Some interesting dragonfly records from Spain (Anisoptera)

On J uly 1, 1983,1 watched 2 $ and at least 2 Q of Brachythemis leucosticta (Burm.) at the reservoir "Embalse de Puento Nuevo" and on the stream flowing out of it (Rio Guadiato), about 30 km NW of Cordoba, Spain. One 9 was captured and set free again, and a <3 was photographed on the bank of the reservoir near its wall. The latter specimen was permanently sitting on stony and sandy ground, its abdomen directed towards the sun. A few hours later, before sunset, another 5 could be watched flying constantly over the waters of the stream, looking like a glimmering spot with the dark stripes of its flapping wings. B. leucosticta, a wide-spread African libellulid, is believed to be very rare in Europe. From SW Europe there are only a few earlier records, viz. (1) July 1957, Valle de Santarem (Portugal), 1 specimen (A. REIS MOURA, I960, Mem. Estud. Mus. zool. Univ.Coimbra 264; 1-4, pi. I); — (2) 15-VIII-196I, Rio Fuengirola (Spain, near Malaga), 2 specimens (A. COMPTE SART, 1962, Vie Milieu 13:604-607);-(3)29- -Vlll-1978 (I 5) and 3-X-I978 (1 3), Embalse de Sierra Boyera (Spain, NW of Cordoba), (M. FERRERAS ROMERO, 1981, Bol. Asoc. esp. Emom. 5: 13-23); — (4) 25-V111-1979, Sardinia (Italy), I tenera! 9 (P. CRUC1TT1, P.A. CALETTI & M. PAVESI, 1981, Nolul. odonalol. 1:115-117);— (5) I8-VI1-I982, Lake of Vela (Portugal), 4 $ (C. AGUIAR & S. AGUIAR, 1983, Notul. odonatol. 2: 8-9); and (6) several records of many $ and $ at two localities near Malaga (Spain) in 1981 and 1982, also exuviae (M.A. CONESA GARCIA & J.E. GARCIA RASO. 1982, Mon. Trab. Zool.. Malaga 3/4: 21-24). — The early records probably refer to occasional immigrants, whereas that from Sardinia and the latest from the Malaga area have verified the reproduction on European ground for the first time.