The name-bearing types of Odonata held in the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, with systematic notes on Afrotropical taxa. Part 1: introduction and Anisoptera

Abstract

Orthographic details of 118 name-bearing types of Odonata are provided in two parts: the first and present paper deals with Anisoptera, the second with Zygoptera. 58 types pertain to good species, although the taxonomy of at least four is problematic. The details of 11 ‘holotypes’ of forms are also provided, although these and their names have no nomenclatory status. The taxonomy of the Afrotropical members of Microgomphus is discussed, as are the suplnus-group of Onychogomphus, the fritillaries-group of Paragomphus, the genus Tragogomphus, and the basitincta-group of Trithemis. Microgomphus bivittatus is transferred to Lestinogomphus, and Tragogomphus seydeli to Onychogomphus. Heliaeschna longfieldae is a junior synonym of H. sembe; Microgomphus mozambicensis and probably M. schoutedeni of M. nyassicus; Onychogomphus quirkii and O. septemflavum of O. seydeli; Paragomphus dicksoni of P. cognatus; Aethiothemis watulikii of A. basilewskyi; Eleuthemis quadrigutta of E. buettikoferi; Malgassophlebia aequatoris, M. longistipes and M. nigeriae of M. hispina; Tetrathemis bifida and T. sulci of T. camerunensis; Trithemis jacksoni of T. arteriosa. It was confirmed that Gynacantha ochraceipes is a junior synonym of G. vesiculata; Macromia paludosa of Phyllomacromia over-laeti; Trithemis falconis of T. aequalis; Zygonyx ikomae of Z. natalensis.

Keywords: Odonata, dragonfly, types, taxonomy, synonymy, Africa, Zimbabwe, E.C.G. Pinhey

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