Checklist of the dragonflies and damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

Abstract

A checklist of the dragonflies and damselflies occurring in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India (including Andaman and Nicobar Islands), Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka is presented. In total 588 (including 559 full species) taxa are known to occur in the region of which 251 taxa (species & subspecies) are single country endemics. Recent taxonomic changes relevant to the area are summarized. Sixteen taxa are synonymized and a checklist of all synonyms established since 1950 is provided. Information is given on available larval descriptions including a list of genera present in the region for which no larvae have yet been described. Numerous species occurring in the area are still poorly known and a list of genera for which a revision is urgently needed is provided. The following new synonyms are established: Calicnemia sudhaae Mitra, 1994 = Calicnemia imitans Lieftinck, 1948 syn. nov.; Ceriagrion fallax cerinomelas Lieftinck, 1927 = Ceriagrion fallax Ris, 1914 syn. nov.; Ceriagrion fallax pendleburyi Laidlaw, 1931 = Ceriagrion fallax Ris, 1914 syn. nov.; Coenagrion kashmirus Chowdhary & Das, 1975 = Ischnura forcipata Morton, 1907 syn. nov.; Enallagma insula Fraser, 1920 = Aciagrion occidentale Laidlaw, 1919 syn. nov.; Himalagrion pithoragarhicum Sahni, 1964 = Ceriagrion fallax Ris, 1914 syn. nov.; Ischnura bhimtalensis Sahni, 1965 = Ischnura rubilio Selys, 1876 syn. nov.; Onychargia indica Sahni, 1964 = Paracercion calamorum (Ris, 1916) syn. nov.; Anaciaeschna kashmirense Singh & Baijal, 1954 = Anaciaeschna martini (Selys, 1897) syn. nov.; Cyclogomphus vesiculosus Selys, 1854 = Cyclogomphus ypsilon Selys, 1954 syn. nov.; Chlorogomphus brittoi Navás, 1934 = Chlorogomphus xanthoptera (Fraser, 1919) syn. nov.; Hylaeothemis indica Fraser, 1946 = Hylaeothemis apicalis Fraser, 1924 syn. nov.; Sympetrum durum Bartenef, 1916 = Sympetrum striolatum commixtum Selys, 1884 syn. nov.; Sympetrum himalayanum Navás, 1934 = Sympetrum hypomelas (Selys, 1884) syn. nov.; Sympetrum haematoneura Fraser, 1924 = Sympetrum speciosum Oguma, 1915 syn. nov.; Sympetrum speciosum taiwanum Asahina, 1951 = Sympetrum speciosum Oguma, 1915 syn. nov. In addition, Periaeschna lebasi Navás, 1930 is regarded a nomen nudum. The following new combinations are proposed: Onychogomphus acinaces Laidlaw, 1922 is transferred to the genus Melligomphus Chao, 1990 resulting in Melligomphus acinaces (Laidlaw, 1922) comb. nov. Onychogomphus saundersii Selys, 1854 is transferred to the genus Nychogomphus Carle, 1986 resulting in Nychogomphus saundersii (Selys, 1854) comb. nov..

On the diversity and abundance of riparian odonate fauna (Insecta) of the midstream Chalakkudy River, Kerala, India

“…Out of the 25 species recorded, five species are endemics and they belong to the suborder Zygoptera. But Pseudagrion indicum is endemic to Western Ghats, while Vestalis apicalis is endemic to southern and central India, Libellago indica is endemic to peninsular India, whereas Dysphaea ethela and Heliocypha bisignata are endemic to India (Kalkman et al 2020). The most dominant endemic species observed in the present survey was Dysphaea ethela and Heliocypha bisignata, which exhibited a minimum level of occurrence.…”

A preliminary checklist of dragonflies and damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) of Vakkom Grama Panchayath, Thiruvanthapuram District, Kerala, India

“…The odonates were identified using the field guides such as Subramanian (2009) and Kiran & Raju (2013). Taxonomy and nomenclature have been updated after Kalkman et al (2020). Based on the frequency of sighting the odonates it was categorized as Very Common (VC) when they were sighted during 75-100% of the field outings, Common (CO) when the sighting was between 50-75%, Occasional (OC) when the sighting was only 25-50%, and Rare (RA) when the sighting was below 25%.…”

“…They are treated as an important component of aquatic ecosystems as well as biological indicators of environmental conditions (Clark & Samways 1996;Samways et al 2010). There are 497 species of odonates in 154 genera and 18 families recorded from India (Joshi & Sawant 2020;Kalkman et al 2020;Payra et al 2020;Subramaniyan & Babu 2017; 196 species in 14 families and 83 genera have been documented from the Western Ghats (Subramanian et al 2018); and 175 species from Kerala to date (Society for Odonate Studies 2021).…”

Dragonflies and damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) of the Kole Wetlands, central Kerala, India

“…Globally, 6,312 species of odonates are known (Schorr & Paulson 2020). In India, 497 species and 27 subspecies in 154 genera and 18 families are known (Joshi & Sawant 2020;Kalkman et al 2020;Payra et al 2020;; 175 species of odonates have been recorded from Kerala till date (Society for Odonate Studies 2020).…”