@article {154156, title = {Two new species of Merogomphus Martin, 1904 (Odonata: Anisoptera: Gomphidae) from the Western Ghats, India}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {5588}, year = {2025}, month = {14 February 2025}, pages = {201-226}, type = {Research Article}, chapter = {201}, abstract = {

We describe two new species of dragonflies from the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot,\ Merogomphus aryanadensis\ sp. nov.\ from Kerala and\ M. flavoreductus\ sp. nov.\ from Maharashtra, India. Morphologically, these species are closely aligned with\ M. tamaracherriensis\ Fraser, 1931, an endemic species of the Western Ghats; however, they are distinguished by unique features in their caudal appendages, accessory genitalia, and body markings. Additionally, both species are considerably smaller than other known\ Merogomphus\ spp. found in India. The differential diagnosis presented includes a comprehensive morphological photographic assessment of the two new species described and their two endemic congeners, also from the Western Ghats. We also establish a significant genetic distance between these newly described\ Merogomphus\ species and\ M. tamaracherriensis.

}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.5588.2.1}, url = {https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5588.2.1}, author = {AYIKKARA VIVEK CHANDRAN and DATTAPRASAD SAWANT and REJI CHANDRAN and PANKAJ KOPARDE and SUBIN KANIYAMATTATHIL JOSE and Krushnamegh Kunte} }