Cordulegaster Appendages... request for comments

The drawings of C. bilineata and C. diastatops are copies from Carle, in his original description of C. bilineata n. sp. (Annals of the Entomological Society of America Vol. 76 No. 1 Pg. 62).

The drawing labeled "southern New Jersey", was made to match Carle's drawings, but to agree with the pattern and form of my specimens. The yellow abdominal and thoracic pattern appears to be somewhat intermediate between C. bilineata and C. diastatops. Cordulegaster bilineata is probably only a form of C. diastatops, and the Cumberland specimens just another iteration of one variable form. The legs are black as described for C. diastatops. However, the superior appendages appear extremely different than either species in the illustrations by Carle. This includes a larger ventral tooth and very attenuated terminal point.
The strongly convex upper edge of the superiors on the New Jersey specimens is more like that of C. maculatus than C. diastatops, but there are no other intermediate features. I have found a similar problems with illustrations before. I think it may be that they were drawn from a different angle. If anyone has specimens from other regions of the range of C. diastatops, I would be interested in hearing if the superior appendages most closely resemble Carle, Walker, or mine from southern New Jersey. bob@vertigo.hsrl.rutgers.edu
The habitat for C. diastatops in Cumberland County is very small streams and rivulets in dense wooded swamps, particularly Atlantic White Cedar swamps. They are uncommon, and I have only seen two females (none captured). I have not found exuviae, or know where emergence occurs.