Exotic dragonflies imported accidentally with aquarium plants to Finland

Very little has been written on accidentally imported dragonflies (e.g. P.P. CALVERT, 1912, Em. News 23; 483; M A. LIEFTINCK, 1978, Em. Ber., Amst. 38: 145-150. 163; D.R. PAULSON, 1978, Notul. odonalol. I: 9-10; D. AGASSIZ, 1981, Entomologist's Gaz. 32: 21- -26, pi. 3), but no evidence was so far known from Finland. My acqaintance with imported exotic dragonflies began in October 1982 when Mr. P. Lehtinen, the owner of an aquarium shop phoned and told me that he had just found a damselfly larva in one of his aquariums in Tampere, Finland. The larva emerged on Oct. 18, 1982 and showed to be a Pseudagrion microcephatum. <5- Since then I have received a dozen similar calls from the same shop. However, the breeding has not always ended as successfully as the first time. All cases are briefly reported here. Most of the larvae which failed to emerge were not identified. Coenagrionidae — 0 Pseudagrion micro cephalum (Ramb.): 1 <5 emerged I8-X-I982; 1 $ emerged 27-111-1983. The wing tips of both specimens were deformed. Ischnura senegalensis (Ramb.): 1 9 emerged 26-111-1983; 1 9 adult found dead in the aquarium shop 3-VI-I983; I $ adult found in the shop alive I3-V1I1-I984. — Aeshnidae — Anax guttatus (Burm.); one larva died 6-X-1983; I <5 larva died 4-V-1984 during moult; 1 $ emerged I6-V1II-I984; 1 9 larva died during emergence 24-VII1-I984. — Libellulidae — Species 1 (indet.): one larva died 8-IV-1982 when it prepared to emerge. Species 2 (indet.); one dead larva was found in the shop 2-X-1982. Orthetrum japonicum internum McL.: I 9 adult was found alive in the shop 29-X-I983. Its left side legs were deformed. Species 3 (indet): one larva died during the emergence 3-VI-I984. Neurothemis fluctuans (Fabr.): I $ adult was found dead in the shop I4-XII-1984.