Journal of Threatened Taxa |
www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 May 2020 | 12(8): 15955–15961
ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893
(Print)
doi: https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5236.12.8.15955-15961
#5236 | Received 11 July 2019 | Final
received 30 April 2020 | Finally accepted 05 May 2020
Records of dragonflies and
damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) of Dipang
Lake, with two new records to Nepal
K.C. Sajan
1 & Juddha Bahadur Gurung 2
1 Independent Researcher,
Pokhara-06, Lakeside, Nahar Marga, House Number 126,
Gandaki Province, Kaski 33700, Nepal.
2 President/Wetland Coordinator,
Conservation Development Foundation, Kathmandu-32, Koteshwor,
Surya Kot Marg, Bagmati Province, Kathmandu 44600,
Nepal.
1 sajankc143@gmail.com
(corresponding author), 2 juddhagurung@hotmail.com
Editor: K.A. Subramanian, Zoological Survey of India,
Chennai, India. Date
of publication: 26 May 2020 (online & print)
Citation: Sajan, K.C. & J.B. Gurung (2020). Records of
dragonflies and damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) of Dipang Lake, with two new records to Nepal. Journal of
Threatened Taxa 12(8): 15955–15961. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5236.12.8.15955-15961
Copyright: © Sajan & Gurung 2020. 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: Conservation
Development Foundation (CODEFUND), Koteshwor,
Kathmandu, Nepal.
Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
Acknowledgements: The authors are grateful to the Conservation
Development Foundation (CODEFUND), Koteshwor,
Kathmandu, Nepal for funding this research.
They would also like to thank Ms. Karen Conniff for her help regarding
the identification of some species.
Odonata is an order of insects that comprises
dragonflies (Anisoptera) and damselflies (Zygoptera). They are
carnivorous in nature. They can be taken
as an excellent biological indicator of environmental conditions (Corbet 1993)
and also play an important role in the ecology of wetlands (Chovanec
& Waringer 2005).
Many species of Odonata inhabiting agro-ecosystems
play a crucial role in controlling pest populations (Tiple
et al. 2008). Since they are primarily
aquatic, their life history is closely linked to specific aquatic habitats
(Andrew et al. 2009). Worldwide, 6,324
species of Odonata are known (World Odonata List 2020). Nepal, being rich in water resources, serves
as an excellent habitat for Odonata. The
earliest record of dragonflies was carried out by Selys
(1854) in Nepal. Since then, there have
been various other researchers who had carried out studies, including Vick
(1989) who listed out 172 species with altitudinal distribution for the first
time in Nepal. In recent times, Thapa
(2015) enlisted 195 species from 87 genera belonging to 18 families while
Conniff (2020) states that 183 different species of Odonates
are recorded from Nepal till date in accordance with the modern classification.
Dipang Lake
is one of the eight lakes in Pokhara Metropolitan Municipality located in Lekhnath covering a total catchment area of 2.39km2
and total water body area of 0.14km2 (MoFE
2018). Most of its area is covered by
swampland and the lake itself, while the tributaries too serve as an excellent
abode for Odonata. Khatre
and Kusunde rivers are its major sources with Kahur, Kaure and Deurali rivers as other tributary streams (MoFE 2018). The
lake, however, seems to have passed its glory days because of its drying water
sources. Human encroachment though seems
low and constant, siltation is medium and constant, pollution is medium but
increasing and the number of invasive species like water hyacinth, parthenium,
morning glory, Lantana camara, etc. is high
and increasing (MoFE 2018). Conservation efforts though, have been
undergone by NGOs like CODEFUND.
Not many studies on Odonata have been performed from
this lake, however, Karen Conniff, who has been working extensively on the
Odonata of Nepal, has been recording several of them in Pokhara on her blog
“Nepal Odonata”. This study was
conducted to explore the Odonata species exclusively from Dipang
Lake.
The research was carried under the biodiversity
project of the Conservation Development Foundation (CODEFUND), Koteshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal. The surveys were carried out during April and
May of 2019 in the locality of Dipang Lake, Lekhnath, Kaski (28.1800N
& 84.0660E, 670–700 m) (Figure 1). Different areas of the lake including the
swampland, inlet, outlet and the peripheries were extensively explored. The sightings were recorded capturing photos
in the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX90V 18.2MP camera.
The GPS details of the locations and the dates were recorded on the
photos themselves. The number of
individuals seen was recorded in a notebook to analyze
their local status. During this study,
no species of Odonata were harmed. The
records were photographed from a proper distance and were identified from the
photographs using Karen Conniff’s blog “Nepal Odonata”, “Odonata of India”
website and Andrew et al. (2009).
Moreover, some species were identified by Karen Conniff herself.
Local status of Odonata species are categorized as;
rare—only one individual recorded, uncommon—only two individuals recorded, less
common—only 3–5 individuals recorded, rather common—individuals recorded 6–10
in number, common—individuals recorded 11–50 in number, and quite common—individuals
recorded more than 50 in number.
A total of 28 species of Odonates
including 17 species of Anisoptera (Dragonflies) and
11 species of Zygoptera (damselflies) were recorded
(Table 1). Libellulidae
with 16 species was the most dominant family among the Anisoptera
followed by Gomphidae (one sp.). Among Zygoptera,
eight species recorded belong to the family Coenagrionidae,
one species to Platycnemididae, one species to Calopterygidae, and one species to Chlorocyphidae
(Figure 2). Among Anisoptera,
Neurothemis tullia
was found to be the commonest of all while Pantala
flavescens, Rhyothemis
variegata, and Tramea
virginia were found to be rare. Similarly, among Zygoptera,
Ceriagrion coromandelianum
was the most dominant species encountered.
