The Indian Elattoneura are a difficult group to identify due to their extreme morphological similarity and sparse information in identification keys and on geographical distribution. The ambiguity is prominent among two Peninsular Indian Elattoneura species, E. nigerrima (Laidlaw, 1917) and E. tetrica (Laidlaw, 1917), described a hundred years ago.
We examined the diversity and potential drivers of dragonfly distribution in a biodiversity hotspot of Southern Africa (Eastern Highlands, Zimbabwe) by surveying 30 sites (13 lentic and 17 lotic habitats) located within this region. Additionally, we identified the anthropogenic factors that may threaten Odonata diversity and abundance. Our results revealed that 27 odonate species are…
The department of Ñeembucú, in south-western Paraguay, is home to the virtually unexplored Ñeembucú Wetlands, the second largest wetland system in the country, representing a major gap in biodiversity knowledge. As organisms ubiquitous with wetlands, the Odonata, or dragonflies (Anisoptera) and damselflies (Zygoptera), have the potential to be effective indicators of wetland habitats in the…
Conversion of natural habitat into agricultural landscape has been identified as one of the major drivers of habitat loss. Human-modified ecosystems, such as agricultural land, have gained significant attention in terms of the conservation of their native biodiversity. We studied the effectiveness of organic agroecosystems in conserving odonate diversity by comparing organic terrace rice cultivation…
Mitigation measures carried out at the regulated metarhithron Gurtenbach in Upper Austria were evaluated by a survey of the dragonfly fauna. The assessment method developed in this study was based on the longitudinal distribution of dragonflies along riverine biocoenotic regions (the “Rhithron-Potamon-Concept” explains changes in species composition along a river’s length). Numerically expressed habitat preferences…
Recent studies have indicated that frequent anthropogenic disturbances in tropical developing countries are primary drivers of reduction in community diversity and local extinction of many arthropods, including dragonflies. We assessed the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on odonate assemblages across three different land use types, in a biodiverse nature reserve in Ghana. A total of 37…
The Odonata from the Refúgio Estadual da Vida Silvestre do Rio Pandeiros (RVSP), located in the Cerrado domain, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, were rapidly surveyed. Sampling efforts were undertaken along the Rio Pandeiros margins during four sampling periods between the rainy (spring–summer) and dry seasons (autumn–winter) from July 2014 to April 2015. We sampled 97…
One of the forest types occurring in Southern Brazil is the mixed ombrophilous forest (MOF), a subtype of the Atlantic Forest, which is one of the richest biomes on Earth. This biome currently remains as a highly fragmented mosaic, under pressure from human development. The diversity and ecology of most animal groups in this biome…
The Colombian Amazon is one of the most biodiverse and unexplored regions in the world. Inventories and deeper research are needed for most of its biota, including for dragonflies. This work reports the results of a trip to the Amazon region in order to collect Odonata. It includes revision of CBUCES, CEUA and ICN entomological…
A survey of the Gomphidae of Algeria and the Maghreb was carried out during the period 2013–2014. Sampling of eight main wadis across northern Algeria was undertaken and adults and exuviae were recorded. The survey yielded six species of Gomphidae. Among these, we report on the rediscovery of the Critically Endangered Lindenia tetraphylla in Algeria,…