Taxonomy of the South American genus Phyllopetalia (Odonata: Austropetaliidae)

This synopsis of adult Phyllopetalia includes the synonymy of four genera (Phyllopetalia senior subjective synonym of Rheopetalia, Odontopetalia, Eurypetalia and Ophiopetalia), four species and one subspecies (P. apicalis senior subjective synonym of Rheopetalia rex and R. apicalis decorata, and P. pudu senior subjective synonym of Ophiopetalia araucana, O. auregaster and O. Diana). P. excrescens and…

A synopsis of the South American genus Gomphomacromia (Odonata: Gomphomacromiinae)

Gomphomacromia mexicana is shown to be a junior synonym of G. chilensis based on a comparison of the holotype male with the original description of G. chilensis and specimens identified as that species from Chile. Examination of a large series of specimens from central and southern Chile and Argentina identified both as G. paradoxa and…

Critical species of Odonata in Europe

The status of the odonate fauna of Europe is fairly well known, but the current IUCN Red List presents only six species out of ca 130, two of which are actually out of danger today. In this paper we propose a tentative list of 22 possibly declining or threatened species in the region. For the…

Odonata fauna of Sri Lanka: research state and threat status

Altogether 116 odonate species are known from Sri Lanka. The level of endemism is high -53 taxa or 45.7% are confined to the island. The Chlorocyphidae, Euphaeidae, Protoneuridae, Platystictidae, Gomphidae and Corduliidae consist of almost exclusively endemic taxa. The odonate fauna of Sri Lanka is still insufficiently known. Knowledge on distribution, biology and taxonomy of…

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…

A synopsis of the genus Triacanthagyna (Odonata: Aeshnidae)

This synopsis of adult Triacanthagyna includes the revalidation of two species thought to be synonyms (T. nympha and T. obscuripennis), the description of a new species (T. williamsoni; type locality: Peru, Tingo María), keys to both sexes, illustrations of diagnostic characters, and distribution maps of all species. A phylogenetic assessment of the nine species is…

Evelyn D.V. Prendergast (1918–2001)

E.D.V. Prendergast retired from a military career in 1973 and henceforth actively pursued many natural history and field sports interests. Studies of birds were followed in the later years by significant work on Odonata. A systematic study of the species’ distributions of Gambian dragonflies and conservation work involving Coenagrion mercuriale were especially important.