■^80 MR. HERBERT CAMPION OX ODONATA 



Subfamily ^schninae. 

 Platycantha dirupta Karsch. 



1 2 . Utakwa River, 2500-3000 ft., Feb. 191-3. 



Subfamily Corduliinse. 

 Genus Synthemis Selys. 



Synthemis Selys, C. R. Soc. Eiit. Belg. xiv. p. vi (1870) ; id. Bull. Acad. Belg. (2) xxsi. p. 557 

 (1871); TiUyarfh Proc. Litin. Soc. N.S.W. xxxv. pp. 335-337 (1910). 



Palaiosynthemis Forater, Ann. Mus. Nat. Huugarici, i. p. 54.6 (1903) ; id. Wien. eutoniol. 

 Zeitg. xxvii. p. 25 (1908). 



Of the three genera composing the group Synthemina, Etisynthemis and Choris- 

 themis are confined to the continent of Australia, as are also most of the spiles 

 falling into the restricted genus Synthemis. The new species described below 

 possesses an ovipositor and a membranule, both of which are in well-developed 

 condition, and clearly belongs to Synthemis proper. Leaving out of account an 

 undescribed insect from New Guinea preserved in the Genoa Museum, and labelled 

 by de Selys Synthemis heccarii, the sole species from that island characterised, so far, 

 is S. frimigenia Forst., which is known to me by description alone. It would appear 

 that the female of Forster's species agrees very well in several respects with the 

 beautiful insect now before us, such as similarity in size, the single cross-vein in the 

 median space, and the presence of a cross-vein in the triangle of the hind-wing. 

 The following table, however, will sufficiently distinguish the females of the two New 

 Guinea species : — 



Lower blades of ovipositor, in lateral view, longer and narrower ; fore- wing 



and tip of hind-wing hyaline ; vertex and summit of frons metallic blue, prhmgenia Forst. 



Lower blades of ovipositor, in lateral view, shorter and broader ; tips and 

 certain other areas of all wings coloured ; vertex and summit of frons 

 blackish woUustord, sp. u. 



Synthemis miranda Selys, another large species, is still known only from the unique 

 female obtained from New Caledonia. It may be readily separated from S. wollastoni 

 by the entirely different pattern of the wing-coloration, by its possessing four or five 

 cross-veins in the median space, and by the anal loop being divided into three portions, 

 as in S. regina Selys, ? . 



Like S. frimige7iia and S. miranda, S. wollastoni may be discriminated by its 

 superior size from all the members of the genus so far described from Australia, the 

 hind- wing in all three species exceeding 40 mm. in length. 



Sykthemis woLLASTOJN-i, sp. n. (Text-figs. 38 & 39.) 



1 ? . Utakwa River, 4000-6000 ft., Jan.-Feb. 1913. {Type of the species.) 



