Journal
of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 September 2022 | 14(9):
21836–21844
ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print)
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.7957.14.9.21836-21844
#7957 | Received 07 April 2022 | Final received 20 May 2022 |
Finally accepted 05 September 2022
New
records of odonates from Trongsa and Zhemgang, central Bhutan
with
a checklist of Jigme Singye Wangchuck
National Park
Mer
Man Gurung 1, Cheten Dorji
2 ,
Abir Man Sinchuri 3 ,
Sanjit K. Rai 4 , Karma C. Dendup 5 &
Vincent J. Kalkman 6
1,2
Department of Forest Science, College of Natural
Resources, Royal University of Bhutan, Punakha, P.O: 13003, Bhutan.
3,4,5
Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, Trongsa, P.O: 33001, Bhutan.
6
Naturalis Biodiversity Center,
Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands.
1 merman.gurung93@gmail.com (corresponding
author), 2 cdorji.cnr@rub.edu.bt, 3 amsinchuri@moaf.gov.bt,
4 sanjitk131687@gmail.com, 5 kcdendup@moaf.gov.bt, 6
vincent.kalkman@naturalis.nl
Abstract:
New records of 43 species of dragonflies and
damselflies from Trongsa and Zhemgang districts in
central Bhutan are provided. Two of these, Watanabeopetalia
atkinsoni (Selys, 1878)
and Tetrathemis platyptera
(Selys, 1878), are new to Bhutan bringing the
number of species known from Bhutan to 125. A checklist of the 60 species known
from Trongsa district, Zhemgang district and the
Jigme Singye Wangchuck
National Park is provided.
Keywords: Damselfly,
dragonfly, freshwater ecology, protected area.
Editor:
Anonymity requested. Date of
publication: 26 September 2022 (online & print)
Citation: Gurung,
M.M., C. Dorji, A.M. Sinchuri,
S.K. Rai, K.C. Dendup & V.J. Kalkman
(2022). New records of odonates from Trongsa and Zhemgang, central Bhutan with a checklist of Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park.
Journal of Threatened Taxa 14(9): 21836–21844.
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.7957.14.9.21836-21844
Copyright: © Gurung
et al. 2022. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
License. JoTT
allows unrestricted use, reproduction, and distribution of this article in any
medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of
publication.
Funding: The fieldwork was made possible by a grant of National
Geographic Society (NGS-72271C-20): “Exploring the invertebrate diversity of
the last virgin rivers of Bhutan, the Eastern Himalayas”
Competing interests: The authors
declare no competing interests.
Author details: Mer Man Gurung is a researcher who is passionate about freshwater
ecology, especially on systematics of Odonates and
water mites. He has several past contributions to dragonflies and damselflies
of Bhutan, and water mites. He is currently working on Odonates
of southern Bhutan. Cheten Dorji is a lecturer and a
researcher in the field of invertebrate taxonomy, evolutionary ecology and
phylogenetics. Currently, he is interested in understanding invertebrate
richness patterns and phylogeography of rare and
endemic Cave Wata of Bhutan and New Zealand. Abir M. Sinchuri is a conservationist working as a Sr.
Forestry Officer in Jigme Singye Wangchuck
National Park, under Department of Forest and Park Services. He is regularly
involved in wildlife surveys, research, monitoring and wildlife habitat
management activities in the park. Sanjit K. Rai is
a senior forester of Nabji Korphu
under Jigme Singye Wangchuck
National Park. He is a passionate conservationist, and he is mostly involved in
the fieldworks of the park. Karma C. Dendup
is a conservationist by profession and a passionate beginner in the field of
Myrmecology. He has produced the first preliminary checklist of ants for Bhutan,
and he currently serves as a forest officer in Jigme Singye
Wangchuck National Park. Vincent J. Kalkman is based at
Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Netherlands where he works on various
entomological projects. He exclusively works on Odonates
faunistic research, conservation, taxonomy, and biogeography of Europe,
Southeast Asia, and Australasian regions.
