Lestes barbarus (Fabricius), a forgotten species in the fauna of Li-

thuania (Zygoptera: Lestidae)

R. Bernard¹P. Ivinskis² and B. Daraz³

1 Department of General Zoology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, PO-61-614

Poznan, Poland; [email protected]

2 Institute of Ecology, Vilnius University, Akademijos 2, LT-08412 Vilnius, ;[email protected]

3 Koscielna 41, PO-35-505 Rzeszow, Poland;[email protected]

Abstract — L. barbarus is added to the odon. 2002, 2005; BERNARD & IVINSKIS, 2004).

fauna of Lithuania based on a forgotten note However, two other species, Sympetrum eroti-

and 3 new records. The Lithuanian localities are cum (Sel.) and Aeshna caerulea (Strom), had to

the northernmost sites in the L. harba- be excluded from it. The former is exotic and among an

rus distribution. Their situation is considered in certainly a very incidental element, while the

context the of the pulsating nature of the north- listing of the latter was based on a misidenti-

ern border of its range with relation to climatic fication of the larvae (BERNARD, 2005). Fi-

and tendencies of the 60 changes wandering sp. The nally, until recently, species were known from

new localities arebriefly described, special atten- Lithuania (BERNARD, 2005), However, the

tion is given to the site of a breedingpopulation. analysis of the odonate distribution in Poland

and the biogeographic trends recently recogniz-

introduction able in the northern part of central Europe led

The first checklist of the dragonflies of Lithua- to the expectation of the occurrence of sever-

nia comprised 59 species (STANIONYTE, al other species in Lithuania. This supposition

Due intensive 3 confirmed. 1993). to research, new spe- was quickly

cies, Aeshna crenata Hag., Orthetrum brunneum

(Fonsc.) and Aeshna affinis Vander L., were Results

added to this list in recent years (BERNARD, Unexpectedly, a new (in fact, a forgotten) spe- Notul. odonatoi. Vol. 7, No. 1, June 1, 2008 2 pp. 1-12,

cies has been found in the literature. In 1952, (3) Bugieda, Lazdijai district, close to the bor-

N Professor J. PriifTer published a brief note in- der of Belarus. 53°56’31” 23°48'23"

1 cluding some of the highlights of his studies of E; 9-VII-2002, 2 (P. Ivinskis leg.); as- the odonate fauna in the Vilnius region, carried tatic pool (0.3 ha), in some years the wa- out during 1927-1943 (PRUFFER, 1952). This ter stays continuously, but in most years note was published in a poorly known jour- the pool dries up completely in the second

nal, including mostly brief reports of members part of the summer. This vicinity is an im- of a local scientific society in Torun (Poland), portant breeding area for Hyla arhorea,

where J. Pruffer settled after the World War II. Hirudo medicinalis and Triturus cristatus.

Therefore it remained unknown both to A. Sta-

nionyte and tous until 2006. In the note, L. bar- Discussion barus is given from the locality of Gulbiny near With the addition of L. barbarus , the known

Vilnius, today a part of the city area of Vilnius, odonate fauna of Lithuania has increased to 61

named Didieji and Mazieji Gulbinai (54°47’ N, species. The historical occurrence of L. harha-

No 25°17-18’ E). other data were enclosed. rus in southern Lithuania is not a surprise since

Recently, L. barbarus was rediscovered in it was recorded at this latitude in the 1840s in

Lithuania at three localities. At two of these(Nos the vicinity of Konigsberg (HAGEN, 1846), to-

1. 3) only single individuals were recorded but day Kaliningrad in the Kaliningradskaya ob-

at loc. 2 an autochthonous population occurs. last’ of Russia. It was also known from sever-

(1) -Nemirseta, district, al localities situated only slightly to the South,

55°51’52” N 21°03’53” E; 13-VII-2005, I 6 in present northernmost Poland, published in

