GYNACANTHA PALLAMPURICA SP. NOV. FROM NORTHERN HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA (ODONATA : AESHNIDAE)

Fraser (1936) provided a comprehensive account of Gynacantha species known from thethen 'British India' Navas (1930), Lieftinck (1960), Mitra and Lahiri (1975) and Asahina (1984) added a few more species to the genus. Htimtilinen et al. (1999), Lahiri (1987), Lahiri and Mitra (1993), Mitra (1995, 2006), Prasad (2002) and Prasad and Vershney (1995) among others also worked on the genus from different parts of India and as a result of contribution of all the above workers the genus Gynacantha Rambur turns out to be the most populated aeshnid genus of Indian dragonflies known from the main land and the Andaman and Nicobar islands. One more species, e.g., G. pallampurica sp. nov. has been added to Indian fauna in this communication together with collection data, illustration of relevant body parts and comparative notes in the text.


INTRODUCTION
provided a comprehensive account of Gynacantha species known from thethen 'British India' Navas (1930), Lieftinck (1960), Mitra and Lahiri (1975) and Asahina (1984) added a few more species to the genus. Htimtilinen et al. (1999), Lahiri (1987), Lahiri and Mitra (1993), Mitra (1995Mitra ( , 2006, Prasad (2002) and Prasad and Vershney (1995) among others also worked on the genus from different parts of India and as a result of contribution of all the above workers the genus Gynacantha Rambur turns out to be the most populated aeshnid genus of Indian dragonflies known from the main land and the Andaman and Nicobar islands. One more species, e.g., G. pallampurica sp. nov. has been added to Indian fauna in this communication together with collection data, illustration of relevant body parts and comparative notes in the text.

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT
Gynacantha pallampurica  Description : Male : Face and ventral side of body greenish yellow, dorsum of thorax and abdomen light blackish brown. Crest of frons marked by a black T shaped mark with subacute tips of its frontal arms extending half way to lateral edges of the frons; base of the black T narrowing at sulcus but then again expanding around ocelli. celled; 8 cubitals in forewing, 7 in hindwing. Abdomen greenish yellow on lower parts of sides and beneath, black on dorsum with bluish markings as follows : segments 2 to 8 with narrow oblique transverse spots at jugal sutures and segments 3 to 8 with subapical triangular spots on either side, the subapical spots progressively growing larger in segments situated more apically; ventral greenish yellow expanded on 2 nd segment to cover the oreillets and on segments 9 and 10 to reduce dorsal black on latter segments to mid-dorsal narrow stripes; apical margin of oreillets anned with a row of 6 to 8 minute teeth. 3 rd segment markedly constricted -the point of constriction being about half the width of the segment at base: 2 nd segment with an additional pair of greenish yellow spots on mid-dorsum; dorsum of segments 8 and 9 black from base to apex but the black constricted medially by expansion of ventral yellow; superior anal appendages black, about two and a half times as long as the segment 10 of abdomen, rather narrow organs extending straight backwards, slightly curved outwards on its long axis as seen from dorsum with bluntly pointed apex turned a little outwards; in lateral view the superiors again appear narrow organs with the pointed tip as well as the organs itself directed straight backwards, the apical half somewhat tubular and rather smooth, marked by a lateral ridge, the basal third marked by a buldging visible only in lateral view and somewhat rough in appearance; the inferior anal appendage is about one third the length of the superiors, yellow and broadly triangular as seen from dorsum, the apex deeply incised, each part ending in a fine black acute spine pointed upwards; in lateral view curved a little downwards medially to suitably extend beneath the ventral buldging of the superiors; fine, moderately long hairs extend inwards and ventrally from both the superiors and the inferior anal appendages.
Variations: Paratype males exhibit some variations in respect of markings from the Holotype.
The black n1ark on frons Inay ·be very faint and obscure; apices of wings enfumed with brown; black on dorsuIn of second abdominal segment invading half way on to sides to include dorsal half of the oreillets; teeth along apical margin of the oreillet including minute ones may be upto ten; second abdominal segment without a pair of greenish yellow spots on mid-dorsum; subapical bluish spots on abdominal segments less prominent; subcostal and median space upto 1 st antenodal cross vein brown and apices of wings narrowly enfumed; inferior anal appendage black along its margIn.
Fernale : Similar to male but for sexual characters differing as follows: Frons marked as in Paratype male; wings palely enfumed between node and the pterosigma; Legs unmarked with black; segments three to five with mid-dorsal yellow stripe in basal half narrowing to apex; segment two pale greenish tyellow at base upto jugal suture; the blue markings on abdomen evident only on segments 5 th and 6 th -obscure on other segments; segment one dirty black.