Infraspecific taxonomy of Sympetrum pedemontanum (Müller, 1766) (Anisoptera: Libellulidae)

An analysis of a large series of specimens from Eurasia showed a strong morphological variability. It is of an individual, modificatory, or clinal nature, rather than a geographical one. Thus, 2 continental sspp., S. p. intermedium Belyshev, 1955 and S. p. kurentzovi Belyshev, 1956, should be suppressed as they cannot be defined by any taxonomically significant differences. The insular subspecies, S. p. elatum, inhabiting Sakhalin, the Kurile and the Japanese islands, however, can be separated. It is concluded that S. pedemontanum has only 2 sspp.: continental S. p. pedemontanum and the insular S. p. datum.