->ShortDescBot: ShortDescBot adding short description "Species of damselfly"

2021-03-16T09:31:19Z

ShortDescBot adding short description "Species of damselfly"

New page

{{Short description|Species of damselfly}}
{{Taxobox
| image = Protosticta sholai.jpg
| image_caption = Male
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Arthropod]]a
| classis = [[Insect]]a
| ordo = [[Odonata]]
| familia = [[Platystictidae]]
| genus = ''[[Protosticta]]''
| species = '''''P. sholai'''''
| binomial = ''Protosticta sholai''
| binomial_authority = Subramanian & Babu, 2020
| synonyms =
}}

'''''Protosticta sholai'''''<ref name=Joshi>{{Cite journal|title=Three new species of Protosticta Selys, 1885 (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae) from the Western Ghats, India, with taxonomic notes on P. mortoni Fraser, 1922 and rediscovery of P. rufostigma Kimmins, 1958|journal=Zootaxa|url=https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4858.2.1|date=2020|volume=4858|pages=151–185|last1=Joshi|first1=Shantanu|last2=Subramanian|first2=K. A.|last3=Babu|first3=R.|last4=Sawant|first4=Dattaprasad|last5=Kunte|first5=Krushnamegh|issue=2|publisher=Magnolia Press, Auckland, New Zealand|doi=10.11646/zootaxa.4858.2.1|pmid=33056228}}</ref> is a [[damselfly]] species in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Platystictidae]]. It is [[endemic]] to southern [[Western Ghats]] in [[India]]. The species is named ''[[shola]]i'' considering the local name of its habitat, [[Montane grasslands and shrublands|montane evergreen forests]] of [[South Western Ghats montane rain forests|South Western Ghats]].<ref name=Joshi/>

The genus ''[[Protosticta]]'' has fifteen species reported from [[India]], of which twelve are known from [[Western Ghats]].<ref name=Joshi/><ref name=Fraser>{{cite book|author=C FC Lt. Fraser|title=The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma, Odonata Vol. I|publisher=Taylor and Francis|location=Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, London|year=1933}}</ref><ref name=ias>{{cite book|last=Subramanian|first=K. A.|title=Dragonflies and Damselflies of Peninsular India - A Field Guide|year=2005|url=http://www.ias.ac.in/Publications/Overview/Dragonflies}}</ref>

It is a black damselfly with blue eyes. Its thorax is black, marked with yellow stripes. Wings are transparent with dark brown [[pterostigma]]. Its abdomen is black, marked with yellow. Segments 1 and 2 are yellow laterally. Segments 3 to 8 are with broad yellow basal annules. Segment 8 is with its sides yellow in addition to the basal annule. Segments 9 has yellow spot, laterally. Segment 10 is unmarked. Anal appendages are black with dark brown apices. Female is very similar to the male, but shorter and more robustly built.<ref name=Joshi/>

This species can be distinguished from other ''[[Protosticta]]'' species based on its blue eyes. It can be distinguished from ''[[Protosticta monticola|P. monticola]]'' by the presence of extensive yellow markings on abdominal segments 8–9 and eye coloration. ''P. monticola'' has dorsum of abdominal segments 8–9 metallic black and black capped bluish-green eyes.<ref name=Joshi/><ref name=Emiliyamma&Palot>{{cite journal | authors = Emiliyamma, K.G. & M. J. Palot | title = A new species of Protosticta Selys, 1885 (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae) from Western Ghats, Kerala, India. | journal = Journal of Threatened Taxa | volume= 8 | issue= 14| pages = 9648–9652 | year = 2016| url=http://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/3226/3863| accessdate =2017-03-14 | doi=10.11609/jott.3226.8.14.9648-9652| doi-access = free }}</ref>

This species was first observed at Upper Manalar, [[High Wavy Mountains|Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary]], [[Tamil Nadu]]. Later it is found in [[Periyar National Park]], [[Kerala]] too.<ref name=Joshi/>

== See also ==
* [[List of odonates of India]]
* [[List of odonata of Kerala]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Taxonbar|from=Q99767801}}

[[Category:Platystictidae]]
[[Category:Insects of India]]
[[Category:Insects described in 2020]]

{{Coenagrionoidea-stub}}

Protosticta sholai - Revision history

->ShortDescBot: ShortDescBot adding short description "Species of damselfly"