The name-bearing types of Odonata held in the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, with systematic notes on Afrotropical taxa. Part 2: Zygoptera and descriptions of new species

Orthographic details of 118 name-bearing types of Odonata and 11 ‘holotypes’ of forms, without nomenclatural status, are provided in two parts: the second and present paper deals with Zygoptera. The taxonomy of the gracilis-group of Chlorocypha and the Afrotropical members of Prodasineura and Aciagrion are discussed. Chlorocypha fabamacula is removed from synonymy with C. wittei;…

A critical checklist of the Odonata of Portugal

The Odonata checklist of continental Portugal, Madeira and the Azores includes 65 species. Besides Sympetrum nigrifemur, an endemic of Madeira and the Canary Islands, and the unique population of the Nearctic Ischnura hastata in the Azores, the species composition reflects a higher proportion of western Mediterranean and Ethiopian elements than any other European country. An…

The evolution and frequency of female color morphs in Holarctic Odonata: why are male-like females typically the minority?

We compiled data on the occurrence and frequency of distinct female variants among Holarctic Odonata and interpreted the data in light of harassment-based hypotheses. The major source of male confusion for male mimicry hypotheses is predicted to be signal similarity between andromorphs and male distractors; for the learned mate recognition hypothesis (LMR), it is predicted…

Critical species of Odonata in the Asian part of the former USSR and the Republic of Mongolia

The region covered is briefly defined and characterized as relatively little disturbed. A survey of relevant odonatological literature, including local Red Lists, is given, along with current scientific activity. Sixteen species are indicated, which deserve special attention, one of them, Ischnura aralensis, being the only strict endemic in the region. Some isolated populations deserving protection…

Critical species of Odonata in North America

Of the approximately 439 species of Odonata known from North America, north of Mexico, comments on 25 species (6%) of conservation concern are given. Species deemed to be under the most threat are Ischnura gemina, Gomphus sandrius, Ophiogompbus australis, Stylurus potulentus, and Libellula jesseana. Two other species not under threat, Neurocordulia micbaeli and Somatochlora brevicincta,…

Cross-species amplification of microsatellite loci in some European zygopteran species (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)

Microsatellites have been infrequently used for genetic analysis of odonate species. Here, we report four microsatellite loci that are polymorphic in Coenagrion mercuriale. Furthermore, we examine the success of cross-species amplification of a panel of 19 microsatellite loci that were developed from C. mercuriale in seven other European odonate species. PCR with microsatellite primers is…