemic reference material of D. lankan- nus Drepanosticta. A rep- type-checked

from the from and differences were resentatives of this genus are known ensis Haputale no

D. island with additional taxa being described found. Herewith, both taxa are synonymised,

(BEDJANlC, 2006; BEDJANlC et al„ 2007; lankanensis having the priority (ICZN, 1999).

M. BedjaniC, in prep.).

Drepanosricta starmuehlneri was described Taxonomy

by Douglas St. Quentin based on a holotype Drepanosticta lankanensis (Fraser, 1931)

male collected by the Austrian-Ceylonese Hy- Drepanosticta starmuehlneri St. Quentin, 1972

Mission in November 1970 drobiological (ST. syn. nov.

QUENTIN, 1972). The type locality was “Bun-

galow at Campden Hill” near village Deniya- Discussion

in district of Sri Lanka’s Southern D. lankanensis is endemic Sri Lanka. Old lit- ya Matara to

records Province and the type specimen was deposited erature data and some new unpublished

in the Natural History Museum, Vienna. The show that it is not so “very rare”, as pessimisti- BEDJANlC basic description lacked detail and quality illus- cally stated by et al. (2007). It is

trations, which has resulted in more than three known from around 40 localities in south-west-

decades of no further information on its taxon- ern part of the island (Colombo, Kegalle, Ba-

distribution. Matara and Galle omy or dulla, Ratnapura, Kalutara,

“Wet During a visit to the Natural History Muse- Districts), which is known as the Zone”

for its out- um in Vienna in October 2007,1 used the oppor- and listed amongglobal “hot-spots”

tunityto examine the holotype of D. starmuehl- standing biodiversity, also in odonatological

neri. The type specimen, labeled as “9-XI-1970, sense.

Ceylon, Deniyaya”, though available, is badly In conclusion, despiteexceeding the scope of

that in Sri damaged with missing head, prothorax and this note, it should be stressed Lanka,

right hindwing, the thorax is distorted and left several endemic jungle-dwellingmembers of the

D. wings aregluedon the card. However, the abdo- family Platystictidae are highly endangered.

not but of men with anal appendages ispreserved well. lankanensis might be the case, some

its have restricted Unfortunately, the original description congeners mostly very ranges

proved incorrect in several details. Instead of and due to the undergoingloss of habitat many

“segments 8-10 black.”, in reality, the abdomi- of them are persisting only in small remaining

blue dor- of their habitat. As nal segments 10 and 9 are clearly on pockets original already BEDJANlC sum, as is the distal third of the 8th abdomi- stated by (2006), only serious fau- Notul. Vol. No. December 2009 odonatol., 7, 4, pp. 37-44, I, 39

nistic work covering the whole island, with fo- 20-34, World Conserv. Un. Sri Lanka & Govt cus on still preserved areas and protected are- Sri Lanka, Colombo; - BEDJANlC, M„ K.

DE as in central and south-western Sri Lanka, can CONIFF & G. SILVA W1JEYERATNE,

answers the conservation 2007. A the bring to open ques- photographic guide to dragonfliesof tions and concerns. It also goes without saying Sri Lanka , Jetwing Eco Holidays, Colombo; that the taxonomic revision of Platystictidae of — FRASER, F.C., 1931, J. Bombay nat. Hist.

Sri Lanka is badly needed. Soc. 35: 325-341, pis. 1-2 excl.; - 1933a, The

Acknowledgement — Thanks arc due to faunaof British India including Burma and Cey-

Mag. SUSANNE RANDOLF (Vienna, Aus- lon, vol. 1. Francis & Taylor, London; , tria), who kindly enabled the work in the odo- - 1933b, Ceylon J. Sci. (B) 17(3): 201-224; - natological collection in the National History ICZN, 1999. International Code of Zoological

Museum in Vienna. Nomenclature, Int. Trust Zool. Nomencl., Lon-

don; - ST. QUENTIN, D., 1972, Bull. Fish.

References - BEDJANlC, M., 2006, In: C.N.B. Res. Stn Sri Lanka 23: 137-139.

Bambaradeniya,[Ed.], Fauna ofSri Lanka: sta-

research and Received 2009 tus of taxonomy, conservation, pp. February 7,