Four species of Odonata new to British Columbia, Canada
4 R.A. Cannings¹,S.G. Cannings²,L.R. Ramsay³ and G.E. Hutchings 1 Royal British Columbia Museum, 675 Belleville Street, Victoria, British Columbia,V8W 9W2,
Canada
2 NatureServe Yukon, Yukon Department of Environment, Box 2703, Whitehorse, Yukon Terri-
tory, Y1A 2C6, Canada
3 British Columbia Conservation Data Centre, British Columbia Ministry of Sustainable Resource
Management,P.O. Box 9358, Stn. Prov. Govt., Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 9M2, Canada
4 971 Arundel Drive, Victoria, British Columbia,V9A 2C4, Canada
Abstract –- Between 1998 and 2000, 5 odon. bia each is recorded from a handful of localities
added the list of British Columbia. in mountain and northern spp. were to peatlands.
The collection data for one of these, Somato-
chlora have been Introduction kennedyi, previously published
by R.D. Kenner (2000, J. ent. Soc. Br. Colwnb. Between 1996 and 2003, the Royal British Co-
97: 47-49). The present known distribution, sta- lumbia Museum (RBCM) and the British Co-
tus and habitat of Calopteryx aequabilis Say, lumbia Conservation Data Centre (BCCDC)
Lestes Somatochlora brev- collaborated in of the Odonata of forcipatus Ramb., surveys sev-
icincta Robert and S. forcipata (Scudder) are eral regions of British Columbia (BC), Cana-
discussed. C. aequabilis is recorded from only da - the Georgia Depression of the southwest
one locality in the extreme S of the province; coast (1996), the Okanagan drainage(1997), the
it is a red-listed sp. of management concern. L. Peace River-Fort Nelson region (1997), the Co-
forcipatus is common in certain types of rich lumbia-Kootenay region (1998-99) and central
fens the it had been overlooked and northwestern BC The across province; (2000-2003). surveys
previously because of its close similarity to the were designed to improve understanding of the
widespread and abundant L. disjunctus Sel.. S. distribution, status and habitat requirements
brevicincta and S. forcipata are known mainly of species and to foster public education about
from eastern North America; in British Colum- dragonflies. Our improved knowledge of all Nolul. Vol, No. June 2005 46 odonatol., 6, 5, pp. 45-52, 1,
species encountered has resulted in more realis- Species new to British Columbia tic conservation priorities than was possible be- — Calopteryx aequabilis Say fore the inventories (CANNINGS et ah, 1998; Calopteryx represents a new family of Odonata
CANNINGS et ah, 2000; RAMSAY & CAN- for BC, the Calopterygidae. C. aequabilis is pri-
NINGS, 2004). marily an eastern North American species rang-
One of the five species, Somatochlora ing west in the southern boreal forest to central kennedyi Walker, had been collected at Loon Alberta and with a few outlying populations in
Lake in the Yukon Territory within 3 km of the the western United States. It had been record-
BC border et and from to (CANNINGS ah, 1991) ed as close BC as Stevens County, Washing- the southern Northwest Territories (WALKER ton (PAULSON, 1997) and for several decades
& and had that it lived in CORBET, 1975) thus, was a target spe- we suspected streams near cies the 1997 in northeastern BC. the of Grand Forks north of the during surveys town just US
recorded that fen had find Only onewas year at a sedge boundary. However, we not managedto near Andy Bailly Provincial Park, SE of Fort it there until VI1-1999, when one of us (LRR)
Nelson (25-VI-1997, RDK [IS, University of discovered it along Christina Creek, the outlet
BC]). As this first provincial record has already of Christina Lake (49°02’30”N, 118°12’17”W). been published (KENNER, 2000), S. kennedyi In BC, the flight period has not been well-doc- will be further treated it but from not here, although umented, probably lasts mid-June un- should be noted that between 2001 and 2003 it til early September(CANNINGS, 2002). None was collected at seven more localities, fromFort were observed on 15-V1 (2002), but on 19-VII
St James (54°I0’N) in the South to Blue Lake (1999), 25 males and 3 females were counted. By
(59°49’N) in the North. 7-VI1I (1999) the numbers were waning; only 6