Likewise, Aciagrion approximans (Selys, 1876)
also known as The Indian Violet Dartlet and Ceriagrion cerinorubellum
(Brauer, 1865) also known as the Orange-tailed Marsh
Dart had not been reported from Nepal before this research and is, thus, taken
as species new to Nepal. This particular
record for Aciagrion approximans,
however, also appears in the additions made to the checklist of Odonata of
Nepal (Conniff et al. 2020).
These records and the local status, however, is
representative to the studied months only, i.e., April and May. Several other species could show up during
other seasons and the local status of the species recorded during the study
period could change year-round.
Table 1. List of the observed species and their local
and IUCN Red List status.
|
|
Common name |
Scientific name |
Author |
Local status |
IUCN Red List status |
|
Family: Gomphidae |
|
||||
|
1. |
Common Clubtail |
Ictinogomphus rapax |
(Rambur, 1842) |
Rather Common (6) |
Least Concern |
|
Family: Libellulidae |
|
||||
|
2. |
Trumpet Tail |
Acisoma panorpoides |
Rambur, 1842 |
Common (10+) |
Least Concern |
|
3. |
Little Blue Marsh Hawk |
Brachydiplax sobrina |
(Rambur, 1842) |
Less Common (3) |
Least Concern |
|
4. |
Ditch Jewel |
Brachythemis contaminata |
(Fabricius, 1793) |
Common (10+) |
Least Concern |
|
5. |
Scarlet Skimmer |
Crocothemis servilia |
(Drury, 1770) |
Common (10+) |
Least Concern |
|
6. |
Fulvous Forest Skimmer |
Neurothemis fulvia |
(Drury, 1773) |
Common (10+) |
Least Concern |
|
7. |
Paddyfield Parasol |
Neurothemis intermedia |
(Rambur, 1842) |
Common (10+) |
Least Concern |
|
8. |
Pied Paddy Skimmer |
Neurothemis tullia |
(Drury, 1773) |
Quite Common (50+) |
Least Concern |
|
9. |
Tricolored Marsh Hawk |
Orthetrum luzonicum |
(Brauer, 1868) |
Common (10+) |
Least Concern |
|
10. |
Crimson-tailed Marsh Hawk |
Orthetrum pruinosum |
(Burmeister, 1839) |
Common (10+) |
Least Concern |
|
11. |
Green Marsh Hawk |
Orthetrum sabina |
(Drury, 1770) |
Common (10+) |
Least Concern |
|
12. |
Blue-tailed Yellow Skimmer |
Palpopleura sexmaculata |
(Fabricius, 1787) |
Less Common (3) |
Least Concern |
|
13. |
Wandering Glider |
Pantala flavescens |
(Fabricius, 1798) |
Rare (1) |
Least Concern |
|
14. |
Lesser Blue Wing |
Rhyothemis triangularis |
Kirby, 1889 |
Uncommon (2) |
Least Concern |
|
15. |
Common Picturewing |
Rhyothemis variegata |
(Linnaeus, 1763) |
Rare (1) |
Least Concern |
|
16. |
Saddlebag Glider |
Tramea virginia |
(Rambur, 1842) |
Rare (1) |
Least Concern |
|
17. |
Black Stream Glider |
Trithemis festiva |
(Rambur, 1842) |
Uncommon (2) |
Least Concern |
|
Family: Calopterygidae |
|
||||
|
18. |
Clear-winged Forest Glory |
Vestalis gracilis |
Rambur, 1842 |
Rather Common (8) |
Least Concern |
|
Family: Chlorocyphidae |
|
||||
|
19. |
River Heliodore |
Libellago lineata |
(Burmeister, 1839) |
Rare (1) |
Least Concern |
|
Family: Coenagrionidae |
|
||||
|
20. |
Indian Violet Dartlet |
Aciagrion approximans* |
(Selys, 1876) |
Rather Common (6) |
Least Concern |
|
21 |
NA |
Agriocnemis clauseni |
Fraser, 1922 |
Rare (1) |
Least Concern |
|
22. |
Pygmy Dartlet |
Agriocnemis pygmaea |
(Rambur, 1842) |
Rather Common (7) |
Least Concern |
|
23. |
Orange-tailed Marsh Dart |
Ceriagrion cerinorubellum* |
(Brauer, 1865) |
Rather Common (6) |
Least Concern |
|
24. |
Coromandel Marsh Dart |
Ceriagrion coromandelianum |
(Fabricius, 1798) |
Common (10+) |
Least Concern |
|
25. |
Western Golden Dartlet |
Ischnura rubilio |
Selys, 1876 |
Less Common (4) |
Least Concern |
|
26. |
Ruby Dartlet |
Ischnura rufostigma |
Selys, 1876 |
Less Common (5) |
Least Concern |
|
27. |
Three-lined Dart |
Pseudagrion decorum |
(Rambur, 1842) |
Less Common (3) |
Least Concern |
|
Family: Platycnemididae |
|
||||
|
28. |
Black Marsh Dart |
Onychargia atrocyana |
Selys, 1865 |
Less Common (4) |
Least Concern |
* Species new to Nepal
For
figures & images - - click here
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