Mangrove Darner

Coryphaeschna viriditas Tables 2, 5, 8, 12. 13, 18; PI. XXXVII, figs. 500504, PI. XXXVIII, figs. 506-512; Map 7.
1952. Coryphaeschna viriditas Calvert, Ent. News 63 : 264 (new name for

Coryphaeschna viriditas Calvert, PI. XL, fig. 535, PI. XLV, figs. 591, 592, 599, PL XLVII, figs. 607, 610, 614; Map 7.
1943. Coryphaeschna virens Geijskes, Ent. News 54 (3) : 68, figs. 2A-F (entire $ nymph, antenna, mentum & palps, 2 gonapophyses, apex of abdomen 2 $ ). 1
Material studied. — Guatemala : Los Amates, Dept. Izabal, Jany., 1905, E. B. Williamson in his coll. 1 $ larva. Panama : Culebra, Canal Zone 1 2 exuvia, coll. Williamson, U.M. British Guiana : Georgetown, probably from canals adjacent to the town, not collected by E. B. W(illiamson) but his property, 1 $ larva UM ; Wismar, on reeds in flat above swamp, 1 2 exuvia, coll. Wllmsn. UM. Brazil : Belem, Para, " From igarape in woods. Found on a leaf, Aug. 1, 1922", J. H. Williamson, 1 & exuvia, coll. Wllmsn., UM. L[agoa] Taniape, Fortaleza, Ceara, 3 2 larvae, coll. Needham (1 2 given to P. P. C); Nova Teutonia, Sta. Catharina, March, 1936, F. Plaumann, 2 S, 2 2 larvae, coll. P. P. C. Total 4 5,52 larvae, 15,22 exuviae.
Total length S 51.75-17 mm., 2 50-18.5 (Fortaleza 3 2 50-26). Head, maximum length 7.54-2.70, maximum width 10.18-3.11, hind margin 6.22-2.97. The hind margin of the head is nearly straight in each lateral fifth of its length, concave in the middle three-fifths, the deptli of the concavity being from 1.4 to .08 mm. in the median line from the largest to the smallest individuals. Antennal segments seven. Labium when folded at rest reaching to the level of the hind margin of the second or of the third coxa; mentum: total length 12.91-3.27, sides subparallel from base to slightly more than mid-length, thence diverging to apex, basal width 3.11-1.02 mm., width at mid-length 3.76-1.39, distal width 6.95-2.08 ; distal margin with two acute spines, each .5-.057-0.76 mm. long, one on each side of a usually open median (ligular) cleft from which it is distant by .10-. 13 mm.; the distal mental margin is angulated at each spine (except in the Belem and three smaller Nova Teutonia examples ; the ligular cleft .57.076 mm. deep, .06-. 025 mm. wide at the margin ; the distal mental margin in the Belem example closely approaches a straight line, in the Los Amates and Fortaleza specimens it is markedly arched at each spine and more so in those from Fortaleza than in those from Guiana. Labial palps : the three Fortaleza examples show these differences among themselves : the smallest has the proximal segment (fixed hook) squarely truncated, the next in size (37 mm. long) less squarely truncated and the outer distal angle more rounded the largest nearly of the obliquely truncated form shown in fig. 599, PI. XLV, for the Wismar specimen.
Pronotum, maximum width 6.38-2.40 mm. ; in the largest Fortaleza example it is divided by two transverse carinae into three areas (the first carina convex anteriorly, the second concave anteriorly), the mid-dorsal longitudinal dimensions of the three areas are, respectively, .75, 1.23 and .57 mm.; a brownish mid-dorsal line on the anterior two areas; from the point where this line meets the second carina a less-marked carina runs on each side obliquely laterad and caudad to behind the mesostigma. The second transverse carina described above terminates in a lateral rounded process .8 mm. long in ventral view.
On the propleura two supracoxal processes, rounded at the apices, one behind the other, the anterior the smaller, .33 mm. high (Fortaleza), .5 mm. wide at base, the posterior .41 x .65 mm., the two processes separated by an angular interval of 90° in dorsal view. On the mesopleura a sub-horizontal longitudinal carina with a slight notch above the middle of the second coxa, which notch apparently corresponds to the interval between the two propleural supracoxal processes. On the metapleura a similar subhorizontal longitudinal carina with a still slighter notch above the third coxa. In the Belem exuvia the two propleural supracoxal processes are markedly unequal in length (anterior .28 mm., posterior .61 mm. long = high) and in width at base (.42 and .76 mm., respectively), all these measurements in dorsal view.
