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Fisheries in the Southern Border Zone of Takamanda - Impact ...

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74<br />

h—2@y——A<br />

2<br />

IE2—<br />

y2@w—˜A<br />

H S IH<br />

u<br />

Figure 1. Odonata sampl<strong>in</strong>g locations <strong>in</strong> <strong>Takamanda</strong> Forest Reserve, Cameroon<br />

frequently have behaviour patterns which mean that <strong>the</strong>y<br />

only visit water rarely. Feed<strong>in</strong>g and mat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong>ten take<br />

place <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> tree canopy, and females only descend for<br />

oviposition. Larvae are surpris<strong>in</strong>gly easy to f<strong>in</strong>d <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

small streams and ra<strong>in</strong>forest pools which <strong>the</strong> rarest<br />

species occupy. The breed<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> larvae to adulthood<br />

<strong>the</strong>refore provides us with an unequivocal determ<strong>in</strong>ation<br />

and is <strong>of</strong>ten <strong>the</strong> only way to build up data for larval keys.<br />

We have already produced keys to African Anax spp.<br />

(Chelmick 1999) and to African Aeshna spp. (Chelmick<br />

2001), and descriptions <strong>of</strong> larvae <strong>of</strong> three <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most<br />

<strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g damselflies (Nubiolestes diotima,<br />

Stenocnemis pachystigma and Pentaphlebia stahli; Vick<br />

1998). A provisional version <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> larval key is presently<br />

be<strong>in</strong>g tested <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> field (Chelmick <strong>in</strong> prep). Once keys<br />

are available it will be relatively easy for non-experts and<br />

<strong>Takamanda</strong>: <strong>the</strong> Biodiversity <strong>of</strong> an African Ra<strong>in</strong>forest<br />

w—<br />

w—<br />

w——<br />

Vick<br />

para-taxonomists to improve odonate site databases.<br />

Breed<strong>in</strong>g also provides records <strong>of</strong> species which are<br />

never seen as adults. Ano<strong>the</strong>r method which has been<br />

very successful is <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> emergence traps which are<br />

placed over trickles and seepages <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> forest; adults are<br />

discovered with <strong>the</strong> larval shucks and this provides<br />

ano<strong>the</strong>r method <strong>of</strong> associat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> two stages. The larval<br />

work has been one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most productive aspects <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Project and it is an excellent way <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>volv<strong>in</strong>g local<br />

people who enjoy <strong>the</strong> practical side <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> work and <strong>the</strong><br />

wonder <strong>of</strong> see<strong>in</strong>g such a beautiful creature emerge from<br />

a drab aquatic ‘grub’. The research conducted <strong>in</strong><br />

<strong>Takamanda</strong> is a collaborative effort between CDP, <strong>the</strong><br />

Smithsonian Institution and <strong>the</strong> World Wildlife Fund.

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