Dragonfly Genera of the New World: An Illustrated and Annotated Key to the Anisoptera

383 Pages·2006·40.4 MB·English

by  Rosser W. Garrison

Dragonfly Genera of the New World
An illustrated and annotated key to the Anisoptera
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Dragonfly Genera of the New World
An Illustrated and Annotated Key to the Anisoptera
Rosser W. Garrison,
Natalia von Ellenrieder, and
Jerry A. Louton
The Johns Hopkins University Press
Baltimore
© 2006 The Johns Hopkins University Press
All rights reserved. Published 2006
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
The Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21218-4363
www.press.jhu.edu
Library of the Congress Cataloging-in Publication Data
Garrison, Rosser W.
Dragonfly Genera of the New World: an illustrated and
annotated key to the Anisoptera/
Rosser, W. Garrison, Natalia von Ellenrieder,
Jerry A. Louton

p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8018-8446-2 (alk. paper)
1. Dragonflies — North America — Classification. 2.
Dragonflies — South America — Classification. I.
Ellenrieder, Natalia von. II. Louton, Jerry A. III. Title.
QL520.2.A1G37 2006
595.7 33097–dc22 2006041810
A catalog record for this book is available from the British
Library
Title page illustration Stylurus plagiatus (Gomphidae) male
– by R.W. Garrison.
Front cover above: Erythemis peruviana (Libellulinae)
male – photographed by R.W. Garrison in Venezuela, Río
Caroni; below: Fylgia amazonica (Libellulinae) male
– photographed by R.W. Garrison in Brazil, Rondônia State
To our families, friends, and all dragonfly lovers
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Contents
Preface ix
List of Abbreviations xi
1. Introduction 1
2. Key to families 9
3. Petaluridae 13
4. Austropetaliidae 19
5. Aeshnidae 25
6. Gomphidae 65
7. Neopetaliidae 133
8. Cordulegastridae 135
9. Libellulidae. Key to Subfamilies 139
10. Macromiinae 141
11. Corduliinae 145
12. Libellulinae 173
Literature Cited 283
Distribution Tables 312
List of Figures 319
Index of Taxa 359
vii
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Preface
During the past 30 years, dragonflies and damselflies (Order Odonata) have become
one of the most studied groups of insects. Their relatively large size, striking color-
ation, interesting biology, and relative fewness in numbers of species (about 5,600
species) compared with other orders of insects are factors contributing to their popu-
larity. Dragonfly larvae generally have high habitat fidelity, and can thus be used as
indicators of the health of aquatic ecosystems. Adults are uually active only during
daylight hours and may be collected by aerial netting.
Despite their popularity, there has virtually been no means of easily identifying
species from the richest area of biodiversity: the neotropical region. This area houses
about 1,650 species in 195 genera, or about 30% of the world’s total (Garrison, 1991;
Bridges, 1994; Tsuda, 2000). The closest areas in number of species are continen-
tal Southeast Asia with 959 species and Indonesia with 673 species (Tsuda, 2000).
Within the past eight years a comprehensive account of the Odonata from the United
States and Canada has been published (Westfall and May, 1996; Needham, Westfall,
and May, 2000), resulting in an increase in interest by students and the general public.
In contrast, for Mexico and Central America there are only the less comprehensive
keys of Calvert (1905–1908) and a modified, up-to-date volume (Förster, 2001) for
Central America, and nothing equivalent has ever been published for the vast South
American continent. A significant amount of research in the neotropical Odonata by
Latin American students has only occurred during the past fifteen to twenty years.
However, all students of the order have had to rely on scattered publications that treat
regional fauna or review particular groups of Odonata, or have access to a synoptic
collection in order to successfully identify material.
It is surprising that such a small and well-known order of insects has lagged be-
hind others as regards taxonomic knowledge, as is the case in South America. This is
most likely due to the few numbers of active researchers in the past as well as to the
paucity of material in collections; odonates are fragile and, except for a few groups
such as the magnificent helicopter damselflies (Pseudostigmatidae), are not attractive
to the general collector since preserved material often undergoes significant post-
mortem discoloration. Because there is no comprehensive treatment allowing for the
identification of neotropical dragonflies, an illustrated key should greatly facilitate
and accelerate taxonomic and ecological studies of the order in this rich geographic
region. We believe that this book will be a reliable reference source for identification
of dragonflies for limnologists, ecologists, and other biologists relatively unfamiliar
with these insects, and will encourage Latin American workers to study their dragon-
fly faunas.
This work attempts to provide keys to adults, supported by abundant illustrations,
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