Open Access

Malte Seehausen, Rory A. Dow

• Specimens of Neurothemis disparilis Kirby, 1889, N. fluctuans (Fabricius, 1793), N. fulvia (Drury, 1773), N. ramburii (Brauer, 1866), N. stigmatizans (Fabricius, 1775) and N. terminata Ris, 1911, including their subspecies, were studied with the main focus on the morphology of the vesica spermalis, wing maculation, wing venation, abdominal markings and vulvar scales. The results were compared with species descriptions and directly with type specimens where possible. The vesica spermalis, especially the medial process, is useful at least in separating species groups and supports the traditional differentiation methods using wing maculation and venation. The use of other characters in accessing specific status, coupled with known distribution patterns, is discussed. The following taxonomic changes are proposed: Neurothemis manadensis (Boisduval, 1835) stat. nov., Neurothemis papuensis (Lieftinck, 1942) stat. nov. and Neurothemis taiwanensis sp. nov. is described (27.5.1998, Kenting, Pingtung County/Taiwan, L. M. Juang leg.; holotype is deposited at Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Taipeh, Taiwan). The type of Polyneura palliata Rambur, 1842 was rediscovered at MNHN and designated as lectotype; a lectotype for Neurothemis nicobarica Brauer, 1867 housed at NHMW is designated. The holotype of Neurothemis incerta Brauer, 1867 was rediscovered and synonymized with N. ramburii.