Trithemis morrisoni sp. nov. and T. palustris sp. nov. from the Okavango and Upper Zambezi Floodplains previously hidden under T. stictica (Odonata: Libellulidae)

Sandra Damma, Heike Hadrysa,b

  1. ITZ, Ecology & Evolution, TiHo Hannover, Hannover, Germany
  2. Yale University, Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, New Haven, USA

International Journal of Odonatology, Volume 12, Issue 1, Pages 131-145, 2009
https://doi.org/10.1080/13887890.2009.9748333
Published: 1 April 2009 (Received: 5 June 2008, Accepted: 14 February 2009)

Abstract

During the course of a population genetic study of Trithemis stictica that included sites in Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Botswana and Zambia, two undescribed libellulid species were discovered in the Okavango and Upper Zambezi Floodplains. These were both previously identified as T. stictica. We describe the two species, T. morrisoni sp. nov. (holotype ♂: Namibia, Nature Reserve Popa Falls, Okavango River at the rapids, 18°07′S, 21°40′; iv 2007, leg. K.-D.B. Dijkstra; dep. in the National Museum of Namibia, Windhoek) and T. palustris sp. nov. (holotype ♂: Botswana, Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, 19°15′S, 23°20′E; ii 2007, leg J. Kipping; dep. in the National Museum of Namibia, Windhoek) and compare them with T. stictica.

Keywords: Odonata, dragonfly, Anisoptera, Trithemis, taxonomy, Africa, new species, genetics

Issue section: Article