The Atlantic Rain Forest of Brazil
Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are two of the largest cities in South America. They are both situated in the Atlantic Rain Forest which used to cover the Brazilian coastline from latitude 30 degrees in the south to latitude 10 in the north, almost unbroken forest for about 2,500 km. Today, as you can imagine this forest has almost disappeared; no more than 5% of its original extent.Some of the world's rarest animals including the Golden Lion Marmoset live in this forest and are now critically endangered.
I visited the forest or one tiny part of it at REGUA (Reserva Ecologica Guapi Acu) in 2000 and then to other locations further into the mountains near the Tres Picos national park in 2003, 2004 and 2006. The forest to the north of Rio on the map roughly locates where we visited.
We did a lot of dragonfly work and even set up a breeding centre for larvae. We actually bred out a new genus but, as we could not export any of the material the project was abandoned with very little to show for it.
We did achieve a little. Graham Vick and I published a list of our findings from 2000 (details below), which included a number of species bred from larvae. The full reference of our report
"A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE ODONATE FAUNA OF GUAPI ACU, A NATURE RESERVE IN THE ATLANTIC COAST FOREST OF BRAZIL, WITH TAXONOMIC NOTES AND ANNOTATIONS" G.S. VICK and D.G. CHELMICK Opusc. zool. flumin. 200(2001): I-II
I visited the forest or one tiny part of it at REGUA (Reserva Ecologica Guapi Acu) in 2000 and then to other locations further into the mountains near the Tres Picos national park in 2003, 2004 and 2006. The forest to the north of Rio on the map roughly locates where we visited.
We did a lot of dragonfly work and even set up a breeding centre for larvae. We actually bred out a new genus but, as we could not export any of the material the project was abandoned with very little to show for it.
We did achieve a little. Graham Vick and I published a list of our findings from 2000 (details below), which included a number of species bred from larvae. The full reference of our report
"A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE ODONATE FAUNA OF GUAPI ACU, A NATURE RESERVE IN THE ATLANTIC COAST FOREST OF BRAZIL, WITH TAXONOMIC NOTES AND ANNOTATIONS" G.S. VICK and D.G. CHELMICK Opusc. zool. flumin. 200(2001): I-II
Leptagion and the Bromeliads
The Bromeliads are a family that make the South American rainforests almost unique. These large long leaved plants have deep leaf axils which hold water and make little individual ponds with their own fauna including, of course dragonflies. The bromeliads high in the trees like those seen here often have the huge helicopter damsels (family Pseudostigmatidae) living in their leaf axils. Hard to study at that height
The Bromeliads are a family that make the South American rainforests almost unique. These large long leaved plants have deep leaf axils which hold water and make little individual ponds with their own fauna including, of course dragonflies. The bromeliads high in the trees like those seen here often have the huge helicopter damsels (family Pseudostigmatidae) living in their leaf axils. Hard to study at that height
But there are also Bromeliads that grow at ground level and these also have their own dragonfly fauna which is a lot easier to observe than their tree inhabitating relatives. The huge plants shown here were growing in the famous Botanical Gardens in Rio. You can see that they even have duckweed growing in their leaf axil pools.
The genus Leptagrion has 15 species in Brazil and some of these specialise in Bromeliads. At Serra dos Tucanos where we spent two trips some fine Bromeliads were in the grounds and the Leptagrions were common. I even found exuviae none of which is described - but that's another story. To my eye they look like huge Ischuras but they are very beautiful and easy to see. If you find yourself in Brazil and confronted by these huge plants keep an eye out for these damsels.
Limnetron and the spiniform epiproct!
On our first trip to REGUA in 2000, some of the party climbed into the upland forest and spent the night in tents.I have since found out that we camped across the path regularly used by the local Puma - spooky! Anyway you won't find it hard to believe that I collected larvae. Back at camp I examined the material and an interesting Aeshnid (Hawker) stood out. It had an spiniform epiproct. To explain look at the picture here at the end of the abdomen there are pointed appendages the exact purpose of which is not really known. These appendages are cerci (two upper), paraprocts (two lower) and a central single projection which is the epiproct. Look at the picture and you will see that the epiproct on this larva is pointed hence the term spiniform epiproct - don't you just love all this jargon. Most epiprocts in Aeshnids are flat and not pointed. So what could this larva be?
On our first trip to REGUA in 2000, some of the party climbed into the upland forest and spent the night in tents.I have since found out that we camped across the path regularly used by the local Puma - spooky! Anyway you won't find it hard to believe that I collected larvae. Back at camp I examined the material and an interesting Aeshnid (Hawker) stood out. It had an spiniform epiproct. To explain look at the picture here at the end of the abdomen there are pointed appendages the exact purpose of which is not really known. These appendages are cerci (two upper), paraprocts (two lower) and a central single projection which is the epiproct. Look at the picture and you will see that the epiproct on this larva is pointed hence the term spiniform epiproct - don't you just love all this jargon. Most epiprocts in Aeshnids are flat and not pointed. So what could this larva be?
If you are still confused the two different types of epiproct and the appendages are shown here. The spiniform epiproct is the one on the left.
Back in 2000 I was able to bring all the larvae back to UK and breed them out. As well as this upland species I had two other Aeshnids (hawker) and they all bred out successfully. I corresponded with various experts including Dr J. De Marmels and the upshot was that I had three species:
The genus Limnetron is endemic to the Atlantic Forest and was only known to have one species L. debile. My specimen with its spiniform epiproct was clearly a new species. Another local specialist, Alcimar Carvalho, wrote to me stating that he had also found this larva on a number of occasions and had arrived at the conclusion that there were two species of Limnetron. He had not been able to breed it out; but this is where the story goes wrong because the specimen that I bred out was female. Describing species from females is very confusing and best avoided. When it comes to describing dragonflies sexism rules; it is best to start with males. So the new Limnetron remains undescribed. The two bred out specimens are shown below. The one on the left was the new species as I say still undescribed.
- Castoraeschna castor - a common riparian species
- Limnetron - 2 species
The genus Limnetron is endemic to the Atlantic Forest and was only known to have one species L. debile. My specimen with its spiniform epiproct was clearly a new species. Another local specialist, Alcimar Carvalho, wrote to me stating that he had also found this larva on a number of occasions and had arrived at the conclusion that there were two species of Limnetron. He had not been able to breed it out; but this is where the story goes wrong because the specimen that I bred out was female. Describing species from females is very confusing and best avoided. When it comes to describing dragonflies sexism rules; it is best to start with males. So the new Limnetron remains undescribed. The two bred out specimens are shown below. The one on the left was the new species as I say still undescribed.
Sundry larval observations
Neocordulia setifrea which we bred out in 2000. The larvae look very like Oxygastra curtisii
