Lestes concinnus Hagen in Selys-Longchamps, 1862

Grand, Daniel, Marinov, Milen, Jourdan, Herve, Cook, Carl, Rouys, Sophie, Mille, Christian & Theuerkauf, Jörn, 2019, Distribution, habitats, phenology and conservation of New Caledonian Odonata, Zootaxa 4640 (1), pp. 1-112 : 42

Lestes concinnus Hagen in Selys-Longchamps, 1862

( Fig. 37 )

Lestes concinna Hagen in Selys-Longchamps, 1862: 321 ; Lestes amata Hagen in Selys-Longchamps, 1862 ; Lestes paludosus Tillyard, 1906 ; Lestes nympha (nec Stephen) Selys-Longchamps, 1840; Lestes forcipula (nec Charpentier) Rambur, 1842; Lestes uncatus Kirby, 1890 .

Distribution ( Fig. 38 ). This species is widely distributed from India to China and Taiwan to northern Australia ( Tsuda 2000). In New Caledonia, it has been recorded at 11 localities across Grande Terre, mostly from the Province Sud. One specimen has been recorded from Montagne des Sources in 1963 ( ONNC collection).

Habitats. As with most Lestidae , L. concinnus prefers flooded grassland, marshes and ponds with helophytes (such as Cyparaceae). These shallow and marshy waters are subject to annual periodic droughts.

Biology and behaviour. The larva was illustrated in Theischinger & Hawking (2006). In New Caledonia, adults have been recorded in small populations in sunny and marshy areas. Adults are weak flyers and rest most of the time on vegetation, hence they are often overlooked.

Status. Considering its range in the Oriental and Australasian biogeographical areas, L. concinnus appears to be not threatened on a global scale, but in New Caledonia, the extensive destruction of coastal marshes (especially around Nouméa) and drainage of other marshy areas lead us to consider this species as Vulnerable (VU).

Figures

FIGURE 37. Lestes concinnus: a) male, b) female.

FIGURE 38. Records of Lestes concinnus.