Austroagrion watsoni Lieftinck, 1982

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 : 23-25

Austroagrion watsoni Lieftinck, 1982

( Fig. 15 )

Austroagrion watsoni Lieftinck, 1982: 293 .

Distribution ( Fig. 16 ). It is a common and widespread species in Australia, but has a highly restricted distribution in New Caledonia, with only a few known localities in the south of Grande Terre. It was first reported by Bigot (1985) who collected the species in February 1980 on the banks of the Grand Lac (Plaine des Lacs). DG observed one specimen in February 2004 above a cattle tick-treatment pool in the Dumbéa River. It may be a recent establishment on the island or a species in decline in New Caledonia.

Habitat. Austroagrion watsoni is only recorded from open sunny habitats including standing to slowly running waters with dense herbaceous vegetation on the banks.

Biology and behaviour. The larva of this species was described ( Hawking 1986; Theischinger & Hawking 2006) but its behaviour is still unknown.

Status. Austroagrion watsoni is one of the rarest species in New Caledonia, with very few specimens observed and it has not been seen since 2004. Therefore, we lack data to assess its conservation status in New Caledonia, as the species may be at the limit of its distribution or may be a vagrant. Lieftinck (1982) revised the genus Austroagrion Tillyard, 1913 and stated that specimens of A. watsoni from New Caledonia are darker than those from Australia. According to Davies (2002) it may be an introduced species (he called it an ‘illegal immigrant’).

Figures

FIGURE 15. Austroagrion watsoni: a) male, Australia (E. Nielsen), b) female, Australia (R. Richter).

FIGURE 16. Records of Austroagrion watsoni.