Author contributions: MMG—carried
fieldwork and drafted the manuscript; CD—carried fieldwork with first author
and reviewed the manuscript; AMS—supported the fieldwork and logistics and
reviewed the manuscript; SKR—escorted the fieldwork in Nabji
Korphu with first author; KCD—escorted the entire
fieldwork, arranged the logistics and reviewed the manuscript; VJK—provided the
critical review and supplemented with useful literatures.
Acknowledgements: The
fieldwork was made possible by a grant of National Geographic Society
(NGS-72271C-20): “Exploring the invertebrate diversity of the last virgin
rivers of Bhutan, the Eastern Himalayas”. We are heartily thankful to Chief
Forest Officer (CFO) of Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park (JSWNP) for granting permission to
survey odonates in JSWNP. The first author is also
thankful to Mr. Ratan Giri, Mr. Sangay
Lhajay, Mr. Namgay Dorji of
JSWNP and Mr. Sonam Moktan, College of Natural
resources for their selfless field escorts. We are also grateful to Dr. Karen Conniff, Dr. Phan Quoc Toan, Mr. Chandra Man Rai and Miss. Ashika
Dhimal for providing the reference literatures and
proof reading the manuscript.
Introduction
In the last few years, an increasing number of studies
were published on the dragonflies and damselflies of Bhutan with numerous
species being reported new to the country. The checklist published by Gyeltshen et al. (2017) included 92 species and that of Kalkman et al. (2020) contained 114 species. A further nine
species were recorded by Gurung et al (2021) bringing the total to 123 species.
Rasaily et al. (2021) provided an overview of the odonates of Bhutan with a checklist, distribution maps,
data on phenology, and altitudinal distribution for all species. The dragonfly
and damselfly fauna of Bhutan compared to adjacent region in the eastern
Himalaya, is relatively well known although it is likely that more species
remain to be discovered. Most of the studies on Bhutanese odonates
were carried out in non-protected areas with limited field survey periods and
proximity to the main roads. Data on the occurrence of dragonflies and
damselflies in the protected areas is scant in Bhutan. Here, we present
distribution data collected in 2021 of 43 species of odonates
from Trongsa and Zhemgang districts. Part of these
records originate from the Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park (JSWNP). These records include two
species new to Bhutan.
Materials and method
Opportunistic sampling was carried out from 23 April
2021 to 20 May 2021 during the pre-monsoon and 18 October 2021 to 05 November
2021 during the post-monsoon season in two districts—Trongsa and Zhemgang in central Bhutan (Figure 1)—along an altitudinal
gradient stretching from 400 m to 2,800 m. The survey was conducted from
0900‒1500 h in suitable habitats such as brooks, wetlands, ponds, paddy
fields, and rivers. Odonates were photographed using
a Nikon D5600 DSLR camera attached to Nikkor
70‒300 mm zoom lens during the survey. Common species were identified in
the field following Gyeltshen et al. (2017). Species
which could not be identified in the field were captured using an insect sweep
net and brought to the College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan
lab for examination. All specimens collected from this study were deposited in
the College of Natural Resources Museum. The specimens were examined under the
microscope and were identified using the taxonomic monograph of Fraser (1933,
1934, 1936) and Karube (2002). All species
identifications are based upon adult specimens except for two records of Perissogomphus stevensi
and one records of Neurobasis chinensis which
were identified from larvae.
Abbreviations
DoFPS:
Department of Forest and Park Services; FR: forest ranger; FW: forewing; HW:
hindwing; JSWNP: Jigme Singye Wangchuck
National Park; MG1‒37: Locality 1 to 37; pt:
pterostigma; S1‒10: abdominal segment 1 to 10.
List
of localities (Figure 1)
All observations were made by the first author unless
specified otherwise. Some localities were visited multiple times and in these
cases a, b, c, or d indicates the date on which they were visited (see list of
localities). ‘X’ denotes those cases
where a locality was visited multiple times but the date on which a species was
recorded is unknown.
(MG1) Zhemgang district, Tingtibi, Dakpay Chhu, shallow stream with thick vegetation by the side of
marshy land, (27.152121°N, 90.693088°E, altitude 555 m), 25 October 2021.
(MG2) Zhemgang district, Tingtibi, streams with thick lowland vegetations,
(27.142237°N, 90.692395°E, altitude 558 m), (a) 26 April 2021; (b) 25 October
2021.
