A SYNOPSIS OF THE SOUTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF PHYLLOGOMPHOIDES, WITH A KEY AND DESCRIPTIONS OF THREE NEW TAXA (ODONATA, GOMPHIDAE) by JEAN BELLE Onder de Beumkes 35, Velp, the Netherlands Abstract A synopsis is given of the 25 representatives of the genus Phyllogomphoides Belle known from South America. The species are classified into eight groups, and a key to these species is given. Three taxa are introduced as new, viz.. Ph. major {6 holotype and 9 allotype: Su-rinam River, Surinam), Ph. peduncidus {6 holotype: Rio Uaupés, Amazonas, Brazil), and Ph. pseudoundulatus {6 holotype: Rio Tapajós (Cachoeira I), Para, Brazil). Descriptive and corrective notes on some of the previously described species are offered. The holotypes of Gomphoides fuhginosa Hagen in Selys and Gomphoides audax Hagen in Selys have been restudied. A neotype has been designated for Gomphoides selysi Navâs and the female is described for the first time. Contents Page Introduction 79 Acknowledgements and disposition of material studied 80 Systematic section 80 Keys to the South American species of Phyllogomphoides 81 Fuliginosus Group 83 Ph. fuliginosus (Hagen in Selys) 84 Ph. audax (Hagen m Selys) 85 Ph. selysi (Navâs) ' 86 Ph. imperator Belle 87 Ph. praedatrix Belle 87 Ph. major spec, nov 87 Cristatus Group 88 Ph. a-istatus (Needham) 89 Andromeda Group 89 Ph. andromeda (Selys) 89 Ph. Cassiopeia (Belle) 89 Ph. cepheus Belle 89 Undulatus Group 89 Ph. undulatus (Needham) 90 Ph. atlanticus (Belle) 90 Ph. aculeus Belle 90 Ph. angularis Belle 90 Ph. pedunculus spec, nov 90 Ph. pseudoundulatus spec, nov 91 Semicircularis Group 91 Ph. semicircularis (Selys) 91 Ph. lieftincki (Belle) 92 Ph. brunneus Belle 92 Calverti Group 92 Ph. calverti (Kirby) 92 Ph. camposi (Calvert) 93 Ph. singularis Belle 93 Annectens Group 93 Ph. annectens (Selys) 93 Ph. regularis (Selys) 93 Cornutifrons Group 94 Ph. cornutifrons (Needham) 94 References 94 Introduction The genus Phyllogomphoides Belle, 1970, comprises about forty species distributed all over the tropical parts of the New World, rang-ing from South Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia northward through Central America to the southern and western borders of Texas in the USA. The species are predominantly forest dwellers, which avoid cultivated areas. Al-though little is known of the ecology of any of the species, such field observations as have been recorded indicate that their larvae live in the small and large streams which cross the forests. Most of the males stay near the banks of the streams which gave them birth, but the females move into the forest and visit only again their parent streams for ovipositing. Hence females are particularly rare in collections. Of the 25 species known from South America, the females 79
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