Microneura is a junior synonym of Protoneura (Zygoptera, Coenagrionidae) 00

M. Olalla Lorenzo-Carballa^a,b ✉️ , Yusdiel Torres-Cambas^c, Sonia Ferreira^a,d,e, Adrian D. Trapero-Quintana^c, Adolfo Cordero-Rivera^b

Institute of Integrative Biology, Biosciences Building, Crown Street, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
Grupo de Ecoloxía Evolutiva e da Conservación, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, EUE Forestal, Campus Universitario A Xunqueira s/n, Pontevedra, Spain
Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Oriente. Patricio Lumumba s/n, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
CIBIO/InBio – Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos da Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
Departamento de Biologia da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua Campo Alegre, Porto, Portugal

International Journal of Odonatology, Volume 19, Issue 1-2, Pages 13-22, 2016

https://doi.org/10.1080/13887890.2016.1138692

Published: 2 April 2016 (Received: 9 September 2015, Accepted: 3 November 2015)

Abstract

Microneura caligata (Hagen in Selys, 1886) is an endangered damselfly presently known from five localities in the central mountains of Cuba. The precise systematic position of this species within the former Neotropical Protoneuridae has been the subject of debate, with previous results from a phylogenetic analysis based on morphology suggesting that the genus Microneura should be placed within the genus Protoneura. Here, we used mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequencing to disentangle the taxonomic status of this species. Our results show that Microneura belongs to the Protoneura clade, thus making Microneura a junior synonym of Protoneura. Finally, we provide notes on some observations of emergence and ovipositing behaviour of this species.

Keywords: Odonata, dragonfly, Protoneuridae, Neotropics, endemism, molecular taxonomy

Issue section: Article