Two new Rhipidolestes for Vietnam

Currently 25 species of the genus Rhipidolestes are known. Many are very similar. Wilson and Xu (2007) provided a key to the known species, a great many of which occur in China. It has been a frustration for me that I had until now only been able to find Rhipidolestes owadai in northern Vietnam, where it is quite widespread and sometimes locally very common. How could there be no other species around, with directly across the border so many others? But frustrating as it might be, during 4 years in Vietnam I never found anything else.
It was with this knowledge that this spring I accompanied Phil Benstead and a fine group of people to the north of Vietnam on a two-week tour. Of course we encountered R. owadai. And I explained again and again that this is strangely enough the only species of the genus in Vietnam. Until on June 12 we spent a morning in the pouring rain at the Love Waterfall in Sa Pa at approximately 2000m altitude. I found a completely drenched somewhat smallish Rhipidolestes, virtually dead, in the mist and rain. The altitude was way higher than any R. owadai I had ever seen, so I paid close attention. It was a new species for Vietnam! Checking the details, it is close to identical to the detailed description of R. jucundus Lieftinck, 1948, a high altitude species from Fujian Province in China. That is far away from Sa Pa, but at least the altitude is similar. Possibly the cone on S9 is larger than in the type, but Lieftinck did not draw it and although the specimen is kept at Naturalis, the collection is currently closed. Also, Lieftinck described only one row of cells between CuA (his Cu2) and the wing margin in all wings. In my specimen there are two rows in the hindwing. However, otherwise everything fits exactly. I am confident this is indeed R. jucundus.
But things turned stranger after returning home and checking a R. owadai, or so I thought, I had collected in comparison. I did not properly note the location, but I probably took it in Cao Bang, at Pia Oac. looking at it again, it was immediately obvious it had a blue face, quite unlike R. owadai. Further study pointed to R. cyanoflavus Wilson, 2000. This species at least was described from nearby Guangdong Province in China. I am quite embarrassed not having recognized it in the field, but anyway, a third Rhipidolestes found to occur in Vietnam!

Many thanks to Keith Wilson and Martin Schorr, who provided some of the papers I needed.

Rhipidolestes jucundus in the rain at Love Waterfall

Its bright orange face

The rather distinctive appendages in dorsal view, although similar to those of R. malaisei from Myanmar. Apologies for the faeces visible.

The appendages in lateral view, with the upward pointed tooth of the inferiors clearly visible.

Not even a proper picture. Rhipidolestes cyanoflavus, from northern Vietnam, probably Pia Oac.

I have to admit, it is not clear how I missed noticing the face is blue.

The superior appendages, clearly different from R. owadai.

Burmargiolestes cf. laidlawi

Last weekend I wanted to escape the gloom of Hanoi and flew down to Da Nang, from where I went to the area around P'rao along the Ho Chi Minh Highway in Quang Nam Province. This is quite an interesting area with some reasonable remaining forest and a few interesting streams. It was here that I trotted through a stream for two consecutive days, during which I added a few species to my Vietnamese list. It was a bit cheeky, as this is outside my normal area of research (too far south), but it provided a lot of interesting insights. Anyway, on the second day I was searching for the female of an as yet, presumably, undescribed Coeliccia species when I noticed on a very wet slope just above the stream a Burmargiolestes male hiding amongst the roots. Interestingly, it did not have the whitish rings at the tip of the abdomen of B. melanothorax and it also seemed to have rather extensive pale sutures on the thorax. I was able to catch it and in hand noticed an additional and exciting feature. It had a pale blue face! Now, B. melanothorax (and rather similar Argiomorpha fusca) has an ochre face. This clearly was something else. Checking the literature at home it dawned that the species described as B. melanothorax by Selys and illustrated in Fraser (1933) had been shown by Lieftinck (1960) and Asahina (1985) to be a different species, B. Laidlawi, that differed for instance in the pale blue face. This species occurs in India.

Rory Dow alerted me to the fact that similar specimens had been recorded in Vietnam before. Actually from Bach Ma National Park, close to Da Nang, by Matti Hamalainen. And Haruki Karube also mentioned having recorded it. So in the south of Vietnam there is a species with a pale blue face and mine is not just an aberration.

Interestingly, the description in Fraser mentioned that the pale blue extends to the base of the antennae, exactly like in my specimen (the ochre of B. melanothorax extends only marginally unto the frons). Rory mentioned that there are some small differences between the specimens of B. laidlawi from India and those from around Da Nang, for instance by displaying a pale area on S9. This is mentioned also by Asahina. However, the description by Fraser mentions only "Abdomen glossy black or blackish-brown in subteneral specimens, segments 3 to 6 with an obscure yellowish spot or annual near the base." He says noting about a pale area on S9. I have not been able to find any photo or further useful illustration of the species and therefore think it is perfectly possible that the species in Vietnam is in fact B. laidlawi. Nevertheless, given the long distance between it known range and Vietnam, it is better to consider this B. cf. laidlawi until a direct comparison with Indian laidlawi is possible. 

