Leucorrhinia albifrons (Burm.) in coastal W France (Anisoptera: Libellulidae)

On 18 July 1993 I visited several ponds 25 km S of the Gironde mouth in the department of Gironde. One of the ponds, situated between Grayan-et-Hopital and St-Vivien-de Medoc (1°5’W, 45° 30’N), turned out to be a remarkable dragonfly site. The banks of the pond were covered with Juncus sp. and Typha sp. which lead over to a thin wet forest At the pond I took photographs of a single male L. albifrons. Syntopic odonate species were Lestes viridis (Vander L.), Ischnura elegans (Vander L.), Cercion lindenii (Sel.), Erythromma viridulum (Charp.), Ceriagrion tenellum (de Vill.), Anax imperator Leach, Libellula quadrimaculata L., Crocothemis erythraea (Brulle), and Sympetrum sanguineum (Mull.), The record of L. albifrons represents the westernmost limit of the known range of this species. There are two previous observations in the Atlantic region of France: in the same department it has been evidenced by D. GRAND (1990, Martinia 6: 65-66), and more southerly in the department of Landes by R. L’HOSTE (1971, Entomologiste 27: 104-112). Generally, this Eurosiberian species is very rare in France (J.-L. DOMMANGET, 1987, Etude faunistique el bibliographique des odonales de France. Inventaires de faune et de flare 36; 1-283; – 1994, Allas preliminaire des odonales de France. Elat d'avancement au 31/12/93. Coll. Patrimoines Naturels 16: 1-80).