(MG3) Zhemgang district, Takabi Chhu stream, tall tree
canopies with thick riparian vegetation, (27.146026°N, 90.687720°E, altitude
561 m), 21 October 2021.
(MG4) Zhemgang, Tingtibi, Takabi Chhu, stream with thick vegetation and tall tree canopy
habitat, (27.144651°N, 90.687412°E, altitude 483 m), (a) 12 May 2021; (b) 21
October 2021.
(MG5) Zhemgang district, Tingtibi, Maidagang Chhu streams with dense riparian vegetation, (27.127601°N
90.715601°E, altitude 534 m), (a) 25 April 2021; (b) 22 October 2021.
(MG6) Zhemgang district, way
to Berti from Tingtibi,
along the roadside pools with bushy vegetation, (27.150037°N, 90.684622°E,
altitude 599 m), (a) 27 March 2021; (b) 25 October 2021.
(MG7) Zhemgang district, Tingtibi, common along stream side vegetation,
(27.139521°N, 90.698527°E, altitude 789 m), 26 October 2021.
(MG8) Zhemgang district, way
to Berti from Tingtibi,
wetlands and slow flowing streams, (27.150343°N, 90.670788°E, altitude 571 m),
(a) 25 April 2021; (b) 25 October 2021.
(MG9) Zhemgang, Berti, slow flowing stream near the Berti
fishing community, (27.160623°N, 90.654518°E, altitude 662 m), 25 October 2021.
(MG10) Zhemgang district,
way to Manas, standing water, wetland and slow flowing streams, (27.049563°N,
90.787988°E, altitude 1,476 m), (a) 28 April 2021; (b) 23 October 2021.
(MG11) Zhemgang district, on
stream side riparian vegetation, (27.177540°N, 90.819670°E, altitude 1,539 m),
(a) 26 April 2021; (b) 24 October 2021.
(MG12) Zhemgang district,
Tamala, standing water and mountain brooks, (27.085926°N, 90.642640°E, altitude
2,181 m), 25 April 2021.
(MG13) Zhemgang district,
Tamala passes, lake below Tamala check post, thick tree canopies, and permanent
standing water, (27.081386°N, 90.643579°E, altitude 1,397 m), 25 April 2021.
(MG14) Trongsa district, Nabji
Korphu, fast flowing montane streams along the thick
forest canopy, (27.190785°N, 90.526465°E, altitude 1,223 m), 16 May 2021.
(MG15) Trongsa district, Nabji
Korphu, thick vegetation along forest streams,
(27.195754°N, 90.515107°E, altitude 1,416 m), 19 May 2021.
(MG16) Trongsa district, Nabji
Korphu, wetland with thick vegetation, (27.189306°N,
90.529591°E, altitude 1,187 m), 16 May 2021.
(MG17) Trongsa district, Nabji
Korphu, streams with thick riparian vegetation and
tree canopies, (27.184594°N, 90.521300°E, altitude 1,218 m), 16 May 2021.
(MG18) Trongsa district, Langthel,
forest along the streams, (27.360582°N, 90.590122°E, altitude 1,571 m), (a) 16
May 2021; (b) 22 October 2021.
(MG19) Trongsa district, Langthel,
stream with thick vegetation and tree canopies, (27.349298°N, 90.581241°E,
altitude 1,140 m), (a) 16 May 2021; (b) 22 October 2021.
(MG20) Trongsa district, Langthel,
above Bayzam bridge, grasslands and bushes by the
wetland, (27.320119°N, 90.583442°E, altitude 1,082 m), (a) 14 April 2020; (b)
23 October 2021.
(MG21) Trongsa district, Langthel,
wetland, water channels, and paddy fields, (27.343525°N, 90.578323°E, altitude
1,002 m), (a) 20 April 2021; (b) 22 October 2021.
(MG22) Trongsa district, Langthel,
streams along the forest, (27.348525°N, 90.582566°E, altitude 1,251 m), (a) 10
May 2021; (b) 22 October 2021.
(MG23) Trongsa district, Langthel,
fast flowing streams with tree canopies, (27.334342°N, 90.596369°E, altitude
1,151 m), 10 May 2021.
