Distribution, habitats, phenology and conservation of New Caledonian Odonata
Author
Grand, Daniel
Author
Marinov, Milen
Author
Jourdan, Herve
Author
Cook, Carl
Author
Rouys, Sophie
Author
Mille, Christian
Author
Theuerkauf, Jörn
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-07-19
4640
1
1
112
journal article
26165
10.11646/zootaxa.4640.1
1c74afbc-0c31-4b2b-b975-af79979613ab
1175-5326
3342242
434B2D49-EC2C-4246-8703-42C6CFD31B87
Family
Isostictidae Fraser, 1955
This small family of 12 genera is recorded from Australasia (including
Indonesia
,
Solomon Islands
and
New Caledonia
, where the genus
Isosticta
comprises five endemic species).
Isostictidae
are easily distinguished from other New Caledonian Zygoptera by their very slender build, narrow wings and long and slender abdomen. The identification of the five species present is difficult and requires examination of several wing characters as well as details of the male abdominal appendages and the female pronotum. The adults remain near the forest creeks and streams, in which their larvae develop. Accompanied by males (tandem), females lay eggs in vegetation over and along the water. Their biology is unknown. As with other running water species, New Caledonian
Isosticta
are very sensitive to water pollution, deforestation and fires. It would be desirable to survey natural running freshwater habitats in the Nouméa area, where the water quality is constantly getting worse.