Male Burmargiolestes cf. laidlawi. Note the pale lateral lines on the prothorax, the pale line at the dorsal end of the thoracic sutures and the all dark S8-10. 

Slightly overexposed face of the same male. The pale blue extends well beyond the base of the antennae and up to the central ocellus. This is much more extensive than in B. melanothorax.

Burmargiolestes melanothorax - easily overlooked

According to the IUCN website Burmargiolestes melanothorax is not uncommon and occurs in hill forest from Myanmar to Vietnam. Do & Dang indicated records from Lai Chau, but I had never seen them anywhere, until I finally caught up with the species in Ha Tinh Province, in hill forest close to the Laotian border, on May 9. If you do not pay attention to the appendages and abdominal tip, it is easily overlooked, because it inhabits the same kind of habitat as Agriomorpha fusca and looks a lot like that species, with its blackish thorax and ringed blackish abdomen and yellow face. It does however not have all-white S9-10 like A. fusca and that should be the give-away. Inside the forest where I saw it, it was not uncommon and shared its habitat with Devadatta cyanocephala, Protosticta satoi, and the same Drepanosticta sp. novum that also occurs on Ba Vi Mountain.

Burmargiolestes melanothorax male at Ha Tinh Province

Another male. Note the white half-ring between S8-9 and S9-10.

Priscagrion kiautai - a new genus and species for Vietnam*

*This entry was adjusted when the identity of the mystery species was established through the kind help of Wen-Chi Yeh and Keith Wilson.

The middle of May I was alerted by Toan that he had seen an unknown species of Megapodagrionidae at Pia Oac, a place I regularly visit myself. Excitedly I went to check, after I had met with Toan in Cao Bang and seen his specimens, which showed indeed something very unusual. On May 20 I visited Pia Oac and saw 2 males of his species. On May 31 I visited again and this time saw at least 6 males. The female still needs to be located.

This is a robust damselfly, that sits on exposed branches, twigs, vines and sometimes leaves in shady places along a stony stream under forest cover. As it sits quietly with wings spread out it is easy to overlook, where it not for the bright blue abdominal tip. Otherwise it is quite dark in appearance. Apart from the curved superior appendages the forked inferior is also striking. After initial bewilderment Wen-Chi Yeh helped me out by pointing to Priscagrion. Subsequent communication with Keith Wilson confirmed his suspicion that this is a Priscagrion species. Priscagrion was described by Zhou & Wilson in 2000 and contains two species, Priscagrion kiautai and P. pinheyi. Although P. kiautai has darkened wingtips in the description, based on specimens from Guizhou Province in China, the other characteristics seem to fit very well, notably the exact shape of the appendages. Although subsequent research may point out this it in fact a closely related, but different, (sub)species, for the moment it seems safe to identify the mystery damsels as P. kiautai, a great addition to the Vietnamese fauna.

Priscagrion kiautai in its dark surroundings

A different male enticed to sit on a leaf on May 31

Facial pattern of the male

The same species in hand on May 20

Appendages in dorsal view

And in lateral view. The shape of the inferiors is intriguing.

Wrapping it up at Cat Tien

All in all it has been an amazing time at Cat Tien National Park again, bringing in plenty of new discoveries and showing what a treasure trove Vietnam really is, when it comes to Odonata. I saw about 270 in 2014 and there is definitely no end in sight, but most of my time is spent in the north. So these trips to the south are a rare treat and bring in loads of new experiences. For one, there is no real quiet season. Although in the north even now you can find dragons or damsels (just last week, on the 26th I had a female Megalestes micans in Sa Pa (yes, even at that height they hang on in the cold) that does not compare to the exciting hustle and bustle of the south. Here is a few more damsel pictures to wrap up adventures there.

Male of Argiocnemis rubescens, very common in November

And the immature female of Argiocnemis rubescens

Another species that was surprisingly common this time round was Onychargia atrocyana, here a male

But what was really a surprise was Rhinagrion hainanense. This is a male, although I also saw a female. Very similar R. yokoii has recently been shown to be a junior synonym of this species.

A few more goodies from Xuan Son

October 26, in Xuan Son, I had, besides the Calopterygids and Planaeschnids, several other interesting dragonflies. Rhinagrion hainanense is always a great find. Regular at Xuan Son from early spring until autumn, but a wonderful insect. I was also surprised to see a female Merogomphus pavici ovipositing. I had no idea this species flies this late in the year. And two males Lamelligomphus formosanus were another surprise. Of course some Lamelligomphus fly relatively late in the year, but I had not seen L. formosans this late. Boyeria karubei was common, but it is a fine species and a specialty of the park. I also took a few photos of Coeliccia. No less than 6 species were present: C. scutellum, C. pyriformis, C. cyanomelas, C. uenoi, C. sasamotoi and C. poungyi.

