Description of larvae of two species of Coeliccia Selys, 1865 from Sarawak, identified using DNA barcoding (Odonata: Platycnemididae)

Abstract

The final stadium (F) larva of Coeliccia flavostriata Laidlaw, 1918, is described and illustrated based on a mature male specimen, collected at Gunung Serapi, Sarawak, East Malaysia. The larva of Coeliccia campioni Laidlaw, 1918, is described from an immature (F-2?) female specimen from Gunung Mulu, Sarawak, East Malaysia. Larvae were identified by matching the mitochondrial marker COI with that of known adult specimens from several localities throughout Sarawak. The specimens presented close matches with all adults in this gene. Despite the disparity in maturity of the specimens several morphological differences, likely to be reflected in the mature larva of C. campioni, are identified. Comparisons with known larval descriptions of other Coeliccia species are provided. It is concluded that molecular analysis will eventually provide the most reliable practical method of determining the species of larvae of many species from this diverse genus.