Critical species of Odonata in Japan

Japan is a small country but ranges from the subtropical to the subarctic zone. Every year during spring to autumn, many typhoons bring tropical taxa, which occasionally establish in Japan. Up to now, 215 odonate taxa have been recorded, 34 of which are regarded as critical species. Intensive research on Odonata – supported by identification…

Critical species of Odonata in the Philippines

The Philippine odonate fauna is characterized by a high percentage of endemic species, especially in Zygoptera, most of which have a very limited range. Due to the continuing loss of forests and other habitat destruction, a majority of the 300 plus known species could be red-listed, but only a few critical species are evaluated here.

Critical species of Odonata in southern Africa

Of the 160 species in South Africa, 29 are endemic. Threats to the local odonate fauna have increased in recent years due to the growth of agriculture and impact of invasive alien trees. Currently, 13 species are red-listed as threatened. Among the activities to ameliorate threats, is a massive programme, ‘Working for Water’, to remove…

Critical species of Odonata in northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula

The region is broadly determined by desert, which forms a huge belt between the western Palaearctic and the Afrotropics. Fourteen out of the 125 odonate species recorded so far are endemics. There are two main centres of endemism in the region: the northern Maghreb and the southern Arabian Peninsula. Odonate habitats in the desert are…

Critical species of Odonata in western Africa

Western Africa—defined as the tropical area from Cameroon westwards—probably has the richest odonate fauna in Africa, particularly the region of (and around) the Cameroon highlands. This region is home to many relict and endemic species, such as the continent’s only representatives of the families Amphipterygidae and Perilestidae. Previous selections of threatened West African Odonata have…

Critical species of Odonata in Madagascar

Madagascar has approximately 175 species of Odonata. Of the Anisoptera ca 60% is endemic and of the Zygoptera almost 95%. The endemic species can roughly be separated into ‘new endemics’ that are probably recent arrivals from the African mainland and ‘old endemics’. The latter group includes many members of the families Megapodagrionidae, Platycnemididae and Corduliidae,…

Critical species of Odonata in the Hawaiian Islands

Ten species of Hawaiian Odonata are considered to be currently at risk, all of them zygopterans belonging to the endemic genus Megalagrion. These species and their proposed status are as follows: M. jugorum, endemic to Maui and Lanai [CR, possibly EX]; M. leptodemas, endemic to Oahu [CR]; M. molokaiense, endemic to Molokai [CE, possibly EX];…

Critical species of Odonata in Australia

The Australian Odonata fauna is reviewed. The state of the current taxonomy and ecology, studies on biodiversity, studies on larvae and the all identification keys are reported. The conservation status of the Australian odonates is evaluated and the endangered species identified. In addition the endemic species, species with unusual biology and species, not threatened yet,…

Additions to the dragonfly genus Lauromacromia, with description of the female of Lauromacromia luismoojeni and new distributional records (Odonata: Corduliidae s.l.)

Taxonomic, morphological and distributional data on three species of the rare South American corduliid genus Lauromacromia Geijskes, 1970 are updated based on specimens collected recently and old specimens deposited in natural history collections. The female of the poorly known Lauromacromia luismoojeni (Santos, 1967), an endemic species from the Brazilian Cerrado, is illustrated, described and diagnosed…

Clutch size and egg production in Orthetrum nitidinerve Selys, 1841 (Anisoptera: Libellulidae): effect of body size and age

Clutch size is an important fitness component often quantified artificially by inducing oviposition in libellulid females. Female behavior and egg production of the yellow-veined skimmer, Orthetrum nitidinerve, were studied in northeast Algeria during its reproductive season. Data on reproductive behavior and biology of this Mediterranean endemic species has not been published previously. Males guarded territories…