The species-group taxa in the Holarctic genus Cordulia: a study in nomenclature and genetic differentiation (Odonata: Corduliidae)

Reinhard Jödickea, Pia Langhoffb, Bernhard Misofb

  1. Westerstede, Germany
  2. Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und Museum, Bonn, Germany

International Journal of Odonatology, Volume 7, Issue 1, Pages 37-52, 2004
https://doi.org/10.1080/13887890.2004.9748193
Published: 1 April 2004 (Received: 24 April 2003, Accepted: 19 November 2003)

Abstract

Two Cordulia species have been described so far, the Eurasian C. aenea and the North American vicariant C. shurtleffii. The names amurensis, tatrica, turfosa, laubmanni, linaenea and aeneaturfosa are available in the synonymy of C. aenea. Out of these, only the name amurensis is deemed to denote a separate taxon, which is currently regarded as a weakly defined Far East subspecies. A molecular analysis of nuclear ITS I sequences of specimens representing all three taxa aenea, amurensis and shurtleffii shows a clear differentiation which suggests a recognition of three separate taxa with full biological species rank. The morphological and distributional differentiation between C. amurensis and C. aenea requires further investigation. The molecular approach based on the variability of nuclear ITS I sequences appears promising for further taxonomic studies within dragonflies.

Keywords: Odonata, dragonfly, Cordulia, nomenclature, molecular taxonomy, ITS I

Issue section: Article