175: Indolestes gracilis expressior Kosterin, 2015

Number: 175 / Family: Lestidae / Genus: Indolestes   

Species: Indolestes gracilis expressior  / Dark-veined False Spreadwing* 

Habitat: Forested Marshy Lakes  

Province(s) sighted: Chaiyaphum   

In flight: July-August  / Sightings (by me): Rare 

Species easily confused with: All Indolestes Species 

*As there is no common name, I have based the first part on 'Dark-veined' which comes from the Thai name and 'False Spreadwing' which I have raised for Indolestes as they keep their wings closed, unlike other Spreadwings, creating the Dark-veined False Spreadwing.

Just as I was clicking my heels at finding one new species for my records, I noticed another ... Lestes inflatus again. My old friend from Nam Nao which I discovered for Thailand (see above). But, wait. No! Surely this wasn't L. inflatus after all. I could see that the wings were clear (a key feature of L. inflatus is that the wings are a brownish colour), the legs were black and the appendages seemed different. I managed to get the best photos I could in the blustery wind and when I returned home I knew it was a new species for me and it actually turns out to be a new record for Thailand! It is Indolestes gracilis ssp. and was IDd by Noppadon Makbun (with thanks). He told me that Oleg Kosterin had recently described a new Indolestes gracilis subspecies from Cambodia and it is quite possibly that species or another very similar species. However, the only way to truly know is if I collect a specimen ... though that's easier said than done. I am going to return this weekend in search of the female and hopefully another male or two. It could even turn out to be a completely new species yet to be described to science ... watch this space. 

NOTE: Since recording this species, I FINALLY managed to track down a second specimen following around eight further trips and got solid shots of the appendages. It confirms that it is, indeed,  Indolestes gracilis expressior Kosterin, 2015. It also highlights just how rare this species is! Furthermore, upon trying to locate the female (unsuccessfully), I did manage to run into a third male for really good shots. Better still, I was with my brother, Paul, who saw it too... so is probably only the third ever person to see it in the world after Oleg and myself.

The Male

It looks like the other species in the genus. However, on close inspection on the appendages, you can see a rather prominent shape, like the heel of a shoe (see below).

2016 specimen playing dead:

The appendages (added 2016). You can see