title: Larval taxonomy of Macrothemis Hagen, 1868 (Odonata: Libellulidae), with descriptions of four larvae and a key to the fourteen known species.
abstract: The ultimate larval stadia of Macrothemis declivata, M. hemichlora, M. imitans imitans and M. tenuis are described and illustrated for the first time, based on material from Brazil. Six of the most used keys to larvae of libellulid genera of the New World are evaluated with respect to the correct identification of the 27 known larvae of Macrothemis, Brechmorhoga, Gynothemis and Scapanea. Macrothemis species were wrongly identified in more than 50% of the trials, being keyed as Brechmorhoga, Gynothemis and even Dythemis. The genus Macrothemis and its relatives need to be revaluated and adequately diagnosed based on larvae. A key to the 14 known larvae of species currently included in Macrothemis is presented.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Entomologia, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ); Caixa Postal 68044, 21944-970, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Email: salgadolgv@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Luiz Gustavo Vargas
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Salgado
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Entomologia, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ); Caixa Postal 68044, 21944-970, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Email: alagoc@acd.ufrj.br.
authors.forename: Alcimar Do Lago
authors.initials: Ado L
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Entomologia, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ); Caixa Postal 68044, 21944-970, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia), Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo. Museu de Zoologia, Av. Nazaré 481, 04263-000, Ipiranga, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Email: PARISE@PINTO.com.
authors.forename: Ângelo Parise
authors.initials: ÂP
authors.lastname: Pinto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D007814:Larva / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D063191:Odonata / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development