Hind wing pads reach to the middle of abd. seg. 4, their front margin 11.8611.12 mm. long (larger specimens), or middle of seg. 1 (smaller where their front margin is 1.47-.90 mm. long), their venation not distinct even with the addition of alcohol, wing rudiments within the pads not crumpled in individuals 22-17 mm. long, crumpled in those 50 mm. long. Hind femur 7.45 mm. in the largest specimen, femora and tibiae pale, femora with a brown dot at 2/3 length (diffuse dots, Belem), tibiae with a brown spot at 1/3 length (unspotted in the smallest Fortaleza example). Tarsi 3-3-3-segmented.
Abdomen : total length 33 mm., maximum width 10 mm. at seg. 6 to 4.66 mm. at 6, spiracles visible on 2or 4-8, obscured by debris on others ; gonapophyses $ .33-.12 mm., 2 2.03-.50 mm., reaching to half-length, or entire length of the sternum of seg. 9. Lateral spines on segs. 6-9 or 5-9 or 4-9, shortest on the most anterior (.1-.038 mm.). Anal apps. : mid-dorsal 4.911.31 mm. long, its apex squarely truncated with a minute spine at each lateral angle of the truncation, roundly excavated to a maximum depth of .16 mm. at the middle, exceeding the level of the apices of the lateral apps. by .38-.57 mm., length of the male part 1.90-1.64 mm., greater than its basal width. Lateral apps. 5. 73-. 82 mm., inferiors 6.22-1.88 mm.
Colors of alcoholic larvae except where otherwise stated. The general body color ranges from pale clay yellow to gamboge to pale cadmium yellow to brown pink to brown ochre (Smith's Glossary, pi. IV, nos. 22, 18, 20, 21, 36).
Head in lateral view with a pale brown longitudinal stripe through the eye, continued caudad as a vandyke brown stripe .66 mm. wide, to the hind margin of the head and thence as a much paler stripe (ill-defined in some) on the thoracic pleura. On the dorsal surface of the head the area of the compound eyes of the imago is purplish, or dark olive green, or cologne earth, with diffuse brownish markings between the eyes.
On the most anterior area of the pronotum two straight, transverse, pale brown streaks ; on each side of the middle area a wider, curved, transverse, pale brown stripe ; mesal end of each mesostigma outlined in sepia in strong contrast to the surrounding cadmium yellow.
Abdomen in Fortaleza examples with irregular, minute, longitudinal, pinkish flecks, hindmost fifth of segs. 3-10 pale greenish, each lateral half thereof with 10-12 irregular, longitudinal, more or less broken brown lines; a mid-dorsal blackish hair-line on 2-9, fainter on 2 and on 9, interrupted at the base of 4-8 by a paler yellow oblong spot .74 mm. long x .5 mm. wide, hind end pointed, bounded by a dark reddish brown line except at the anterior end; about at far behind this oblong spot as the spot is long is the single pair of transverse, linear dorsal puncta of Walker 1912 on 5 and 6, abbreviated on 7 and 8; dorso-lateral puncta present as dots on 6-8, lateral puncta present and larger on 2-9, lateral scars not prominent. Both dorsal and ventral surfaces of the abdominal segments with numerous pale setae up to .19 mm. long, arranged in irregular longitudinal rows.
In the smaller examples from Nova Teutonia, ranging in length from 22 to 17 mm., the abdominal markings are as follows : a pair of subdorsal brown ochre spots, varying in diffuseness, on 1-7 or -8, or on 1-10, forming a middorsal stripe 1.14-1.39 mm. wide, these spots somewhat in a V (open cephalad) on 3-8, or on 5or 6-7, or not well marked, on 5-7 smaller, on 8 much larger, more remote from each other on 8 and 9 or on 9 and 10, or not remote on 810; dorsal puncta on 1-7 or 3-7, but not distinct in all specimens; dorso-lateral puncta on 3-7 or 4-7, or 3 and 4; lateral puncta on 1-6 or -7, or 2-7, or 3-8; lateral scars on 4-8, or not prominent; in some individuals each of the brown ochre spots on 3or 5-8 contains a larger anterior and a smaller posterior dorsal punctum.
The Belem exuvia shows two pale paramedian longitudinal stripes not as wide as the mid-dorsal brown (= the black hair-line of Fortaleza) separating them, other markings not evident.
Abdominal markings in the Culebra exuvia obscured by attached debris.
The very pale, almost uncolored Wismar exuvia has a pale brown middorsal stripe .9 mm. wide on 3or 4-8 and a pair of darker spots (anterior dorsal puncta) on 4-8, dorso-lateral and lateral puncta faint.

