A new species of Protosticta Selys, 1885 (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae) from the Brahmagiri Hills, Kerala, India

Abstract

A new species of  Protosticta Selys, 1885 is described from Brahmagiri hills of Coorg landscape of the Western Ghats in Peninsular India. The new species Protosticta francyisp. nov., is a congener of  P. antelopoides Fraser, 1931 and  P. ponmudiensis Kiran, Kalesh & Kunte, 2015, occupying a similar microhabitat, but distributed north of the major biogeographical divide, the Palghat Ga p. The new taxon is distinguished from all other Protosticta of  Western Ghats by the presence of long prothoracic spines in the males, the structure of the tip of the male cerci and genital ligula. A revised key to the species of  Protosticta of  Western Ghats is provided based on mature males.