(MG24) Trongsa district, Chendebji,
wetland and brooks, (27.489954°N, 90.319323°E, altitude 2,712 m), (a) 14 May
2021; (b) 18 October 2021.
(MG25) Trongsa district, Nika Chhu
stream with thick undisturbed riparian vegetation (27.44833°N, 90.37397°E,
altitude 2,251 m), 01 December 2021.
(MG26) Samdrupjongkhar
district, Jomotshangkha, stagnant pool side in Jangsa area with low land vegetation, (26.884801°N,
92.096801°E, altitude 280 m), 26 September 2020.
(MG27) Trongsa district, Kartigang
Chhu, stream with thick vegetation and tall canopies
away from settlements, on the way to Langthel from Tingtibi, (27.278597°N, 90.629933°E, altitude 1,355 m), 22
October 2021.
Other observations
(MG28) Zhemgang district, Buli, wetland by the forest, (27.206561°N, 90.711347°E,
altitude 1,510 m), 30 November 2021, leg. Sherub D. Jamtsho.
(MG29) Zhemgang district, Kikhar, stream with thick fern growth, (27.171210°N
90.698348°E, altitude 698 m) 25 September 2019, leg. Reta Bdr.
(MG30) Zhemgang district,
tandem flight capture over the grassland, (27.053908°N 90.847121°E, altitude
1,459 m), 23 March 2020, leg. Sherub D. Jamtsho.
(MG31) Zhemgang district, Nimshong Shingkhar, vegetation by
the forest side, (27.246188°N 90.947851°E, altitude 1,252 m), (a) 14 May 2020;
(b) 18 July 2020; (c) 25 August 2020, leg. Sherub D. Jamtsho.
(MG32) Zhemgang district, Therang, Shingkhar, perching by
the forest, (27.278504°N 90.945818°E, altitude 1,911 m), (a) 30 May 2019; (b)
01 June 2019, leg. Sherub D. Jamtsho
(MG33) Zhemgang, Nimshong Shingkhar, thick
vegetation near a steam, (27.191413°N 90.966913°E, altitude 1,464 m), (a) 26
July 2020; (b) 18 August 2019, leg. Sherub D. Jamtsho.
(MG34) Zhemgang, Nimshong Shingkhar, perching by
the forest side, (27.225310°N 90.955527°E, altitude 1,544 m), 21 July 2018,
leg. Sherub D. Jamtsho.
(MG35) Zhemgang district,
Radhi Shingkhar, by the forest side, (27.271882°N
90.944047°E, altitude 1,881 m), 21 June 2019, leg. Sherub
D. Jamtsho.
(MG36) Trongsa district, Jigme Singye
Wangchuck National Park, bamboo dominated forest
(27.194522°N 90.479680°E, altitude 1,525 m), 18 November 2020, leg. Kado Rinchen.
(MG37) Trongsa district, Langthel,
woodland by the standing water habitat, (27.326706°N, 90.583657°E, altitude
1,069 m), 11 July 2019, leg. Kado Rinchen.
Results
Our survey resulted in 43 new species records of from
Trongsa and Zhemgang, Central Bhutan. In addition, 17
other species were recorded from these dzongkhags (provinces) in previous
publications bringing the total to 60 species belonging to 16 genera and 11
families (Table 1). Two of the species recorded by us, Watanabeopetalia
atkinsoni and Tetrathemis
platyptera, are new to Bhutan bringing the total
number of species known from the country to 125.
All 37 localities from which we present records are in
Trongsa and Zhemgang districts with the exception of
locality 26 which is in Samdrupjongkhar district.
This is however included here in order to include a second record of T. platyptera.
List
of species recorded
Anisoptera
(dragonfly)
Family
Aeshnidae
Aeshna
petalura (Martin, 1908), MG27, MG35,
MG36.
Cephalaeschna
sp. Selys, 1883, MG27.
Gynacantha
sp. Rambur, 1842, MG27.
Polycanthagyna
erythromelas
(McLachlan, 1896), MG37.
Family
Chlorogomphidae
Watanabeopetalia atkinsoni*
(Selys, 1878), MG15.
Family
Cordulegasteridae
Anotogaster
nipalensis (Selys, 1854), MG30.
