Friday, September 21, 2012

Primilinary List of Dragonflies of Staten Island, 2012

Since 2009, the Staten Island Dragonfly Atlas (SIDfA) volunteers and Staten Island Museum staff have conducted censuses at the majority of the island's freshwater systems and marsh to better understand the current composition and distribution of the dragonfly (Anisoptera) community.

A complete article covering each species individually and a printed checklist will be released in 2013 to mark the 100th anniversary of William T. Davis' last list of Staten Island's dragonflies (see bibliography below).

The following list has been compiled from four major sources: SIDfA field observations, Paul Lederer's 1998 & 2000 Staten Island Dragonfly Survey lists, NYC Parks records, and historical accounts from William T. Davis (complete bibliography below).   

Please report any species listed as "Rare/Historical" to the author.

Common (18 species)
· Common Green Darner (Anax junius)
· Swamp Darner (Epiaeshna heros)
· Calico Pennant (Celithemis elisa)
· Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina)
· Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis)
· Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta)
· Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)
· Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella)
· Great Blue Skimmer (Libellula vibrans)
· Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax flavescens)
· Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens)
· Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea)
· Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera)
· Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia)
· Ruby Meadowhawk (Sympetrum rubicundulum)
· Autumn Meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum)
· Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina)
· Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)

Uncommon (19 species)
· Comet Darner (Anax longipes)
· Fawn Darner (Boyeria vinosa)
· Spatterdock Darner (Rhionaeschna mutate)
· Unicorn Clubtail (Arigomphus cillosipes)
· Common Baskettail (Epitheca cynosure)
· Prince's Baskettail (Epitheca princeps)
· Mocha Emerald (Somatochlora linearis)
· Clamp-tipped Emerald (Somatochlora tenebrosa)
· Blue Corporal (Ladona deplanata)
· Double-ringed Pennant (Celithemis verna)
· Banded Pennant (Celithemis fasciata)
· Seaside Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax berenice)
· Dot-tailed Whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta)
· Bar-winged Skimmer (Libellula axilena)
· Spangled Skimmer (Libellula cyanea)
· Needham's Skimmer (Libellula needhami)
· Painted Skimmer (Libellula semifasciata)
· White-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum obtrusum)
· Band-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum semicinctum)

Rare/Historical (23 species)
· Lance-tipped Darner (Aeshna constricta)
· Black-tipped Darner (Aeshna tuberculifera)
· Shadow Darner (Aeshna umbrosa)
· Green-striped Darner (Aeshna verticalis)
· Springtime Darner (Basiaeshna janata)
· Harlequin Darner (Gomphaeshna furcillata)
· Lancet Clubtail (Gomphus exilis)
· Southern Pigmy Clubtail (Lanthus vernalis)
· Russet-tipped Clubtail (Stylurus plagiatus)
· Twin-spotted Spiketail (Cordulegaster maculate)
· Stream Cruiser (Didymops transversa)
· Petite Emerald (Dorocordulia lepida)
· Racket-tailed Emerald (Dorocordulia libera)
· Martha's Pennant (Celithemis martha)
· Little Blue Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax minuscula)
· White Corporal (Ladona exusta)
· Chalk-fronted Corporal (Ladona julia)
· Frosted Whiteface (Leucorrhinia frigida)
· Belted Whiteface (Leucorrhinia proxima)
· Yellow-sided Skimmer (Libellula flavida)
· Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata)
· Elfin Skimmer (Nannothemis bella)
· Jane's Meadowhawk (Sympetrum janeae)
· Striped Saddlebags (Tramea calverti)

References:
Davis, William T. 1898. Preliminary List of the Dragonflies of Staten Island, with notes and dates of capture. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 6:195-198

Davis, William T. 1913. Dragonflies of the Vicinity of New York City with a description of a new species. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 21:11-29

NYC Parks records, 2010, unpublished

Staten Island Dragonfly Atlas records, 2012, unpublished

-Seth Wollney, Section of Natural History Staten Island Museum

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