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

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ODONATA RECORDED FROM ST LUCIA21 species of Odonata were recorded from St Lucia during this study, as follows. Species observed bySibley (2009) are in brackets. New island records are in bold.ZYGOPTERAFamily LestidaeLestes forficula Rambur, 1842Lestes spumarius Hagen in Selys, 1862Lestes tenuatus Rambur, 1842Family ProtoneuridaeProtoneura ailsa Donnelly, 1961Family CoenagrionidaeEnallagma coecum (Hagen, 1861)Ischnura ramburii (Selys, 1850)Telebasis corallina (Selys, 1876)ANISOPTERAFamily AeshnidaeGynacantha nervosa Rambur, 1842Triacanthagyna caribbea (Williamson, 1923)[Triacanthagyna trifida (Rambur, 1842)]Family Libellulidae[Brachymesia furcata (Hagen, 1861)]Brachymesia herbida (Gundlach, 1889)Brechmorhoga archboldi (Donnelly, 1970)Dythemis sterilis Hagen, 1861Erythemis vesiculosa (Fabricius, 1775)Erythrodiplax umbrata (Linné, 1758)Miathyria marcella (Selys, 1856)Micrathyria aequalis (Hagen, 1861)Micrathyria didyma (Sélys, 1857)Orthemis macrostigma (Rambur, 1872)Pantala flavescens (Fabricius, 1798)Tholymis citrina (Hagen, 1861)Tramea abdominalis (Rambur, 1842)Tramea calverti Muttkowski, 1910[Tramea insularis Hagen, 1861]Comments on the listOn the 21 species mentioned by Sibley (20089), two weren’t collected during this study. We failed tofind Triacanthagyna trifida but we observed several T. caribbea in a single location. Brachymesiafurcata was mentioned by Sibley (2009) from the Golf Course at Cap Estate but we didn’t survey thislocation and Tramea insularis is totally absent in the surveyed stations.On the other hand, 5 species are reported for the first time from St Lucia : Lestes spumarius,Triacanthagyna caribbea (common in Guadeloupe and Martinique), Brechmorhoga archboldi(previously known only from Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique and Grenada), Miathyria marcella(widespread in the Neotropics) and Tramea calverti which is a vagrant species from Central andSouth America. If some of these species was expected (Miathyria marcella, Tramea calverti), theremaining three are more interesting.The checklist of species number actually 25 species.
RESULTSSPECIES ACCOUNTZYGOPTERADuring this study we observed, captured and identified 7 species belonging to three families and to 5genera. Actually Zygopterans are represented in the Lesser Antilles by 10 species, St Lucia host 60%of the species of which one is an endemic species at regional scale, being present only in Dominica,Martinique and St Lucia (Protoneura ailsa).Family LestidaeThree species have been recorded during this survey. St Lucia is actually the single island which hostthe three West Indian species of this genus.Lestes forficula Rambur, 1842 Rainpool SpreadwingDistribution: SLU025, SLU066.This species is widespread throughout the West Indies,and often abundant in ponds, lakes in agricultural areas.Lack of ponds in St Lucia can explain the paucity of thistaxa. Sibley (2009) report this species from only twolocalities in the north of the island ; Castries (2 males)and Cap Estate (4 males, 1 female).Lestes tenuatus (Rambur, 1842) Blue-striped SpreadwingDistribution: SLU063Uncommon in the Lesser Antilles. Contrary to L. forficula,Lestes tenuatus is found mainly in shaded areas, inwoody edges, forested habitats such as forest ponds andmangrove swamps. We found a single male at PraslinBay, in a heavily disturbed mangrove swamp. Sibley(2009) report this species from only one locality, north ofFond D’Or River near Micoud.9
Page 1 and 2: The Odonata of St Lucia(Lesser Anti
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTSINTRODUCTION ..............
Page 5 and 6: MATERIAL AND METHODSThe Island was
Page 7: SLU058 L'Orangerie, trail 726006.08
Page 13 and 14: Family LibellulidaeThis family is u
Page 15 and 16: Micrathyria aequalis (Hagen, 1861)
Page 17 and 18: DISCUSSIONThe dragonfly fauna of th
Page 19 and 20: AKNOWLEDGEMENTSWe wish to thank war
Page 21: Meyerhoff A.A. & Meyerhoff H.A., 19

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

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