Evidence of possible new cryptic species in the genus Polythore (Polythoridae: Odonata) in the eastern Andes foothills of Colombia

The Neotropical damselfly genus Polythore consists of nineteen described morphospecies. We used the COI barcode locus (799bp), male genitalia, wing venation, and geometrical pattern variation to clarify specific status in four Polythore procera populations in the Andean foothill of Colombia. Morphological data corroborates that all populations are Polythore procera, but molecular data suggests two well-supported reciprocal monophyletic clades. A high genetic divergence (~3%) was observed between them, and different degrees of gene flow were estimated by MDIV among populations. Our results support a recent (1.4 mya) possible speciation with morphological stasis in unknown reproductive mechanisms may be involved.