Faunistic studies in South-East Asian and Pacific Island Odonata : journal of the International Dragonfly Fund
ISSN: 2195-4534
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28
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.
26
This study investigates the history of Odonata studies in the Republic of Vanuatu and presents results from a two week field sampling mainly on three islands – Efate, Aneityum and Malekula. A total of 32 species are recognised as currently valid names for the country. Three new species have been collected and will be described elsewhere. Various taxonomic, faunistic and biogeographic issues are discussed in the light of the new material collected during the current study in comparison to already published research.
The general conclusion is that provisional species checklist is far from complete. The territory of Vanuatu is still highly insufficiently studied for its Odonata fauna. The local endemic genus Vanuatubasis Ober & Staniczek, 2009 is believed to be far more diverse than currently known with three described and three new species collected during the present study.
18
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.
17
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.
11
The existing literature on the Odonata inhabiting the three large divisions of the Pacific Ocean (Micronesia, Melanesia, Polynesia) is revised taking into consideration earlier discussions on the species origin, historical faunistic records, various palaeogeographical models proposed for the area, general data on the biology and ecology of this insect order. Special emphasis is paid on the incomplete data set for the region and inconsistency of the exploration of this vast area. The taxonomy and fauna of the Pacific Odonata is far from complete which makes it very difficult to provide any plausible hypothesis on the biogeographical pattern that we observe today.
The widely accepted view of long distance dispersal from a centre of origin as the only possible means for species to occupy remote oceanic island archipelagos is critically reviewed. There are seven phenomena in the current Odonata distribution that cannot be explained only by random gene transfer mediated by wind dispersal.
Those are called “oddities”, however, they are believed to be regularities of past geological events and modern day human associated activities within the Pacific.
The rationale for each of them is explained in details and illustrated with distribution maps following the current taxonomy of the group.
A new approach is suggested to tackle the question of the origin of the Pacific Odonata by relating the higher taxa distribution to the geological events and palaeontology of the families. It is not intended to be a new hypothesis yet before more systematic studies of the taxonomy and fauna of the group. Therefore, it is believed that the new method suggested here will increase the attention of the scientific community and will boost studies on this insect order within the Pacific Ocean. Discussion on its applicability is provided with attention to details that are difficult to be explained with the Pacific Odonata palaeontology as we know it for the moment.
5
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.
4
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.
1
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.