G. it. Ent., 2 (10): 307-326
August 31, 1985
Ulteriori considerazioni sui Cordulegaster italiani
(Odonata Cordulegasteridae)
di
P. A. GALLETTI & M. PAVESI
Abstract - Two males of Cordulegaster from Gerano (Roma, Lazio), collected on the same day (19.7.1936) by the late Dr. C. Nielsen, are brought on record, described, figured and briefly discussed. One of them corresponds to C. pictus (?) trinacriae Waterston, which was previously believed to be restricted to Sicily and Calabria; the associated one is a C. boltoni s.l. This record suggests, together with coloration and structural features, that trinacriae cannot be considered conspecific with C. boltoni: it apparently belongs to C. pictus, but its taxonomic status remains still uncertain. The still little-known C. bidentatus sicilicus Fraser is redescribed and figured from some male and female specimens collected in northern Sicily (Palermo, Ficuzza, Rocca Busambra; Monti Nebrodi, Mistretta; id., Monte Soro). The relationships of C. b. sicilicus with C. bidentatus f. typ. from northern and central Italy, and with C. bidentatus s.l. from Greece, are discussed. C. b. sicilicus appears to be a good subspecies, mainly characterized by: labrum often not completely bordered with dark; occipital triangle sometimes yellowish; medio-lateral abdominal yellow bands well developed, reaching ventral border of tergites, and more or less broadened at the lower end; last tergite of male with conspicuous, typically shaped yellow markings; vulvar scale of female with an obvious, reddish-yellow basal spot on each side. The previous suggestion of a possible close relationship between C. bidentatus s.l. from Greece and C. b. sicilicus is now considered uncorrected. A new key for the identification of the Italian species and subspecies of Cordulegaster is also provided.