In to - 1998, three species new BC Calop- males and 3 females were counted. Oviposi-
Lestes Rambur tion teryx aequabilis Say, forcipatus was observed on 17-VIII (1999) (recorded
and Somatochlora — in forcipata (Scudder) were Potamogeton illinoensis, anaquatic plant un- recorded in the Columbia River Basin (exclu- common in BC), but this was near the end of
sive of the River the - two Okanagan drainage). In BC flight season only males and one fe- this area occupies much of the southeastern male were observed on this date. In Washington part of the province and is commonly called State, the recorded flight period is 6-VI to 2-IX the Columbia-Kootenay Region after the Co- (PAULSON, 1999), lumbia River and its main Canadian tributary, Selected specimen records (all Christina the Kootenay River. In 2000, continuing inven- Creek): 19-VII-1999, LRR (3d, 19); 7-VIII- tory focused on the Upper Fraser River Basin, -1999, SGC (Id, 19); 22-VI-2000, LRR (Id); centred on Prince George in the middle of the 15-VI1-2004, KMN, RDK, JH (3d, 19, Uni- province. The first specimens of Somatochlora versity of BC) brevicincta Robert in BC were collected during Populations are not large; 28 adults were re- this work. corded 19-VII-1999. on During a survey on
data Collectors listed by initials in collection 15 and 16-VII-2004, only 13 individuals were - below: APH A.P Harcombe; CS - C. Shank; counted along the whole 4 km of Christina - CSG - C.S. GAA G.A. Guppy; Archard; Creek (J. Heron, pers. comm.). Western popula-
GEH - G.E. HK tions Hutchings; - H. Knight; IH of the species are quite irregularly distrib- - -1. Hatter; JH J. Heron; JT J. Tuck; JV - J. uted, and this population is probably isolated
- - Vinnedge; KMN K.M. Needham; LRR from the nearest onesin Washington State. Be- - - L.R. Ramsay; LW L. Westereng; RAC R.A. cause the small, isolated populationis restricted - RDK R.D. — Cannings; Kenner; SEC S. E. to a single locality in BC and because there is
Coates; SGC — S.G. Cannings; SWD - S.W potential for damage to this site. C. aequabilis - Dunkle; TV T. Vogt. Except those otherwise isassigned a provincial conservation status rank indicated, all specimens noted are housed in of SI and placed on the Red List of species of
Columbia the Royal British Museum, Victoria, conservation concern(BCCDC, 2003).
BC. Christina Creek is the only known locality for Notul. Vol. odonatoi, 6, No. 5, pp, 45-52, June 1, 2005 47
in BC. Much of the site is C. aequabilis private- 2004 it was recorded in the southeastern Yukon ly owned and none of it is formally protected, (Watson Lake, 8-VI1I-04, SGC [12]).
conservation although covenants are pending. L. forcipalusis not as rare as records suggest;
The protection of the riparian zone and the it has been confused with the much more com- maintenance of a relatively undisturbed edge mon and abundant L. disjunclus. which it close- along the creek are critical for the damselfly, es- ly resembles. Males are so similar to those of L.
because it the pecially uses vegetation overhang- disjunctus that unless a female (which is more
ing the stream for roosting and floating mats of easily identified than the male) is collected, the vegetation for recrea- be overlooked. Some of old oviposition. Controlling species may our tional activities along the stream is also impor- museum specimens of L. disjunctus have been
Of is the re-identified — tant. particular concern common use as L. forcipatus e.g., Qualicum
of personal watercraft along the shallow creek Beach, Hamilton Marsh, 15-VIII-1986, RAC
- the wakes from these craft collapse the banks (Id, 19); Bowser, I6-VIII-1986, RAC (Id,
and damage streamside vegetation. Significant 12); Clearwater River, Shadow Lake, 14-VIII-
of introduced populations species are also con- 1988, RAC, SGC, HK (Id, 32); Cobble Hill,
servation issues. Fishes such as Largemouth Spectacle Lake, 28-VII-1996, GEH (Id, 12).
Bass (Micropterus salmoides), Smallmouth Bass SIMAIKA & CANNINGS (2004) discuss the
(M. dolomieui). Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbo- characters that best separate males of the two sus). Yellow Perch (Percaflavescens), and Carp species.
