Dragonfly records from El Valle, Republic of Panama

During a short visit in March 1998 1 had the opportunity to search for dragonflies in the surroundings of El Valle (8°35' N, 80°7’ W), a village about 60 km WSW of Panama City. It is situated in an vulcano crater valley 20 km in diameter, 600-650 m above sea level. The crater edges reach up to 1173 m (Cerro Gaital). The valley is drained by numerous small streams, tributaries of the Rio Anton. During a short trip in March 1998 I visited one of these streams and the Rio Anton at two sites, viz.: (1) Cerro Pintada, W part of the valley, stream with riffles, waterfalls, and some deep pools; 5- -111-1998; — (2) Rio Anton, upper course with sandy bed; 5/6-1II-1998; — and (3) Rio Ant6n at the outflow from the valley, ca 10 km downstream of (1), in a shady gorge, stream channel due to the dry season 10 to 20 m wide, mainly rock with some gravel and sparse aquatic vegetation; 6-1II-I998. I collected larvae and exuviae and observed adults of 13 species, viz.: Hetaerina fuscoguttata Scl.: adults, exuviae (1,2,3); – Archilestes grandis (Ramb.): adults, larvae (I); – Mecistogaster ornata Ramb.: adults (I); – Heteragrion valgum Donnelly: exuviae, fresh $ (1); – Argia extranea (Hag.): adults (1, 3); – A. rogersi (Calv.): adults, oviposition (1); – Argia sp.; adults, oviposition (3); – Erpetogomphus tristani Calv.; larva, adult reared in the lab (I); – Erpetogomphus cf. sabaleticus Wllmsn: larvae, rearing failed (I, 2); – Phyllogomphoides litoralis Belle: larvae, adults reared in the lab (I, 2); – Dythemis sterilis Hag.: adults, exuviae (3); – Orthemis ferruginea (Fabr.): adult (3); – Libellula herculea Karsch: adults (1).