Molecular phylogeny of the Western Palaearctic Cordulegaster taxa (Odonata: Anisoptera: Cordulegastridae)

Although Odonata are a key component of many freshwater ecosystems, their taxonomy and evolutionary history is still far from being well resolved. In the present study, we report the first molecular phylogeny for the Western Palaearctic Cordulegaster genus (Odonata: Anisoptera: Cordulegastridae). We sequenced fragments of both mitochondrial and nuclear genes [cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and Internal Transcribed Spacer‐1 (ITS‐1)] from eight species and 13 subspecies, from western, southern and central Europe, Turkey, and Morocco. Our data support the existence of two major groups corresponding to the traditional boltonii‐ and bidentata‐groups. Both groups are monophyletic based on COI sequences and the distinctiveness of Cordulegaster princeps, Cordulegaster trinacriae, Cordulegaster picta and Cordulegaster heros relative to Cordulegaster boltonii, and Cordulegaster helladica and Cordulegaster insignis relative to Cordulegaster bidentata, is confirmed. All species are also monophyletic for ITS‐1, with the exception of Cordulegaster helladica buchholzi, which shares the haplotype with C. insignis. Although moderate levels of genetic diversity were found within C. boltonii, there was no clear separation among the four subspecies, with the exception of the populations of Cordulegaster boltonii algirica from North Africa. Similarly, no genetic differentiation was found between the two subspecies of C. bidentata, Cordulegaster bidentata bidentata and Cordulegaster bidenta sicilica. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 111, 49–57.     

Biometrics of exuviae of Cordulegaster boltonii algirica Morton, 1916 (Odonata: Cordulegastridae)

This study provides the first biometrics analysis of exuviae from Moroccan populations of the Ibero-Maghrebian endemic dragonfly Cordulegaster boltonii algirica Morton, 1916 collected in the Rif Mountains. Among the biometric variables that were measured, tibia length was highly correlated with the exuviae body length (BL), and can, therefore, be used to calculate the BL of partially broken exuviae. The head width exhibited the smallest coefficient of variation for both males and females and, therefore, is a valuable measurement that can be used for biometric comparison of different populations. The data presented herein will be used for future comparison with other North African and European populations of C. boltonii algirica.     

山西省大蜒属一新种(蜻蜒目:大蜒科)

大蜓属Cordulegaster Leach隶属于大蜓科(Cordulegasteridae),据记载(D.Allen,L.Davies＆Pamela Tobin,1985),本属已知15种,其中4种分布于亚洲。中国有2种:C.brevistigma Selys(印度、西藏)以及C.luni fera Selys(西藏)。广为人知的C.pekinensis Selys(北京)则已被D.Allen等确认是C.luni fera的一个亚种。 1985年,在山西太岳山一带发现本属1新种,现记述如下。模式标本存放在山西大学生物系。晋大蜓Cordulegaster jinensis Zhu et Han,新种(图1—7)