Family
Gomphidae
Davidius
sp. Selys 1878, MG30.
Lamelligomphus
risi (Fraser, 1922), MG1, MG2b,
MG3, MG5b, MG6b.
Perissogomphus
stevensi Laidlaw, 1922, MG2a, MG5b (3
larvae), MG6b (3 larvae), MG15, MG16, MG17.
Scalmogomphus
bistrigatus Hagen,
1854. MG31c.
Family
Libellulidae
Crocothemis
sp. Brauer, 1868, MG1, MG2x,
MG6x, MG7, MG25, MG32x.
Diplacodes
trivialis (Rambur,
1842), MG2x, MG4x, MG10x, MG20a, MG24x.
Orthetrum
glaucum (Brauer, 1865), MG2x, MG3,
MG4x, MG11b, MG18x, MG22x.
Orthetrum internum MacLachlan,
1894, MG15, MG19a, MG20b, MG21x.
Orthetrum
luzonicum (Brauer, 1868), MG2x, MG3, MG4x, MG10x.
Orthetrum pruinosum (Burmeister,
1839), MG1, MG2x, MG11a, MG12, MG23.
Orthetrum
sabina (Drury, 1773), MG1, MG2x,
MG11x, MG12, MG22a.
Orthetrum
triangulare (Selys, 1878), MG1, MG3, MG4x, MG9, MG18b, MG23.
Palpopleura
sexmaculata (Fabricius, 1787), MG1, MG2, MG6x, MG18x, MG22b.
Pantala
flavescens (Fanricius, 1798), MG2x, MG3, MG14, MG16, MG19x.
Sympetrum commixtum
(Selys, 1884), MG20x, MG24a, MG30.
Tetrathemis
platyptera* (Selys, 1878), MG1, MG26.
Trithemis
aurora (Burmeister, 1839), MG2b, MG3, MG5a, MG9, MG19b
Trithemis
festiva (Rambur, 1842), MG2x, MG5x,
MG7, MG8x, MG10a, MG21b.
Trithemis
pallidinervis (Kirby,
1889), MG1, MG2.
Family
Macromidae
Macromia
moorei Selys,
1874, MG2x, MG3, MG5x, MG7, MG8x, MG14, MG15.
Zygoptera
(damselfly)
Family
Calopterygidae
Caliphaea
confusa Hagen in Selys,
1859, MG3, MG15, MG17, MG32a.
Neurobasis
chinensis (Linnaeus, 1758), MG1, MG4x, MG5b (2 larvae), MG15,
MG17.
Family
Chlorocyphidae,
Aristocypha
cuneata (Selys, 1853), MG1, MG2b,
MG4b, MG5b, M7, MG9, MG10b.
Family
Coenagrionidae
Aciagrion
olympicum Laidlaw,
1919, MG31a.
Agriocnemis
pygmaea Rambur, 1842, MG8b.
Ceriagrion
fallax Ris,
1914, MG4, MG10b, MG11x.
Ischnura
rubilio (Selys,
1876), MG2b, MG3, MG6b, MG8b, MG32b.
Pseudagrion
rubriceps (Selys, 1876), MG6a, MG8a.
Family
Euphaeidae
Anisopleura
comes Hagen, 1880, MG14, MG15, MG16, MG17, MG33a & b.
Anisopleura
subplatystyla Fraser,
1927, MG28, MG29, MG33b.
Bayadera
indica Selys, 1853, MG23.
Family
Lestidae
Indolestes
cyaneus (Selys,
1862), MG12, MG13, MG24b, MG25.
Lestes
dorothea Fraser,
1924, MG34.
Family
Platystictidae
Protosticta
sp. Selys, 1885, MG31b.
Family
Platycnemididae
Calicnemia
eximia Selys,
1863, MG13, MG15, MG18a, MG21a & b.
Calicnemia
miniata (Selys,
1886), MG35.
Copera
vitatta (Laidlaw, 1914) MG1, MG5x.
New
records for Bhutan
Chlorogomphidae:
Watanabeopetalia atkinsoni Selys,
1878 (Image 1A‒E)
Specimens examined. Two males were collected from Nabji Korphu, locality MG15,
(27.195754°N, 90.515107°E, altitude 1,416 m), Trongsa district, 19 May 2021,
leg. Mer Man Gurung.
