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A small collection of Odonata from Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas Islands is presented. It adds Anax guttatus as a new species to this oceanic group. Hemicordulia sp. nov. is reported, but not described because the same species has been sampled before and is pending a formal description. A short taxonomic discussion on observed morphological similarity of male anal appendages in taxa presently assigned to Amorphostigma, Hivaagrion and Ischnura east of New Caledonia is provided. Important considerations for biogeography of the Pacific Odonata are discussed too.
New data on the Odonata fauna of the Kingdom of Tonga is provided following re-search carried out on Tongatapu and 'Eua islands in July 2012. New localities for Tongatapu Island are put on record and previous studies are compared with new pheno-logical data from a period during which field surveys are rarely conducted on Pacific islands. Although Odonata have been collected before from 'Eua Island, the data presented here is the first published so far.
'Eua Island is assessed as a very important venue for further research on Odonata. Overall the Kingdom of Tonga is very depauperate in water resources with lotic biotopes very restricted in area and found on 'Eua Island, and possibly on Tofua and Late islands, which are both volcanic. This study on the Odonata of 'Eua resulted in records of eighttaxa, including with Teinobasis sp. nov., which will be described elsewhere.
Morphological variation in Pseudagrion microcephalum stainbergerorumand Trameatransmarinaare discussed in the context of their subspecific affiliation. Diagnostic features for easier differentiation are proposed for the first of these taxa; the validation of commonly used diagnostic traits is discussed for the second.
Odonata records of the Samoan Archipelago are updated and an updated checklist provided. It is part of an ongoing assessment of the fauna, taxonomy and distributionof the Pacific island dragonflies. The checklist follows recent reviews published/prepared about the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Fiji and Kingdom of Tonga.
This study draws on recent dragonfly records following general insect surveys spanning 2008-2012 funded by Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) via Conserva-tion International (CI) to the authors and to Secretariat Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP) and also by funding from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Other unpublished data from Samoan Archipelago and Niue are included as well. All, but one, of the newly collected Odonata species are widespread within the Pacific region. Hemicordulia cupricoloris the only species from the recent collections which is endemic to Samoa, previously reported for Savai'i and Upolu Islands. It has neverbeen confirmed since its original description in 1927. The new study shows the species as an inhabitant of high altitude zones of Savai'i. It is recommended inland areas of Savai'i and other islands within the Samoan Archipelago should be targeted in further field studies.
New faunistic data is provided on the Odonata inhabiting the three main islands within the Samoan archipelago, namely Savai’i, Upolu and Tutuila as well as the smaller islands of Aunu’u and the Manu’a group. The specimens collected or observed in the field were compared to samples from other nearby Pacific island groups such as Fiji and Tonga. This study makes important contributions towards resolving taxonomic issues regarding the Ischnura species described as endemic to Samoa and their relations to other Coenagrionidae genera. New diagnostic features for distinguishing between females of the endemic genera Amorphostigma and Pacificagrion, subspecies separation in the Pacific Tramea transmarina and distinguishing between Samoan Hemicordulia species are suggested. Anaciaeschna melanostoma is proposed as junior synonym of A. jaspidea. A possible new subspecies of Lathrecista asiatica, confined to the Samoan archipelago, is discussed. The validity of Agriocnemis interrupta as a separate species from A. exsudans is questioned. Pacific Pseudagrion is believed to be represented within the region by one species only, with separate subspecies in Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, although more specimens from Fiji are required to resolve this issue.
Odonata fauna of the Solomon Islands (considered in its political rather than geographical borders) is revised following a recent collecting trip to Guadalcanal Island in April 2012. Some important taxonomic considerations are discussed and a complete literature review is provided for the country with an updated checklist of 64 species that is in accordance with the latest taxonomic studies on the group from that part of the world. The collection reported here was carried out on two and a half effective field days and resulted in a total of 30 taxa. Two of them (Agyrtacantha browni and Gynacantha amphora) are new to science and already described elsewhere and three oth-ers (Lestesconcinnus, Lathrecista asiatica festa and Rhyothemis resplendens) are new to the country. A female of Pseudagrion incisurum is described for the first timeand another female (Rhinocypha liberata) will be described later.
New data on Odonata of the Guadalcanal Island, Solomon Islands are provided following a recently completed Rapid Biodiversity Assessment of the Tetena Haiaja ridge. Two new species, Lieftinckia ulunorum and Procordulia valevahalo are described.