(Cyprinus carpio) are present. The direct and WALKER (1953) described L. forcipatus
indirect effects of the Eurasian habitat both aquatic weed, as “ponds, temporary and perma-
Milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), which is de- nent, marshy lakes, and slow, weedy streams.”
scribed as being “out of control” at the south In BC, our recent studies have found it mostly end of Christina Lake, are unknown. (CAN- in fens dominated by Carex and/or Menyanthes, NINGS, 2003). often in the presence of emergent aquatic moss.
In BC the recorded flight period is 23-VI to 4-
— Lestes forcipalus Rambur -IX.
This is a widespread eastern North American
species that was first collected in Washington — Somatochlora forcipata (Scudder)
State in 1997; at the time, this was the only This species is known mostly from eastern Can- record west of Montana (PAULSON, 1997). In ada and the northeastern United States. In the
Canada it had not been confirmed west of Sas- 1920s Edmund Walker of the Royal Ontario katchewan (WESTFALL& MAY, 1996) until it Museum had collected this elusive dragonfly
was recognizedin 1998 at a site north of Golden about 3 km from the British Columbia/Alberta
(Donald, Bluewater Creek, 5-VIII-1998, LRR boundary in Banff National Park (WALKER
[2d, 22], GAA [2d, 22]). Since then it has & CORBET, 1975). This historical collection
been collected widely across the southern half had remained the only record west of Mani-
of the province, from the extreme Southeast toba — surely it also lived west of the Conti-
(FlatheadValley, SageCreek, 3-VIII-l999,SGC nental Divide in BC. Findingit in the province
[4d, LRR [Id, the Bound- was a that had eluded for Final- 42], 12]) through goal us years.
Taurus 29-VIII- in ary region (Rock Creek, Lake, ly, 1998, we came across it near Ross Lake
-1999, IH [12]) to Vancouver Island (Quali- in Kicking Horse Pass, 300 m from the Alber-
0 cum Beach, Hamilton Marsh, 28-VII-2000, ta boundary (51°26’53”N, 116 17’42”W) and
RAC, SGC [12]) and north to Terrace (Lakelse subsequently found it at two other similar sites
Williams Lake, Creek, 16-V1II-2002, RAC, that summer; Yoho National Park; Stephen; fen
APH James Ross [1 2]), the Fort St. area (Tezzeron near Lake, 3-VIII-1998, RAC (Id, 12),
Creek, 11-VIII-2001, RAC, APH, TV, TV [3d, GEH (Id, 1 2), CS (3d); Yoho National Park;
1 2]) and Mackenzie region (Gataiga Creek, 29- Field; Emerald Lake, 5-V1II-1998, SGC (2d),
-VII-2001, LRR, LW, JT [2d, 12]). Although SEC (2d); Kootenay National Park, Vermilion
it has not been collected in BC’s far North, in Pass, 12-VIII-1998,SEC (1 2). Notul. Vol. No. 48 odonatol. 6, 5, pp. 45-52, June 1, 2005
This known increased the north range was to ka, 8-VIII-2001, LRR, IH (Id); 10-VIII-200I, and west in 2001: Cinema. 21-VII-2001, CSG LRR, IH (19).
(Id); Mackenzie, Curve Lake, 22-VII-2001, S. brevicincta habitats in BC are usually fens
GEH 10-VIII- shallow (1<5); Mackenzie, Philip Creek, supporting pools. Nowhere are these
APR -2001, TV, RAC, (1 d). dragonflies common, and we certainly did not
In the S. lives in find them in of Rocky Mountains,. forcipata most the fens that seemed ap- shallow, spring-fed streamlets, often only 20-30 propriate. Their full distribution and habitat cm wide, trickling through subalpine hillside requirements remain a mystery, both within fens, or in pools associated with flowing ground- British Columbia and across the boreal and water in such situations. The species seems ab- sub-boreal regions of North America. In BC sent from peatlands dissected by small, winding the recorded flight period is 17-VII to 12-VIII.
