The larvae of Cora inca Selys, 1873 and Polythore gigantea (Selys, 1853) from Colombia (Odonata: Polythoridae), with a larval diagnoses of some genera in the family

Zootaxa. 2023 Mar 14;5254(4):517-533. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.5254.4.4.

Abstract

The larvae of Cora inca Selys, 1873 and Polythore gigantea (Selys, 1853) were found in first and second order forested streams at the Tatamá Natural National Park in the Colombian Western Andes. Their final larval stadia are here described and figured. Cora inca differs from the larvae of C. cyane Selys, 1853 and C. marina Selys, 1868 by a combination of features including presence of an irregular patch of minute, gray scales to each side of the ventral midline on the ventral pad of hypopharynx, paraprocts with five projections, and the position of epiproct and paraproct projections. On the other hand, the larva of P. gigantea differs from the larva of P. spaeteri Burmeister & Börzsöny, 2003 by antennal scape slightly shorter than 3rd antennomere, prementum 0.10x longer than its widest part, and the position of epiproct and paraproct projections. Although most of the larvae in the family Polythoridae are still unknown, here we discuss the main morphological characteristics that help to diagnose some of the genera in this family, presenting a regional taxonomic key that includes the genera Cora Selys, 1853, Euthore Selys, 1859, Miocora Calvert, 1917, and Polythore Calvert, 1917.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Colombia
  • Forests
  • Larva / anatomy & histology
  • Odonata*
  • Parks, Recreational