The members of the family Chlorogomphidae
resembles those of Cordulegastridae in being large
black and yellow dragonflies. The easiest character in the hand to distinguish
members Chlorogomphidae from those of Cordulegastridae is the presence of one (Chloropetalia, Watanabeopetalia)
or more (Chlorogomphus) cross veins in the
median space or both fore and hindwing (none in members of Cordulegastridae).
Watanbeopetalia can be distinguished from
other species of Chlorogomphidae occurring in the
eastern Himalayan region by the presence of two broad yellow stripes, one on
mesepimeron and one on metepimeron, on the side of
the thorax and by the front of face being light brown without well-defined
yellow markings. Four Watanabeopetalia species
have been described: W. atkinsoni (Selys, 1878), W. ojisan (Karube, 2013), W. uenoi (Asahina, 1995) and W. usignata
(Chao, 1999) (Paulson et al. 2021). From these four species only W. atkinsoni is known to occur in the Indian sub-continent
where it has been found in India (west Bengal & Sikkim) and Nepal
(Darjeeling & Shiva Puri, north Kathmandu valley) (Karen Conniff pers.
comm. 01.x.2021).
The characters and body coloration of the two male
specimens of Bhutanese Watanabeopetalia atkinsoni match well with the original description (Karube 2002). As this species is poorly known we provide
additional figures of the species in life and details of the abdomen, wings and
appendages (Image 1). Karube (2002) mentions that
abdomen S1‒8 is black with yellow markings and that S9‒10 is either
completely black or black with narrow yellow rings (Image 1B). This is also
true for the Bhutanese specimens as one of the specimens has S9‒10 black
without yellow rings and other has yellow markings in last two segments (Image
1D‒E). Karube (2002) describes the thorax as
dark-brown to black marked on front with a bright citron-yellow oblique antehumeral stripe and on the side with two broad yellow
stripes with in between them a small yellow upper spot. One of the specimens
collected from Bhutan also has second yellow spot between the oblique antehumeral stripes (Image 1A).
Watanabeopetalia
atkinsoni specimens
were collected from a fast-flowing mountain stream on a sunny day. The riparian
vegetation consisted of dense grasses with a tall tree canopy and the streambed
consisted mostly of cobbles and sand. The water flow was obstructed frequently
by rocks forming pools, cascades, and falls at several sites over which males
were observed patrolling. Females were not observed. Other species found in
this habitat include Anisopleura comes,
Caliphaea confusa,
Macromia moorei,
and Perissogomphus stevensi.
Libellulidae:
Tetrathemis platyptera Selys,
1878 (Image 2A–C)
Specimens examined. Two males and two females were
collected from locality MG1, Tingtibi, Dakpay Chhu (27.152121°N,
90.693088°E, altitude 555 m), Zhemgang district, 25
October 2021, leg. Mer Man Gurung; 1 m#, locality MG26, Jangsa,
Jomotshangkha (26.8848°N, 92.0968°E, altitude 280 m),
Samdrupjongkhar, 26 September 2020, leg. Ghana S.
Bhandari.
This species is distributed throughout wet montane
lowlands of tropical southern regions and southeastern
Asia occurring as far south as Java. Males were encountered at MG1 patrolling
over a small pool with thick riparian vegetation. The bottom consisted mostly
of debris with the water being just 50 cm deep. Only few females were spotted
ovipositing on the twigs above the pond, but males were quite abundant. Copera vitatta
(Laidlaw, 1914), Orthetrum triangulare (Selys, 1878), Orthetrum glaucum (Brauer,
1865), Trithemis festiva
(Rambur, 1842), and Trithemis aroura
(Burmeister, 1839) were co-occupying the habitat.
Discussion
With this study the number of species known from
Bhutan becomes 125 but it is likely that with the present speed of discovery
this number will steadily continue to increase.