At the Ross Lake females laid streams. site, eggs
in and Chara in shallow and in References - BRITISH COLUMBIA moss mats a seep CON-
mud-bottomed streamlet Because these SERVATION DATA a pool. CENTRE, 2004, BC spe- sites are usually small in scale, the patrolling cies and ecosystem explorer, http://srmwww.gov. males often flew in more or less shady glades in bc.ca/atrisk/toolintro.html; - CANNINGS, open spruce forests. At the Emerald Lake road R.A. 2002, Introducing the dragonflies of Brit-
avoided fen site, they the open, sunny below the ish Columbia and the Yukon. R. Br. Colutnb. springs. Little is known of the species’ phenol- Mus., Victoria, BC; - CANNINGS, R.A.,
in records in the from ogy BC; province range S.G. CANNINGS & R.J. CANNINGS, 1991,
21-VII to 12-VIII. R. Br. Columb. Mus. Contrib. nat. Sci. 13: 1-26;
- CANNINGS, R.A. & S.G. CANNINGS,
— Somatochlora brevicincta Robert 1998, in: G.G.E. Scudder & I.M. Smith, [Eds],
This is a rare species previouslyknown only from Assessment of species diversity in the Montane
of a handful localities in northeastern North Cordillera Ecozone, Ecological Monitoring and
America: central Quebec, the Atlantic Provinc- Assessment Network , http://www.cciw.ca/eman- es and Maine. On 2-VIII-2000, SGC collected temp/reports/publications/99_montane/odo- a female in the huge fens near the headwaters nata/intro.html; - CANNINGS, R.A., S.G. of the Parsnip River in the Rocky Mountain CANNINGS & L.R. RAMSAY, 2000, The
Trench (54°29’56”N, I21°50TI”W). Two days dragonflies (Insecla: Odonata) of the Colum-
found later, more were by SGC and SWD at ter- bia Basin, British Columbia: field surveys, col- raced fens at the headwaters of McIntosh Creek lections development and public education. Un-
near timberline in the Cariboo Mountains west published report, R, Br. Columb. Mus. & Br. of McBride, where the species flew with the Columb. Conserv, Data Cent., Victoria, BC, much more abundant S. whitehousei Walker http://livinglandscapes.bc.ca/www_dragon/toc. and Leucorrhinia patricia Walker. Other note- html; - CANNINGS, S.G., 2003, Status Re-
the worthy records for 2000: Parsnip River, 11.5 km port on River Jewelwing, Calopteryx ae-
NW Arctic Lake, 6-V1II-2000, SGC (Id, 1 2); quabilisSay, in British Columbia. Unpublished
McIntosh McBride, Creek, 9-VIII-2000, RAC, report, Br. Columb. Conserv. Data Cent., Vic-
APH (Id); McBride, Holmes River, 10-VIII- toria, BC; - KENNER, R.D., 2000, J. ent.
-2000, RAC, APH (Id); Prince George, Herrick Soc. Br. Columb. 97: 47-49; - PAULSON,
Creek, 12-VIII-2000, RAC, APH (12). D.R., 1997, Bull. Am. Odonalol. 4(4): 75-90; -
In 2001 we collected S. brevicincta at several PAULSON, D.R., 1999, Dragonflies of Wash- — more sites farther north on the eastern slopes ington.Seattle Audubon Soc., Seattle; RAM- of the Rockies near Williston Lake; Mackenzie, SAY, L.R. & R.A. CANNINGS, 2004, Proceed-
Tutu 17-VII-2001, SGC (1 $); Mackenzie, Bay, ings of the Species at Risk 2004: Pathways to
km 88 Finlay FSR, 21-VII-2001, GEH (Id); Recovery Conference. BC Minist. Water, Land
Curve Mackenzie, Lake, 22-VII-2001, GEH and Air Protect., Victoria, [in press]; - SIMAI-
km 25 29-VII- (2d); Mackenzie, Finlay FSR, KA, J. & R.A. CANNINGS, 2004, J. ent. Soc.
-2001, GEH (1 d); Germansen Landing, Osilin- Br. Columb. 101: 101-109; - WALKER, E.M., Notul. Vol. No. June 2005 odonatoi, 6, 5, pp. 45-52, 1, 49
1953, The Odonata of Canada and Alaska , Vol. MAY, 1996, Damselflies of North America. Scl-
1, Univ. Toronto Press, Toronto; — WALK- ent. Publishers, Gainesville, Fla.
ER, E.M. & P.S. CORBET, 1975, The Odonata of Canada and Alaska. Vol. 3. Univ. Toronto Received September 27, 2004
Press, Toronto; - WESTFALL, M.J. & M.L.