ODONATOLOGICA Journal of the Societas Internationalis Odonatologica

Contents Volume 30, Issue 3 2001

Gonzalez-Soriano, E. An unusual male aggregation in the Odonata: An aerial mating swarm in Protoneura cara Calvert and notes on other Mexican Protoneuridae (Zygoptera) p. 335-340. On several occasions aggregations were seen hovering high among trees beside streams in Mexico. Intermittent arrival of conspecific females at some aggregations and their departure, sometimes in tandem, and the apparent absence of foraging within aggregations supports the inference that such aggregations are mating swarms. It remains to be discovered whether trees over which swarms form are potential oviposition sites for this sp., or are places in which both males and females overnight. Flying aggregations of males in other spp. of Protoneuridae are described and discussed.

Englund, R. A. Long-term monitoring of one of the most restricted insect populations in the United States, Megalagrion xanthomelas (Selys-Longchamps), at Tripler Army Medical Center, Oahu, Hawaii (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae) p. 255-263. Long-term monitoring of a remnant population of M. xanthomelas, located at Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC) began in May 1997 and continued to Febr. 2000 for the mitigation ponds and June 2000 for the TAMC stream. This sp. has been reduced to little more than 100 m of stream habitat on Oahu at the TAMC. Threats to M. xanthomelas include alien fish spp., stream dewatering, and habitat alteration. The TAMC stream now requires augmented water flow because construction of a facility up gradient of the TAMC stream disrupted the normal hydrology of the small stream. The Oahu race of M. xanthomelas will soon become extinct if the stream were allowed to become dry, as nearly happened in June 1997. The most cost-effective way to ensure the survival of this sp. on Oahu would be to continue some mitigation water flows to the TAMC stream. The next step would be the establishment of another wild population to a stream lacking alien fish spp. It is highly recommended that a cooperative association of biologists from the Bishop Museum, University of Hawaii, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Army environmental staff continue to monitor the population of M. xanthomelas, arguably the rarest insect population in the United States.

Kenner, R. D. Redescription of the larva of Leucorrhinia glacialis hagen with a key to the nearctic Leucorrhinia species (anisoptera: Libellulidae) p. 281-288. The final-stadium larva is redescribed from 24 authenticated larvae and exuviae. It is a medium-sized larva (total length 17.6-20.8 mm) with three ventral stripes and a dorsal pattern on the abdomen that includes large spots in the sublateral area on at least segments 4-7. The penultimate stadium is also briefly described and some natural history observations are reported. A key for the seven nearctic Leucorrhinia spp. is given.

Moore, N. W. Changes in the dragonfly communities at the twenty ponds at Woodwalton Fen, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, since the study of 1962-1988 p. 289-298. The pattern of the number of spp. per pond changed completely between 1988 and 2000. The growth of scrub on the edges of the ponds caused a decline in the number of dragonfly spp. when more than 50% of pond edge was shaded by bushes. When the ponds were completely shaded they lost all their dragonfly spp. The decline in spp. appeared to be caused by shading rather than changes in the aquatic flora caused by shading. When the scrub was not controlled the ponds were inhabited by dragonflies from 26 to at least 39 yr. In ponds where no scrub developed, or where it was controlled, Coenagrion puella, Ischnura elegans, Aeshna cyanea, Libellula quadrimaculata, Sympetrum striolatum and Sympetrum sanguineum were still continuing to inhabit the ponds after 39 yr. Aeshna grandis, which had occurred most yr. in the 1962-1988 period, was still present in 2000. Pyrrhosoma nymphula and Brachytron pratense, which had bred from 1964 to 1972 and 1968 to 1973 respectively, both reappeared after 20 yr. absence. Their return to the ponds appeared to be connected with their increase in adjacent habitats at Woodwalton Fen in the 1989-2000 period. Anax imperator and Libellula fulva, which had also increased at Woodwalton Fen, were seen for the first time at the ponds during this period. The reason for the recent disappearance of Lestes sponsa from the ponds and adjacent habitats is not known. This study yet further emphasises the need to conserve large core populations of dragonflies, and it reiterates the need for really long term monitoring.

Huang, D.; Nel, A. New 'hemeroscopid' larvae from the lower cretaceous of China: Systematic and phylogenetic implications (Anisoptera) p. 341-344. A large number of fossil dragonfly larvae have been collected in Lushangfen Formation (Lower Cretaceous), SW of Beijing, China. All the well-preserved specimens are closely similar to the larvae attributed by L.N. PRITYKINA (1977, Trans. Soviet-Mongol paleontol. Exped. 4:81-96) to Hemeroscopus baissicus Pritykina, 1977, particularly for the labial mask structures.

Costa, J. M.; Santos, T. C. Occurrence of Tigriagrion aurantinigrum (Calvert) in Paraguay and new sites in Brazil (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae) p. 327-333. The sp., formally known from only Chapada, Brazil, has now been reported at other sites and 2 other countries from South America (Bolivia, Paraguay). Some additional characters including penis structure in the male and the prothoracic hind lobe, mesostigmal plates and caudal appendages of the female are described and illustrated.

Higashi, K.; Lee, C. E.; Kayano, H. ; Kayano, A. Korea strait delimiting distribution of distinct karyomorphs of Crocothemis servilia (Drury) (Anisoptera: Libellulidae) p. 265-270. In order to define the eastern limit of the distribution of C. s. servilia (2nmale = 25, XO) and the western limit of C. s. mariannae (2nmale = 24, neo-XY), the karyotypes were studied in specimens from Cheju island and the mainland of the Republic of Korea, and from the islands of North Kyushu, Japan. The dividing line between the 2 sspp. appears in the Korea Strait, between the Korean mainland and Tsushima island. The mechanism of maintaining a distinct karyomorph in each area of distribution is discussed in details.

Karube, H. Three new species of gomphidae from Vietnam (anisoptera) p. 271-279. Amphigomphus nakamurai sp. n. (holotype male: Vietnam, Binh Phuh prov., Mt Tamdao, 30-V-1993), Merogomphus tamdaoensis sp. n. (holotype male: Vietnam, Binh Phuh prov., Mt. Tamdao, 19/24-V-1993), and Leptogomphus baolocensis sp. n. (holotype male: Vietnam, 15 km from Baoloc to Ho-chi-minh, Lamdong prov., 16-VI-1996) are described, illustrated and their affinities are pointed out. Material is deposited in the author's institution.

Von Ellenrieder, N. A synopsis of the patagonian species of the genus Aeshna fabricius (Anisoptera: Aeshnidae) p. 299-325. This synopsis includes diagnoses for adults, a key for males and females, illustrations of taxonomic characters and updated distribution data for each sp. The ventral terga contour is found to vary interspecifically allowing identification of all species. Other useful characters are the presence or absence of black stripes over frontoclypeal and fronto-ocular grooves, abdominal colour pattern and shape of the cerci. Some colour characters of A. variegata vary geographically and two forms are described: a dark (humid biomes) and light form (dry biomes). The synonymy of A. peralta and A. variegata is considered doubtful.

Lencioni, F. A. A. Cyanallagma angelae spec. Nov. and a key to the non-Andean species of Cyanallagma (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae) p. 345-350. The new sp. is described from 15 male and 3 female collected in Salesopolis-Sao Paulo State (23 degree 35'52"S, 45 degrees43'41"W; alt. 1074 m) 14-III and 3-IV-1999. Keys and illustrations to the non-Andean species of Cyanallagma are given.

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