The Bhutanese odonate fauna is expected to contain
at least 150 species. The occurrence of both species found new to Bhutan, Watanabeopetalia atkinsoni
and Tetrathemis platyptera,
is no surprise as they were known from adjacent areas. Where T. platyptera is mainly found in the lowland, however, W.
atkinsoni is confined to mountains occurring from
Nepal to the north of Thailand. W. atkinsoni
has not been recorded from Burma but undoubtedly occurs there as well. Although
the knowledge on the fauna of northeast of the Indian peninsula is clearly increasing
there are still many genera which are poorly known and in need of further study
and/or revision. These include several genera also found in central Bhutan,
such as Cephalaeschna, Davidius,
Gynacantha, and Anisogomphus.
In many cases more material is needed and comparison with types and/or material
from southeastern Asia or China is needed. An
increase in number of DNA barcodes available from different regions would make
it easier to test if species might be identical or are clearly different.
With 60 species the central part of Bhutan is
moderately well explored and more field work is likely to show that the area
holds at least 100 species. Especially the lowland areas of Royal Manas
National Park (RMNP) are likely to hold many Oriental species not known from
Trongsa and Zhemgang districts or even completely new
to Bhutan.
Table 1. Checklist of dragonflies and damselflies of
central Bhutan, Trongsa (Tro), Zhemgang
(Zhe) and Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park (JSWNP), References (Ref). Of these
43 species were recorded during the present study and 17 species are only known
from previous publications.
|
Species |
Tro |
Zhe |
JSWNP |
Ref |
|
Order
Anisoptera |
|
|
|
|
|
Family
Aeshnidae |
|
|
|
|
|
Aeshna petalura (Martin, 1908) |
|
x |
x |
|
|
Anax nigrofasciatus (Oguma,
1915) |
|
x |
x |
3 |
|
Cephalaeschna sp.
Selys, 1883 |
x |
|
x |
|
|
Gynacantha sp.
Rambur, 1842 |
|
x |
x |
|
|
Polycanthagyna erythromelas (McLachlan, 1896) |
x |
|
x |
|
|
Family
Corduliidae |
|
|
|
|
|
Somatochlora daviesi Lieftinck,
1977 |
x |
|
x |
3 |
|
Family
Chlorogomphidae |
|
|
|
|
|
Chlorogomphus mortoni (Fraser, 1936) |
|
x |
x |
4 |
|
Watanabeopetalia
atkinsoni (Selys, 1878) * |
x |
|
x |
|
|
Family
Cordulegasteridae |
|
|
|
|
|
Anotogester nipalensis (Selys,
1854) |
|
|
|
|
|
Family
Gomphidae |
|
|
|
|
|
Anisogomphus sp.
(Selys, 1854) |
x |
|
x |
3 |
|
Davidius sp.
Selys, 1878 |
|
x |
x |
|
|
Davidius boronii Lieftinck,
1977 |
x |
|
x |
1 |
|
Lamelligomphus risi (Fraser, 1922) |
|
x |
x |
|
|
Perissogomphus stevensi Laidlaw, 1922 |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Scalmogomphus bistrigatus Hegen,
1854 |
|
x |
x |
|
|
Family
Libellulidae |
|
|
|
|
|
Crocothemis sp.