The first is a new member of the Solomon Islands endemic genus while the second is a new genus for the country and the second validated species from the Corduliidae family known from this Pacific archipelago. As L. ulunorum is found to be very closely related to formerly known L. lairdi Lieftinck, 1963, which was also collected during the field trip, both are described in detail based on mature adults and teneral specimens. Comparison with L. salomonis Kimmins, 1957 (investigated only from figures published in the original species description) and Salomoncnemis gerdae Lieftinck, 1987 (also sampled during this study) were provided as well.
Additional morphological data is given on the following species: Teinobasis bradleyi Kimmins, 1957, female is illustrated here for the first time; Anax sp. cf. gibbosulus, second record of the genus for the country and Gynacantha amphora Marinov & Theischinger, 2012, originally described by a single male, here the description of the female is provided.
All other species collected during the field trip will be published separately in the final expedition report.
Contribution to the Odonata fauna of the Society Islands, French Polynesia (Insecta: Odonata)
(2019)
Following field studies in 2018 the Odonata fauna of Society Islands, French Polynesia is reviewed and the validity of all records analysed. An updated species list is provided, bringing the number of breeding species recorded from this island group to ten.
Field studies targeted Hemicordulia Selys, 1870 specimens for inclusion in the revision of the Pacific representatives of the genus. Samples were taken mainly from Tahiti and Raiatea, with some additional specimens collected from Bora Bora and Huahine. Only the Society Islands endemic H. oceanica Selys, 1871 was encountered on all four islands, being recorded from Bora Bora for the first time. At least one new species of Hemicordulia has been reported from the high mountain areas of Tahiti (Jacq et al. 2009, 2014).
The present study also emphasises the need for a revision of Zygoptera records from the French Polynesia and the rest of the Pacific. Presently, about 25 endemic species provisionally assigned to Ischnura Charpentier, 1840 and Hivaagrion Hämäläinen & Marinov, 2014 are known from the Society, Austral and Marquesas island groups (R. Englund, J. Jacq, T. Ramage, D. Polhemus, per. comm.). Only seven of them have been described so far. Detailed morphological and molecular analyses will likely prove the separate generic status of some of the species presently included under Ischnura.
We compared Chatham Island endemic species Xanthocnemis tuanuii to its congenerics from the New Zealand South Island: X. zealandica (newly collected specimens)and X. sinclairi (type specimens plus newly collected material). Two independent tests were performed –geometric morphometrics and molecular. Both analyses were consistent in supporting the status of X. tuanuiias a good species. Species differed statistically in the following morphological traits: head (dorsal view), male appendages (dorsal, lateral, posterior and ventral views), thorax (dorsal view), and penis (dorsal and lateral view). In addition to the original diagnostic features (mainly shape of the male superior appendages), a new morphological character is suggested here which reliably distinguishes the species based on the shape of the inferior appendages. There was no statistical support for the species status of X. sinclairi. The only feature re-ported as diagnostic (lower lobe of male superior appendages) was found to be variable and insufficient to warrant the previously proposed taxonomic rank for X. sinclairi. Molecular analysis of specimens showing identical appendages to the X. sinclairi holotype grouped them with X. zealandica specimens. Therefore X. sinclairi is synonymised with X. zealandica.
Faunistic investigations on adult insects and molecular research on larvae have identified the existence of at least four species of Odonata on the Chatham Islands. The species resemble their New Zealand counterparts, although there are morphological deviations from the typical diagnostic features. Molecular evidence is not concordant with earlier morphological results as far as the genus Xanthocnemis is concerned. Genetic data suggest there are two species on the island while morphological investigations revealed just one. This topic needs further clarification and is given special atiention in the present study. The main aim of the present study is to establish the taxonomic position of Chatham Island Xanthocnemis species and its relation to New Zealand main island fauna. It also provides some data on the biology of the local species and estimates of key demographic parameters (i.e., survival and abundance). The results show that Chatham Islands inhabitants are close morphologically to their New Zealand main island counterparts. Between-island differences in wing area and abdomen-to-body length ratio were found, but were largely atiributable to the harsh environment on the Chatham Islands and its influence on body size. Chatham Xanthocnemis exhibited low survival rates and a great diversity of female colour morphs and certain behavioural traits (like underwater oviposition), which are suspected to be due to a composite influence of low summer temperatures, constant winds, and low pH. Ultimately, the taxonomic status of the Chatham Island Xanthocnemis species needs further confirmation based on molecular analysis of adults.