(P. Ivinskis leg.). Sandy hills and meadows the 19th and 20th centuries (HAGEN, 1846,

with Salix, Pinus sylvestris and numerous 1855; BRISCHKE, 1888, 1891; KRUGER,

orchids, without water bodies but in rainy 1925; FISCHER, 1959; MIELEWCZYK,

with These data well the old Lithuanian years stagnant water. 1972). as as

of could have bal- (2) A forest glade ca 3.5 km NW Inkak- record suggest that the species

liai, Silute district, 55°29’35" N 21°31’29” anced on the border of its distribution at these

E; 17-18-VI-2007, ca 10 teneral individu- latitudes for a long time. Strictly speaking, the

first of the of the northern border of its in als (two days emergence range eastern Europe

population), coll. 1 6. 2 5 (R. Bernard and is most probably of a fluctuating nature, mov-

B. Daraz A forest astatic fen northwards and southwards in leg.). (0.9 ha) ing slightly pe-

with two deepersmall pools(Carex rostrata, riods of more or less appropriate climatic con-

Nymphaeaalba) and large shallow (5-40 cm ditions. This supposition may be supported by

C.deep)areas overgrown with fairly loose strong wandering tendencies of this species; it

rostrata, Eleocharis local- palustris, grasses,

with Some of the fen ly Sphagnumsp. parts

current already dried up, the area covered

by water ca 0.6 ha. L. barbarus individuals

preferred small, dry, highly insolated and

grassy patches adjacent to the fen and for-

est edges with similar conditions. Accom-

Lestes panying species: sponsa (Hans.); very

advanced L. abundant,an emergence; dryas

Kirby: abundant, a maturation period; L.

virens vestalis Ramb.: 20-30 leneral individ-

uals in shallower parts, first days of emer-

gence; Sympetrumflaveolum(L.): abundant

teneral first of Records of Lestes barbarus in Lithua- individuals, days emergence: Fig. 1.

Leucorrhinia pectoralis (Charp.): fairly nu- nia, A: an old record from the literature: B:

Libellula L. localities. merous; quadrimaculata new Nolul. Vol. No. 2008 odonalol., 7, I, pp. 1-12, June 1, 3

be absent from areas for then The habitat lo- may many years, (DIJKSTRA, 2006). at two new suddenly establishing large colonies that may calities (Nos 2 and 3) fits the species’preferences

for A simi- well. At loc. where four lestids persist years (DIJKSTRA, 2006). 2, were recorded, lar unstable state occurs also more to the West, almost all members of the odonate assemblage where rare old records are known from north- prefer or tolerate astatic water conditions, Leu- ernmost Germany, southern Denmark and corrhinia pectoralis requires more stable condi- southern Sweden (ANDER, 1963; BROCK et tions which are representedby small, deeperde- al., 1997; JOD1CKE, 1997; NIELSEN, 1979), pressions; it is likely that its local population is while dramatic increase of the also reinforced individuals from acurrent species by a large pop-

in northern parts of western and central Eu- ulation, occurring only 0,5 km west. The male

rope was reported since the 1990s (DIJKSTRA, collected at loc. I might have originated from

barbarus be- another site in it 2006). For example, L. probably the vicinity, but may also be

colonization of Great where it treated the wind. The gan a Britain, as a nomad, brought by was repeatedly recorded during2002-2004 from situation of this site in the windy area, only

Kent and Norfolk (NOBES, 2003; FORREST, 500 m from the seashore, may support the lat-

The and abundance the of 2005; PARR, 2005). range ter option. Considering surroundings

in increase and the new localities Lithuania cor- the studied sites, loc. 2 is noteworthy, as in the

northern respond to similar increases and range expan- borderlands of the species’ range the

sions observed for some other odonate species occurrence in more open, easily penetrable

in northern parts of central Europe and in the landscapes could be expected. The situation of

corresponding latitudes of western and east- this locality, rather deep in a large forest com-

BERNARD ern Europe (e.g. OTT, 2001; et plex, certainly does not favour wanderers. On

BERNARD & the other these forest al„ 2002; BERNARD, 2005; hand, surroundings may

IV1NSK1S, 2004). All these changes are cer- positively influence the water conditions, hence

tainly a consequence of the particularly fa- the long-term existence of the habitat.

