Two pale-faced Planaeschna species from Xuan Son

October 26 I was working the streams of Xuan Son. This is the place where P. guentherpetersi was described from. I ran into it last year and again this Sunday I bumped into several. Females were flying about and ovipositing in the trees over the water, sometimes at several meters height. But I also noticed them ovipositing on logs floating on the water. Although I saw several, I was only able to catch one female and take pictures of another. Only late in the day, not far from dusk, did I finally catch a male. I also caught another rather similar female, but somewhat smaller, with different ovipositor and different pattern on S2. This somewhat smaller species is different from P. guentherpetersi, but I have as yet not been able to find what it then might be.

Another female Planaeschna guentherpetersi. Note again the characteristic pattern on S2.

Facial pattern of female P. guentherpetersi, largely orange-yellow, but darker anteclypeus.

The male of Planaeschna guentherpetersi.

In dorsal view, the same male. Note the 5-spot mark on the dorsum of S2.

Facial pattern of male P. guentherpetersi, similar to female, but antefrons much darker brownish black towards dorsal half.

       

Appendages in lateral view of P. guentherpetersi, clear uplift

And in dorsal view. Epiproct looks shorter than it really is through angle (distorted in death)

Penile final segment in ventral view. Not rounded and no "earlobes", very different from the "gressitti" types

  

In lateral view,  no earlobes

The other pale faced Planeaschna female caught hunting over the stream. Note the very different pattern on S2 and the lack of pale markings between the two greenish yellow lateral stripes.

The face of Planaeschna species incertae, with pale anteclypeus.

The two females in dorsal view. Planaeschna species incertae on top and P. guentherpetersi below.  Apart from the smaller size and reduced amber bases to the wings of the species incertae, note also the very different pattern of S2.

The same in lateral view. Note the different lateral marking on S2 and the different relative length of the paraprocts.

Which becomes obvious here. Much longer and differently shaped paraprocts. Also, the ventral projection of S10 is less pronounced. Female P. guentherpetersi

The same for Planaeschna species incertae. Shorter paraprocts and more pronounced ventral keel. Clearly this is a different species.