Contribution to the Odonata of the Kingdom of Tonga

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

On a dragonfly collection from the Solomon Islands with overview of fauna from this Pacific archipelago (Insecta: Odonata)

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

A revised and updated Odonata checklist of Samoa (Insecta: Odonata)

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

ODONATA FROM BULGARIA IN THE COLLECTION OF NATIONAL MUSEUM OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

The entomological collection of the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the oldest Balkan insect collections. Eighty-seven (87) dragonfly specimens from 19 species that originate from Bulgaria were found in this collection. In this paper we present the oldest and till now unknown records of dragonflies from Bulgaria from this collection. Some interesting and new distribution data on several species are also presented and discussed

Description of Hemicordulia tuiwawai sp. nov. from Kadavu Island, Fiji (Odonata: Corduliidae)

Hemicordulia tuiwawai sp. nov. (Odonata: Corduliidae) is described and diagnosed based on material collected from Kadavu Island, Fiji; holotype: Wainitayuki River about 750 m above Baidamudamu village, -19.0916, 178.1038; 37 m a.s.l., 06 June 2016, M. Marinov leg. This species is distinguished from its congeners in the field by the contrasting colouration – dark green metallic body with bright yellow spots on the synthorax and base of the abdomen. This pattern is comparable to H. pacifica Selys, 1871. However, Hemicordulia tuiwawai sp. nov. can be recognised by the larger size and unique shape of the caudal appendages and genital hamule (in males) and vulvar scale (in females)

The seven "oddities" of Pacific Odonata biogeography

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

On the Fijian endemic genus Nesobasis Selys, 1891 with introduction of N. martina sp. nov. and N. monika sp. nov. (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)

Two new congeneric species endemic to Fiji are introduced: Nesobasis martina sp. nov. [holotype female, Viti Levu Is] and N. monika sp. nov. [holotype male, Taveuni Is]. The species are placed in the comosa- and erythrops-groups respectively (grouping following Donnelly 1990). Diagnostic features are proposed, but not discussed. Further discussion is left for an ongoing revision of the genus (Donnelly & Marinov in prep. ). The new species reported here are introduced ahead of this revision in a study which was made possible due to the International Dragonfly Fund (IDF) offering the opportunity to pick a new species' name for a donation

A contribution to the dragonfly fauna of Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands (Insecta: Odonata) with description of two new species

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

Spatial modelling of Dragonfly habitats in New Zealand (Odonata : Insecta)

While New Zealand is poor in Odonata species the seventeen species thus far established have great natural importance (Moore 1989). Ten of them are endemic to the islands representing the country. Those include four genera known to occur only in this part of the world (Rowe 1987). This poses a great responsibility on New Zealand to protect this natural treasure. Damselflies and dragonflies are considered well protected within the national parks, but the loss of habitats could severely impact them in the future. This suggests that a habitat assessment should be prepared for the whole country that will serve as base-line data set for monitoring the development of the natural environment for the Odonata species in New Zealand. Fourteen species have been selected for this analysis. Their biological features and ecological requirements were considered in preparing a working habitat assessment methodology. Habitat models were developed using ArcGIS 9.2 software. Multistep spatial analysis was carried out to reclassify the layers containing the important information on the land topology representing crucial elements in the Odonata species habitats. The final outputs are individual species maps where the New Zealand territory is marked with four different colour classes corresponding to the ranks of importance that each area is considered to have for individual species. The models are named probabilistic in that they reveal the areas where the ecological demands of the species are approached at a maximum level. However, they should not be used as distribution maps. Probabilistic models are contrasted against deterministic models used in other Odonata habitat models. The strengths and weaknesses are discussed and some important conclusions and recommendations are described and suggested