The Odonata of St Lucia (Lesser Antilles) - Société l'Herminier

INTRODUCTIONStudies on odonata of the Lesser Antilles have begun in 2000 in order to increase knowledge onspecies biology, ecology and biogeography. The L’Herminier Natural History Society and the NantesMuseum of Natural History carried out several studies in Guadeloupe, Martinique, Dominica, StVincent and Grenada since 2000 and a book on the Dragonflies of the Lesser Antilles is actually inprogress. Recent data from the Lesser Antillean islands were greatly needed in order to understandthe biogeography of the Lesser Antillean Dragonflies. Where the species did came from? What isexactly the dragonfly fauna composition? These questions remain to be solved.This is why an intensive survey of St Lucia was carried out from March 9th to March 30th 2011. Thisstudy was financed by both the L’Herminier Natural History Society (LHNHS). Our primary aim was toupdate the checklist of species, since only two papers are known to us concerning the dragonflyfauna of the island (Klots, 1932; Sibley, 2009). Fred Sibley spent few days in St Lucia where hecollected 21 species.Our major aim was to point out the distribution of species to establish distribution maps, in a way toobtain information on the conservation status of species.Generally speaking, a checklist of species must be considered as a tool for conservation matters. Datagathered on both ecology and biology on the field are intended to allow us to estimate theconservation status of species and their habitats, and then to apply the correct conservatorymanagement.