vourable climatic conditions during the past

15 years (e.g. OTT, 2001, BERNARD et al., References ANDER, K„ 1963. Opusc. ent. 28; - 2002). On a larger time scale, such a state is not 196-197; ASKEW, R.R., 2004, The dragon-

since the and abun- revised new, occurrence, ranges flies ofEurope [2nd, edn], Harley Books, - dance of these increasing species are generally Colchester; BERNARD, R., 1997, Abstr.

ini. fluctuating (pulsating) in nature at these lati- Pap. 14th Symp. Odonalol. Maribor,p. 6;

tudes, being correlated with climatic changes - 2002, Opusc. zool. flurnin. 202: 1-21; - 2005, - (BERNARD, 1997; BERNARD et al., 2002). Nolul. odonalol. 6(6): 53-55; BERNARD. R.

it must be stressed that Lithuanian localities & P. IVINSKIS, 2004, Acta zool. iithuan. 14(3): - Nos 1 and 2 belong to the northernmost sites 31-36; BERNARD, R„ P. BUCZYNSKI &

in the barbarus The records north of L. range. G. TONCZYK, 2002, Nat. Conserv. Krakow

the 55 parallel are extremely rare. In the avail- 59: 53-71; - BRISCHKE, C.G.A., 1888, Schr.

able Russian literature and in the publications Ges. 42-64 naturf. Danzig, (N.F.) 7(1): [1887,

from other European countries, only four oth- Her. westpr. hot.-zool. Ver. Danzig 10: 13-35];

er records from these latitudes were found: one - 1891, Schr. naturf. Ges. Danzig (N.F.) 8(4): ,

Den- Her Ver. from Sweden (ANDER, 1963), one from 50-74 [1890, westpr. hol.-zool. Danzig

- 6. mark (NIELSEN, 1979) and two from Rus- 13: 32-56]; BROCK, V., J. HOFFMANN, - sia, with the ‘record holder’ Malmyzh in the KUHNAST, W. PIPER, K. VOSS, 1997, Atlas

Kirovskaya oblast’, 56°30’ (KRUL1KOVSKII, der Libellen Landesamt Schleswig-Hoisteins ,

1907; UL’YANIN, 1869). However, such north- Natur & Umwelt Schleswig-Holstein, Flintbek;

ern records are certainly mostly related to wan- - DIJKSTRA, K.-D.B., 2006, in: K.-D.B. Dijk-

derers. The Lithuanian locality No. 2 represents stra & R. Lewington, Field guide to the dra-

most probably the northernmost known breed- gonflies of Britain and Europe including western

of the and north-western ing population species. Turkey Africa, pp. 80-81, - L. barbarus favours temporary water bodies British Wildlife Publishing, Gillingham; FI- Notul. odonatol.. Vol. No. June 2008 4 7, 1, pp. 1-12, 1,

- SCHER, Z„ 1959, Pol. Arch. Hydrobiol. 5(2): 3-6; OTT, J., 2001, in: G.-R. Walther, C.A.

“ ” 183-201; - FORREST, P.J., 2005, Atropos 24: Burga & P.J. Edwards, [Eds], Fingerprints of

24-25; - HAGEN, H„ 1846, Neuepreuss. Prov- climate change. Adapted behaviour and shifting

Bl. 2: - 89-1II, New York: - Kdnigsberg 25-31; [HAGEN, H.], 1855, species ranges, pp. Kluwer,

Neue preuss. Prov.-Bl., Kdnigsberg 7: 350-351; PARR, A.J., 2005, J. Br. Dragonfly Soc. 21(1):

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Winterlihellen Europas, Westarp, Magdeburg; - Torun 4(1950): 105; - STANIONYTE, A.,

KRULIKOVSKII, L„ mi. Zap. uraT. Obshch. 1993, New rare Lithuania Insect Sp. 1993: 50-60: - Lyub. Estest. 26(52); 179-187; - KRUGER, L., UL’YANIN, V„ 1869, Izv. imp. Obshch. Lyub.

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Meddr 47: 96; - NOBES, G„ 2003, Atropos 18: