Description of two females of Leptagrion Selys (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)

Abstract

In this paper, we provide taxonomic updates on the genus Leptagrion Selys: the females of L. acutum Santos and L. porrectum Selys are illustrated and diagnosed for the first time. We also add to the original description of L. acutum based on a male collected in the Atlantic Forest. A key for females is also provided for the currently known species of Southeast of Brazil.

New records of the Critically Endangered Leptagrion acutum Santos, 1961 (Odonata, Coenagrionidae) from southern Bahia, Brazil

“…Costa and Garrison (2001) and Furieri (2008) noted the same seasonality, and they recorded only two specimens, all males, in each of their studies. Until now, L. acutum only has been recorded in 1969 and 1971 from Conceição da Barra, Espírito Santo (Costa and Garrison 2001), and in 2005 and 2006 (this time in the Corrego Grande Biological Reserve; Furieri 2008;Furieri et al 2020). Our new records from the RPPN Veracel Station are the first from Bahia state.…”

“…approved by the National Environmental Fund in order to obtain more information on the distribution and populations of Leptagrion species. In this project, L. acutum was rediscovered after 34 years in Conceição da Barra, in Reserva Biológica Córrego Grande (REBIO), a federal conservation unit in the state of Espírito Santo (Furieri 2008;Furieri et al 2020). The Leptagrion Project also extended its activities to southern Bahia, but it was unsuccessful in finding new records in that region (Furieri 2008).…”

“…The genus Leptagrion Selys, 1876 (Odonata, Coenagrionidae) has 17 described species and has been recorded in coastal areas of South America, from Venezuela south to Brazil, where it is highly diverse in the Atlantic Forest (Garrison et al 2010;Lencioni 2017a;Furieri et al 2020). The reproduction and development of these species depend on phytotelmatic habitats, and breeding is mainly in bromeliads (De Marco and Furieri 2000).…”