Ecological Factors and the Distribution of Adult Odonata in Puerto Rico

Abstract

Puerto Rico's dragonfly and damselfly (Odonata) fauna, while abundant and diverse, is not well known, with the most recent surveys being over 80 years old. This work reports on sampling conducted on the island between late 2015 and early 2017. A total of 1,754 specimens in 19 genera and 30 species were collected, representing 61.2% of the species reported for the island. The number of individuals, number of genera, and number of species were higher on sites with a mean annual precipitation between 1300 mm and 1900 mm and a mean maximum annual temperature between 28.51ºC and 32.50ºC. Similarly, the number of individuals, number of genera, and number of species were higher on the woodland and shrubland cover types than on any of the other cover types. While some inferences can be made from our data, an increased collection effort in less sampled areas is necessary.