Aeschna virens Rambur 1842 preoccupied). 1
1953. Coryphaeschna viriditatis Racenis, Anales Univ. Centr. Venez. 35: 35. 2 1842. Aeschna virens Rambur, Ins. Nevr. 193. 3
1861. Aeschna virens Hagen, Synop. Neur. N. Amer. 127, 314. 4
1865. Aeschna virens Scudder, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 10: 190. 5
1867. Aeschna virens Hagen, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 11: 293. 6
1867. Aeschna virens Uhler, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 11: 295. 7
1873. Aeschna virens Hagen, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 15: 374. 8
1874. Aeschna virens Hagen, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 16: 351. 9 1875. Aeschna virens Hagen, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 18: 36, 38. 10
1886. Aeschna virens Gundlach, Neur. Cuba 238. 11
1903. Coryphacschna virens Calvert, Ent. News 14: 9. 12
1905. Aeshna virens Calvert, Biol. Centr.-Amer. Neur. 187, tab. viii, figs. 17,
18 (apps. 5). 13 1908. Aeschna virens Martin, Colls. Zool. Selys-Longch. Cat. Syst. Descr.
fasc. XVIII: 76, fig. 75 (apps. 5). 14
1918. Coryphacschna virens Ris, Arch. Naturgesch. 82 A (9) : 169. 16
1919. Aeshna virens Calvert, Ent. News 30: 37. 16
1919. Aeshna virens Calvert, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. 45 : 358. 17 1924. Coryphacschna virens Navas, Mem. R. Acad. Cien y Artes Barcelona (3) 18 (13): 5. 18
1924. Coryphacschna virens Navas, Rev. R. Acad. Cien. Exact. Fis. Nat. Madrid 21 : 324. 19
1925. Aeschna virens Campos, Rev. Coll. Nac. Vic. Rocaf. 7 (19-20) : 4. 20 1929. Coryphacschna virens Needham & Hey wood, Hdbk. Drgfls. N. Amer.
132. 21 1932. Coryphacschna virens Geijskes, Zool. Meded. Mus. Nat. Hist. Leiden
15 (1-2): 101. 22 1939. Coryphacschna virens Cowley, Mem. Mus. Roy. Hist. Nat. Belg. (2)
15: 147. 23 1941. Coryphaeschna virens Westfall, Ent. News 52: 15. 24 1943. Coryphaeschna virens Geijskes, Ent". News 54 (3) : 63, 64, 68, figs.
2A-F (nymph). 25 1948. Coryphaeschna virens Calvert, Zoologica 33 (2) : 71. 26
Material studied. — U. S. America: Florida, Lower Matecumbe Key, March 20, 1938, M. J. Westfall, Jr., 1 2 Museum, Rollins College, Winter Park. West Indies : Cuba, Loew 1 2 MCZ ; Casa Villata, 22 July 1 5 , Calabazar, 28 Aug. 15,12 Playa del Chico, 4 Sep. 1 5, these three all near Habana, 1923, Santiago de las Vegas, 25 June to 16 Sep., 4 Dec, 1923-1926 3 5,6 2 , F. Z. Cervera, coll. Cowley ; Isle of Pines, P. R. Uhler 1 $ and Hayti, Samana, Frazar 15,12 MCZ; Jamaica, W. Schaus 1 2 USNM. Mexico: Alta Mira, Tamaulipas, M. E. Hoag, June 30, July 15, 1903, 15,12 coll. P. P. C. at ANSP; Atoyac, Vera Cruz, May, 2 8 and Teapa, Tabasco, Feb. 1 2 H. H. Smith, coll. Godman, Brit. Mus. Nat. Hist. British Honduras : Blancaneaux 1 2 same coll. & Mus. Guatemala : Cayuga, Sept. 5, Schaus & Barnes 1 2 . 16 Costa Rica: Rio Diria, west of Santa Cruz, Guanacaste, Jan. 21, 1910, P. P. Calvert 1 8 ANSP. Panama: A. Agassiz 1 teneral 2 MCZ; Trinitad 1 8 ex coll. Selys coll. P. P. C. ANSP. British Guiana: Bartica District " Odon 22 " W. Beebe 1 2 26 AMNH; River Supenaam, G. Brinsley 1 2 in alcohol coll. Needham. French Guiana : Cayenne, Jan., 1904, W. Schaus 1 8 USNM. Ecuador : Guayaquil 1 5,1 2 and Loja, 2200 m. 1 2 F. Campos R. ANSP. Peru: Sivia, Rio Apurimac. Prov. La Mar, 13 Jun 1941, Woytk[owski] 1 teneral 2 coll. Kennedy. Brazil: [Amazon?], Bates 1 2 ex coll. Selys, coll.
mem. amer. ent. soc, 15. P. P. C. ANSP. Paraguay: Sapucay, 26.2.1900, W. T. Foster 1 $ USNM. Total 15 8, 23 9.
Distribution. — Florida Keys and Tamaulipas, Mexico, to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and Chapada, Matto Grosso, Brazil; Cuba, Isle of Pines, Hayti, Jamaica, Trinidad. 22 23° North to 15° South Latitude, 57° to 100° West Longitude.
Altitudinal Range. — Sea level to 2200 m. (7218 ft.) in Ecuador.
Seasonal Range. — There are no records for April or November, the other ten months are represented in one or other locality; at

Coryphaeschna viriditas, the mangrove darner, is a species of darner in the family Aeshnidae. It is found in the Caribbean, Central America, North America, and South America.

The IUCN conservation status of Coryphaeschna viriditas is "LC", least concern, with no immediate threat to the species' survival. The population is stable.

mangrove darner, Coryphaeschna viriditas mangrove darner, Coryphaeschna viriditas