Checklist of the dragonflies and damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

A checklist of the dragonflies and damselflies occurring in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India (including Andaman and Nicobar Islands), Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka is presented. In total 588 (including 559 full species) taxa are known to occur in the region of which 251 taxa (species subspecies) are single country endemics. Recent taxonomic changes relevant to the area are summarized. Sixteen taxa are synonymized and a checklist of all synonyms established since 1950 is provided. Information is given on available larval descriptions including a list of genera present in the region for which no larvae have yet been described. Numerous species occurring in the area are still poorly known and a list of genera for which a revision is urgently needed is provided.                The following new synonyms are established: Calicnemia sudhaae Mitra, 1994 = Calicnemia imitans Lieftinck, 1948 syn. nov.; Ceriagrion fallax cerinomelas Lieftinck, 1927 = Ceriagrion fallax Ris, 1914 syn. nov.; Ceriagrion fallax pendleburyi Laidlaw, 1931 = Ceriagrion fallax Ris, 1914 syn. nov.; Coenagrion kashmirus Chowdhary Das, 1975 = Ischnura forcipata Morton, 1907 syn. nov.; Enallagma insula Fraser, 1920 = Aciagrion occidentale Laidlaw, 1919 syn. nov.; Himalagrion pithoragarhicum Sahni, 1964 = Ceriagrion fallax Ris, 1914 syn. nov.; Ischnura bhimtalensis Sahni, 1965 = Ischnura rubilio Selys, 1876 syn. nov.; Onychargia indica Sahni, 1964 = Paracercion calamorum (Ris, 1916) syn. nov.; Anaciaeschna kashmirense Singh Baijal, 1954 = Anaciaeschna martini (Selys, 1897) syn. nov.; Cyclogomphus vesiculosus Selys, 1854 = Cyclogomphus ypsilon Selys, 1954 syn. nov.; Chlorogomphus brittoi Navás, 1934 = Chlorogomphus xanthoptera (Fraser, 1919) syn. nov.; Hylaeothemis indica Fraser, 1946 = Hylaeothemis apicalis Fraser, 1924 syn. nov.; Sympetrum durum Bartenef, 1916 = Sympetrum striolatum commixtum Selys, 1884 syn. nov.; Sympetrum himalayanum Navás, 1934 = Sympetrum hypomelas (Selys, 1884) syn. nov.; Sympetrum haematoneura Fraser, 1924 = Sympetrum speciosum Oguma, 1915 syn. nov.; Sympetrum speciosum taiwanum Asahina, 1951 = Sympetrum speciosum Oguma, 1915 syn. nov.                In addition, Periaeschna lebasi Navás, 1930 is regarded a nomen nudum. The following new combinations are proposed: Onychogomphus acinaces Laidlaw, 1922 is transferred to the genus Melligomphus Chao, 1990 resulting in Melligomphus acinaces (Laidlaw, 1922) comb. nov. Onychogomphus saundersii Selys, 1854 is transferred to the genus Nychogomphus Carle, 1986 resulting in Nychogomphus saundersii (Selys, 1854) comb. nov..

A new species of Orthetrum Newman, 1833 (Odonata: Libellulidae) from the Andaman Islands, India.

Orthetrum andamanicum sp. nov. (holotype ♂: India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, South Andaman island, Chidiyatapu, N 11.51, E 92.71; 08-xii-1998; deposited in RMNH, Leiden; RMNH.INS.1152911), is described as new to science. Based on additional photographic records, notes on mature males' life colouration, distribution and habitat of this Andaman endemic are provided.

Taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of the Platystictidae of Sri Lanka (Insecta: Odonata).

The 22 Sri Lankan representatives of the family Platystictidae, all endemic to the island and belonging to the distinct endemic subfamily Platystictinae, are revised, and a new reconstruction of the phylogeny based on molecular characters is provided. Five new species are described: Ceylonosticta venusta sp. nov. (holotype ♂: Rambodde Falls, at the tunnel; Nuwara Eliya District, Central Province; N7.0489, E80.6961; 12-vii-2012; to be deposited at National Museum of Natural History, Colombo, Sri Lanka), C. inferioreducta sp. nov. (holotype ♂: Norton Bridge, stream on the B43 road 1.5km WNW of Norton Bridge; Nuwara Eliya District, Central Province; N6.9171, E80.5075; 28-vii-2009; to be deposited at National Museum of Natural History, Colombo, Sri Lanka), C. mirifica sp. nov. (holotype ♂: Uwella, primary forest on the road Uwella-Ratnapura, 11.5km NW of Balangoda; Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province; N6.6968, E80.6059; 16-vii-2012; to be deposited at National Museum of Natural History, Colombo, Sri Lanka), Platysticta secreta sp. nov. (holotype ♂: Hasalaka; Kandy District, Central Province; N7.3535, E80.9509; 31-v-1975; deposited at National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, USA) and P. serendibica sp. nov. (holotype ♂: Kanneliya; Galle District, Southern Province; N6.2291, E80.3834; 8 & 9-vi-1975; deposited at National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, USA). Additionally, a determination key, figures showing morphological details and coloration in life, as well as distribution maps for all species are presented. Based on molecular analysis of 21 taxa, the phylogeny of Platystictinae is presented and discussed from the zoogeographical and paleogeographical point of view. Sri Lankan species, traditionally placed in the genera Platysticta Selys and Drepanosticta Laidlaw / Ceylonosticta Fraser, separated into distinct clades within the subfamily as presently defined, but the monophyletic nature of the Platystictinae and its Sri Lankan endemicity is confirmed. For the South Indian species, formerly known as Platysticta deccanensis, morphological and molecular analyses demonstrated that it does not belong to the Sri Lankan clade and a new genus Indosticta gen. nov. is erected to accommodate it.