Odonata collected in Nicaragua

During 29 July through 3 Aug. 2001, 71 spp, were collected and 4 additional spp. were positively identified, from 12 localities in Jinotega and Matagalpa Departments. 25 spp. are new records for Nicaragua, raising the total number of spp. for this country to 124. Introduction Nicaragua has one of the most poorly known Odonata faunas of Central America. PAULSON (1982) listed 51 species for this country and a few years later MAES et al. (1988) increased this number to 90. Recently the same authors raised this number to 98 species (MAES et al., 2001, in litt.). Additionally T. Donnelly identified a photograph of a hand-held specimen of Coryphaeschna apeora Paulson from a photograph taken in Managua Department. We visited Nicaragua for a week's collecting trip at the end of July and beginning of August, 2001. The collections were centered around Cerro Kilambe' and Wiwilf, Jinotega Department and Selva Negra, Matagalpa. Department, respectively. We obtained a total of 67 species belonging to 37 genera and 9 families. We also positively identified by sight four more species, totalling 71 species collected or sighted during the trip. We report 25 new records for the country, increasing the total number of species for this country to 124 (one unnamed). Species new to the country are noted as (NR). Localities and records (1) CERRO KILAMBE and immediate vicinity (1000-1250 m; 29-31 July, 2001). — Odonata were collected along small streams, one of which was in primary forest at 1250 m elevation. The weather was generally sunny, but with several rain squalls. This was the locality for Hetaerina sempronia, Heteragrion eboratum. Argia medullaris. Epigomphus westfalli, and the undescribed Paraphlehia. The Mecistogaster and Megaloprepus were taken along paths in the forest. The undescribed Paraphlehia is the same species that Donnelly collected in 1974 in Matagalpa Department at lower elevation and about 90 km south. The remaining stream localities were in disturbed forest adjacent to small farms. The record of Heteragion eboratum extends its range about 300 km SE. Hetaerina capitalis Selys, H. cruentata (Rambur), H. sempronia Hagen (NR), Archilestes grandis (Rambur), Heteragrion albifrons Ris, H. eboratum Donnelly (NR), Paraphlehia undescribed species (NR), Mecistogaster modesta Selys (NR), Megaloprepus caerulatus (Drury), Anisagrion allopterum Selys, Argia sp. nr extranea Hagen, A. medullaris Hagen in Selys (NR), Epigomphus westfalli Donnelly, Brechmorhoga pertinax (Hagen), B. rapax Calvert, L. croceipennis Selys (sight), Paltothemis lineatipes Karsch (sight), Pantala hymenaea (Say), Uracis imbuta (Burmeister). Localities (all Nicaragua, Jinotega Dept): small stream, 13°35.50'N, 83"44,55'W; 1000 m; small forest stream at camp, 13°35,2'N, 85°42.6'W, 1250 m; in forest, near base camp, ca I3°35'N, 85°42'W, 1250 m; stream at farm, 13°35.6'N, 1100 m. (2) VICINITY OF WIWILf, along road S to Jinotega, small streams between 2 and 9 km S of village (all approx. 500 m; 1 Aug. 2001). — Odonata were collected along very small streams in the immediate vicinity of the dirt road, which was in agricultural country with small patches of remnant forest. The weather was sunny. The two species of Orthemis were flying together at a ford crossing the road. O. discolor was distinctly more red than ferruginea in this instance. Hetaerina cruentata (Rambur), H. occisa (Selys), H. miniata Selys (NR), H. sempronia Hagen, Lestes tikalus Kormondy (NR), Heteragrion erythrogastrum Selys (NR), Palaemnema nathalia Selys (NR), Megaloprepus caerulatus (sight), Acanthagrion quadratum Selys, Anisagrion allopterum Selys, Argia anceps Garrison, A. oculata Hagen in Selys, A. oenea Hagen in Selys, A. pulla Hagen, A. translata Hagen in Selys, i A. ulmeca Calvert, Enallagma novaehispaniae Calvert, Telebasis salva (Hagen) (NR), Brechmorhoga pertinax (Hagen), B. praecox (Hagen), B. vivax Calvert, Dythemis sterilis Hagen, Macrothemis inacuta Calvert, M. pseudimitans Calvert, Orthemis discolor (Burmeister) (NR), O. ferruginea (Fabr.), Perithemis mooma Kirby, Pseudoleon superbus (Hagen). L o c a 1 i t i e s (all Nicaragua, Jinotega Dept and about 500 m elevation): ford on road, 2 km S Wiwilf, I3°35.52'N, 85°48.52'W; stream along road, 5 km S Wiwilf, 13°33.84'N, 85°47.54'W; stream along road, 6 km S Wiwilf, 13°31.64'N, 85°46.48'W. (3) POND ALONG ROAD NEAR WIWILl' (elevation about 500 m; 1 Aug. 2001). — Collecting was done around a heavily vegetated (Pistia stratiotes “lechuguilla”), shallow pond about 30 m in diameter. In addition to the species listed, a Coryphaeschna (probably adnexa) was observed repeatedly but not netted. Lestes tenuatus Rambur (NR), L. tikalus Kormondy, Acanthagrion quadratum Selys, Ischnura capreolus Hagen, Telebasis filiola (Petty) (NR), T. griffinii (Martin) (NR), T. isthmica Calvert (NR), T. salva (Hagen), Brachymesia herbida (Gundlach), Erythemis mithroides (Brauer), Erythrodiplax umbrata (L.), E. funerea (Carpenter), Miathyria marcella (Selys), Micrathyria hagenii Kirby (NR), M. ocellata Martin, Orthemis discolor (Burmeister), Perithemis mooma Kirby, Tramea abdominalis (Rambur) (NR). Locality: pond 2.5 km S Wiwih', 13°35.00'N, 85°48.17'W. (4) ALONG ROAD BETWEEN WIWILI AND MATAGALPA (various elevations; 2 Aug, 2001). — We stopped briefly at three places along the road from Wiwilf and Hotel Selva Negra. Collecting at the first locality was terminated by a rain shower, but was sunny for the remainder of the drive. The Phyllogomphoides duodentatus record extends the range of this species about 400 km to the SE. Hetaerina cruentata (Rambur) (c), Archilestes latialatus Donnelly (a) (sight), Acanthagrion quadratum Selys (c), Anisagrion allopterum (a), Argia sp. nr extranea Hagen (c),, A. oculata Hagen in Selys (c), A. oenea Hagen in Selys, A. pulla Hagen in Selys(c),. A. translata Hagen in Selys (c), Enallagma novaehispaniae Calvert (c), Phyllogomphoides duodentatus Donnelly (c), Brechmorhoga pertinax (Hagen) (c), Erythrodiplax fusca (Rambur) (b,c), Miathyria marcella (b). Localities (all Nicaragua, Jinotega Dept, elevations not recorded): (a) 38.5 km S Wiwilf, small mountain stream, 13°29.25'N, 85°93.82'W; (b) Reservoir 42.6 km S Wiwilf, Reservoir, 2 Aug. 2001, 13°24.28'N, 85°90,35'W; (c) 53.2 km S of Wiwih', shallow river, 13°15.21'N, 85°92.83'W. (5) HOTEL SELVA NEGRA, NEAR MATAGALPA (1000 m elevation; 3 Aug. 2001). — The hotel is a resort on a forested mountain. Collecting was done mainly on small, rocky streams in the forest, on the main pond by the hotel building, and on a smaller pond below the main pond. The weather was sunny. Hetaerina capitalis Selys, H. cruentata (Rambur), H. occisa Hagen, Heteragrion albifrons Ris, Megaloprepus caerulatus (Drury), Anisagrion allopterum Selys, Argia chelata Calvert, Argia sp. nr extranea Hagen, A. medullaris Selys, Enallagma civile Hagen, Ischnura ramburii (Selys), Neoerythromma cultellatum (Selys), Aeshna cornigera (Brauer), A. jalapensis Williamson, A. psilus Calvert (NR), Remartinia luteipennis (Burmeister) (NR), Epigomphus westfalli Donnelly, Brechmorhoga pertinax (Hagen), B. rapax Calvert, B. vivax Calvert, Cannaphila vibex (Hagen), Libellula foliata (Kirby) (NR), L. herculea Karsch (sight) (NR), Micrathyria sp. nr laevigata Calvert (NR), Orthemis discolor (Burmeister), Perithemis mooma Kirby, Sympetrum illotum (Hagen) (NR). Locality: Hotel Selva Negra, 13°00,0'N, 85°54.5'W Discussion We consider the present total of 125 species for Nicaragua to be low. The Odonata diversities in Costa Rica and Honduras have been estimated around 268 species (RAMfREZ et al„ 2000) and 165 species, respectively (DUNKLE, 1988) [and unpublished additions by T.W. Donnelly, 1999]. Of the Odonata collected in 2001, three species have their southeasternmost limit in Nicaragua viz., Paraphlebia sp. n.. H. eboratum and Phyllogomphoides duodentatus. The discovery of Paraphlebia is significant because it represents the southernmost limit of this genus. Heteragrion eboratum was originally described with Guatemalan material (DONNELLY, 1965), and has been found also in nearby Honduras and El Salvador; the Nicaraguan record represents the southeasternmost record for this species in Central America. Epigomphus westfalli, now known from three widely separated localities, remains the only species in this genus known from Nicaragua. Acknowledgements We wish to thank to JAVIER SUNYER, BLAS HERNANDEZ, and MARlA LOURDES CHAMORRO for their assistance and comradeship during the collecting trip. Our gratitude goes to to MIGUEL ANGEL GUATEMALA (alias “Guatemala”) for logistic support and herculean efforts during the arduous mule trek to Cerro Kilambe. We deeply appreciate the extensive efforts of the organizer of our trip, JEAN-MICHEL MAES, who proved more than equal to the immense logistic demands of the mule train, of the hastily rented Russian truck with no starter, and of the other myriad problems that faced us every day. References – DONNELLY, T.W., 1965, Pmc. ent. Soc. Wash. 67(2): 96-100; – 1986, Odonatologica 15(1); 37-41; – DUNKLE, S„ 1988, Ceiba 29(1): 41-49; – 1991, Notui odonatol. 3(8): 132-133; – MAES, J.M., J.P. DESMEDT & V. HELLEBUYCK, 1988, Revta nicarag. Ent. 4: 29-43; — 2001, Catdlogo de los Odonata de Nicaragua (in litt,); – PAULSON, D.R, 1982, Odonata, in: S.H. Hurlbert & A. Villalobos-Figueroa [Eds], Aquatic biota of Mexico. Central America and the West Indies, pp. 249-277, San Diego St. Univ.. San Diego, CA; — RAMIREZ. A., D.R. PAULSON & C. ESQUIVEL, 2000. Revta Biol. trap. 48(1): 247-254. Received November 12, 2001