Brauer, 1868 |
x |
|
x |
|
|
Diplacodes nebulosa (Fabricius,
1793) |
|
x |
|
4 |
|
Diplacodes trivialis (Rambur, 1842) |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Lyriothemis bivittata (Rambur, 1824) |
|
x |
x |
4 |
|
Orthetrum glaucum
(Brauer, 1865) |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Orthetrum internum MacLachlan, 1894 |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Orthetrum luzonicum (Brauer,
1868) |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Orthetrum pruinosum (Burmeister, 1839) |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Orthetrum sabina (Drury, 1773) |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Orthetrum triangulare (Selys,
1878) |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Palpopleura sexmaculata (Fabricius,
1787) |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Pantala flavescens (Fanricius,
1798) |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Sympetrum
commixtum (Selys, 1884) |
x |
|
x |
|
|
Sympetrum
hypomelas (Selys, 1884) |
x |
x |
x |
3 |
|
Tetrathemis platyptera (Selys,
1878) * |
|
x |
x |
|
|
Tramea virginia (Rambur, 1842) |
|
x |
x |
5 |
|
Trithemis aurora
(Burmeister, 1839) |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Trithemis festiva (Rambur, 1842) |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Trithemis pallidinervis (Kirby,
1889) |
|
x |
x |
|
|
Family
Macromiidae |
|
|
|
|
|
Macromia moorei Selys,
1874 |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Order
Anisozygoptera |
|
|
|
|
|
Family
Epiophlebiidae |
|
|
|
|
|
Epiophlebia laidlawi Tillyard,
1921 |
x |
|
x |
2 |
|
Order
Zygoptera |
|
|
|
|
|
Family
Calopterygidae |
|
|
|
|
|
Caliphaea confusa Hagen in Selys,
1859 |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Neurobasis
chinensis (Linnaeus, 1758) |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Family
Chlorocyphidae |
|
|
|
|
|
Aristocypha cuneata (Selys, 1853) |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Aristocypha quadrimaculata (Selys, 1853) |
|
x |
|
4 |
|
Libellago lineata (Burmeister, 1839) |
|
x |
|
|
|
Paracypha unimaculata Selys,
1853 |
|
x |
|
4 |
|
Family
Coenagrionidae |
|
|
|
|
|
Aciagrion pallidum
Selys, 1891 |
x |
|
x |
3 |
|
Aciagrion olympicum Laidlawi,
1919 |
x |
|
x |
3 |
|
Agriocnemis pygmaea Rambur, 1842 |
|
x |
x |
|
|
Ceriagrion fallax Ris,
1914 |
|
x |
x |
|
|
Ischnura rubilio (Selys,
1876) |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Pseudagrion rubriceps (Selys,
1876) |
|
x |
x |
|
|
Family
Euphaeidae |
|
|
|
|
|
Anisopleura comes Hagen,
1880 |
x |
|
x |
|
|
Anisopleura subplatystyla (Fraser,
1927) |
x |
|
x |
3 |
|
Bayadera indica Selys, 1853 |
x |
|
x |
|
|
Family
Synlestidae |
|
|
|
|
|
Megalestes major (Selys, 1862) |
x |
|
x |
|
|
Megalestes gyalsey (Gyeltshen,
Kalkman & Orr, 2017) |
x |
|
x |
5 |
|
Family
Lestidae |
|
|
|
|
|
Indolestes cyaneus (Selys,
1862) |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Lestes dorothea Fraser, 1924 |
|
|
|
|
|
Family
Platystictidae |
|
|
|
|
|
Protosticta sp.
Selys, 1885 |
|
|
|
|
|
Family
Platycnemididae |
|
|
|
|
|
Calicnemia eximia Selys,
1863 |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
Calicnemia miniata (Selys,
1886) |
|
|
|
|
|
Calicnemia mortoni Laidlawi,
1917 |
|
x |
x |
6 |
|
Copera vitatta (Laidlaw, 1914) |
|
x |
|
|
1—Lieftinck (1977) | 2—Dorji (2015)
| 3—Kalkman & Gyeltshen
(2016) | 4—Gyeltshen (2017) | 5—Gyeltshen
et al. (2017) | 6—Gurung et al. (2021).
For images—click
here for full PDF.
References
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K. & A. Sasamoto (2019).
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distributional notes (Odonata: Aeshnidae). Odonatologica 48 (3‒4): 265‒284. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3539740
Cuong, D.M.,
B.H. Manh & N.V. Khoi (2011).
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15 (2): 54‒57pp.
Dorji, T.
(2015). New distribution records of Epiophlebia
laidlawi Tillyard, 1921
(Insecta: Odonata) in Bhutan. Journal of
Threatened Taxa 7(10): 7668‒7675. https://doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o4092.7668-75
Fraser,
F.C. (1933). The Fauna of British-India including Ceylon and
Burma, Odonata. Vol. I. Taylor & Francis Ltd., London, 436 pp.
Fraser,
F.C. (1934). The Fauna of British India including Ceylon and
Burma: Odonata: Vol. II. Taylor & Francis Ltd., London, 442 pp.
Fraser,
F.C. (1936). The Fauna of British India including Ceylon and
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22‒28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12210-020-00942-6
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(2002). Watanabeopetalia
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