Enallagma cyathigerum Charpentier, 1840 forma antiquum (Bartenev, 1956) (= Agrion antiquum; =Enallagma circulatum continentale Belyshev, 1956; =Enallagma cyathigerum ab. desertiforme Belyshev; =Enallagma cyathigerum ab. nigrolineatum Belyshev, 1956; =Enallagma nigrolineatum Belyshev et Haritonov, 1975).

A South Siberian and Central Asian subspecies of a complex Holarctic species

A subspecies of a complicated species Enallagma cyathigerum occuring in NE Asia, south to Baikal Area and the Todzha Hollow in Tuva. It is connected with taiga habitats, occuring even on pools on peat moss bogs. It is characterised by the black lateral stripes of variable expression and has the appendages superiores as in the nominotypical cyathigerum Charpentier, 1840 (with the yellow 'lip' protruding behind, not inward and below as in E. c. risi Schmidt 1961). The rank ascribed to this taxon varies from aberration to bona species, and I now tend to consider it as an environmental modification. Two oldest available species group names proposed for this taxon were published in the same collected paper edition (BARTENEV, 1956; BELYSHEV, 1956): antiquum Bartenev, 1956 and continentale Belyshev, 1956. According to the new International Code for Zoological Nomenclature (1999), Art. 24.1, of two names simultaneously proposed names later considered as synonymic, automatically valid is that proposed a higher rank taxon. Therefore, Bartenev's name got a priority although proposed in a wrong genus and although the taxon itself is no more than a subspecies at best.

a male

Russia, E Siberia, S Yakutia, the Aldan River left bank 9 km upstream of Tommot town, 126o11' E 59o00'40'' N, about 280 m above sea level. 24th June 2002.

O. Kosterin

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