1st European Congress on Odonatology Programme and abstracts

Preliminary morphometric and molecular investigations on
adult specimens of two Lestes (Chalcolestes) taxa
Hajnalka Anna Gyulavári 1 – Tamás Felföldi 2 – Theodor Benken 3 – László József
Szabó 1 – Margit Miskolczi 1 – Csaba Cserháti 4 – Valér Horvai 5 – Károly Márialigeti 2 –
György Dévai 1
1 Department of Hydrobiology, Centre of Arts, Humanities and Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology,
University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H–4032 Debrecen, Hungary
2
Department of Microbiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter stny 1/c, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
3
Landesmedienzentrum Baden-Württemberg, Moltkestraße 64, 76133 Karlsruhe, Germany
4
Department of Solid State Physics, Centre of Arts, Humanities and Science, Faculty of Science and Technology,
University of Debrecen, Bem tér 18/b, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
5
South Transdanubian Regional Environmental, Nature Conservation and Water Management Inspectorate,
Laboratory, Papnövelde u.13, H-7621 Pécs, Hungary
It is questionable whether the two Lestes (Chalcolestes) taxa (viridis and parvidens) are valid species
or subspecies. Their distribution is also partly unclarified especially in the Pannon and the Balkan
regions. Until recently, the potential occurrence of L. parvidens in Hungary was not taken into
account. Based on the literary sources and our recent study L. parvidens seems to be prevailing in
Hungary except in the northern parts. According to our research a few intermediate individuals were
found particularly at shallow lake Fertő/Neusiedlersee. In this study, we compare morphometric
measurements and molecular techniques to find out if these two taxa can be appropriately
distinguished. German, Austrian and Hungarian populations were analyzed to realize morphometric
and DNA sequence differences. In most cases the morphometric parameters were suitable for
discriminating the two taxa. DNA sequences [Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the nuclear
ribosomal DNA, mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (ND1) gene] have confirmed the
identification based on morphometric traits.
Key words: Lestes viridis, Lestes parvidens, morphometric analysis, DNA sequences
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