Old male Lamelligomphus formosanus, its venter covered in mites.

Pretty Rhinagrion hainanense, male

Female Boyeria karubei

Female Merogomphus pavici, resting after release

Merogomphus pavici, female face

Closer in-hand view. Note the massive hind legs and the spines on it.

Coeliccia poungyi, one of about 12 males

Male Coeliccia sasamotoi

Sinocnemis yangbingi - 1000km from Emeishan and new for Vietnam

On April 16 we were birding on the slopes of Mount Phan Xi Pang, at about 1800m ask when I noticed a damselfly interacting in a territorial dispute with a male Mesopodagrion tibetanum. It was about the same size and likewise perched with wings held open on leaves, but instead of a whitish blue pruinose abdomen tip, it had a bright blue abdominal tip. I relocated it after a bit of searching and after a few quick record shots decided to try to catch it by hand. I luckily succeeded. But what was it? Clearly something new for Vietnam. Today while searching through the literature I came across an article by Vincent Kalkman on Mesopodagrion and Sinocnemis from 2008. It helped me to the answer: Sinocnemis yangbingi, a peculiar species known from very few locations, the closest at 1000km distance in Sichuan at Mount Emei. Quite a range extension! As this is apparently an immature male, the colors are more vivid, but the pattern is the same as in the photos in Vincent's article and both the penile organ and the appendages are identical.

Sinocnemis yangbingi, male, immature

The same immature male

Note the orange mid dorsal stripe, which will disappear when the insect matures

Typical appendages in lateral view, S8 damaged in capture

Appendages in dorsal view

Note shape of distal segment of penile organ and thick hairs along shaft.

Mesopodagrion tibetanum australe (Yu & Bu, 2009)

Between 14 and 16 April I was on a birding trip in the Sapa area (as the readers will be now know). Everyday we bumped into varying numbers of a robust damselfly in a variety of habitats, but apparently all associated with shallow, muddy and swampy places. It was certainly common. Today I found the revision of the Mesopodagrion genus by Yu & Bu and that helped clinch the ID. It is Mesopodagrion tibetanum australe, a (sub)species widely distributed in Yunnan, so it comes as no surprise that it also occurs on the Vietnamese side of the border. The photos are from specimens near Love Waterfall, but we also saw them on the flanks of Phan Xi Pang to at least 2000m asl.

Mesopodagrion tibetanum australe, male

Tandem of M. t. australe. The female has very extensive yellow on S9-10

Freshly emerged male, showing the light back of the head indicative of the (sub)species (amongst others)

Female at top, male at bottom. The male is 43mm long.

Sapa, 14-16 April

To continue the saga of Sapa, we arrived late on Sunday 13th after a grueling drive, persuaded by my Papago! to drive a different route, not as I planned along QL 32, but first along QL 70, where we eventually ran into a traffic jam and had to U-turn, drive back for an hour and then followed TL 151, equally disastrous, as it was no more than a off road dirt track ruined by working traffic for the highway being built. But we made it. In Sapa we noticed great dragonfly spots, but did not specifically explore them, as this was a birding trip. However, the swampy field along the trail to Love Waterfall was very productive and birding the lower areas of Phan Xi Pang mountain was also great, irrespective of the time of the year (early) although diversity was still low.

I will need some time to sort everything out, but this is the information I can share right now. Any suggestions on the IDs are very welcome. The streams were still mostly empty, but the pools and swampy fields had interesting species. Orthetrum glaucum, O. pruinosum, O. triangulare and O. sabina were to be expected, but O. internum was the commonest species by far. I had not seen it before in Vietnam. The presence of Anax nigrofasciatus was a nice surprise, with 2 males at the marsh of Love Waterfall and another somewhere over a pond. A freshly emerged, but somewhat damaged Anotogaster male was also a wonderful find on Phan Xi Pang. And Libellula melli was yet another species I had not expected. This cousin of the Eurasian L. depressa occurs in Southern China but to my knowledge is new for Vietnam.

Damselflies were also very interesting, although I encountered only a few. A Megalestes species was found emerging at various locations and once a mature female was seen, but escaped before it good be photographed. Common in a variety of habitats was a species that seems to be a Mesopodagrion species, and as it does not look like M. tibetanum, it could be M. yachowensis. To be continued. Another species seen only once is also an unknown, suggestions are welcome. This was a beautiful species similar in size to the Mesopodagrion and interacting with it in the forest. I am at a loss for now. And the last damsel found was Ceriagrion fallax. It was common at one particular stream near Sapa town.

Let's start with the completely unknown, suggestions welcome!

The same damsel, detail of thorax

The same damsel, lateral view of appendages

Anax nigrofasciatus, male

Ceriagrion fallax, male

Orthetrum internum, male

Megalestes spec, work in progress, female

Very cool Mesopodagrion species, male

Mesopodagrion species in tandem

Libellula melli, male, new for Vietnam

The unfortunate Anotogaster male, something went wrong during emergence