98 Notul. Vol. 4, No, 6, odonatoi, pp. 93-108, December 1, 1995
Dragonflies recorded from The Gambia
¹ R.M. Gambles [deceased], N.W. Moore M. Hämäläinen² and E.D .V. Prendergast³
1 The Farm House, 117 Boxworth End, Swavesey, Cambridge CB4 5RA, United Kingdom
2 Department ofApplied Zoology, P.O. Box 27, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
3 Manor House, Bagber, Sturminster Newton, Dorset DT10 2EY, United Kingdom
Abstract – - 64 recorded from The Gambia in all of the spp. ably by systematic collecting parts
end 1989 and their known distri- and all times of it stands up to are listed, country at year; but, as
bution shown. at present, it should put our knowledge of the
Gambian Odonata at least on a par with that of
Introduction most other West African Territories.
The Gambia is a narrow strip ofterritory bounded
on all sides, except for its Atlantic coastline,by Collecting Visits
and Senegal, consists of little more than the river, NWM spent two months, from mid-July to mid-
which somewhat pursues a meandering course September 1948, in The Gambia collecting
it from east to west; and the land oneither side of mainly around Kuntaur, some 200 km up-river,
20 the to an average distance of km near mouth, but also around Banjul and Basse Santa Su. In
narrowing to 10 km up-river. The groundis, for September 1958, RMG was able to land from the
he for the most part, flat, and there are hardly any tribu- mail boat on which was travelling, about
to It taries the river. is tidal for much ofits length, an hour’s collecting in the neighbourhood of
and brackish asfar as Kuntaur. The lower reaches Banjul. In October-November 1980, he spent
with with are fringed mangrove swamp numer- three weeks on a collecting holiday in The Gam-
ous brackish creeks. Within The Gambia,the river bia. He was based mainly at Fajara about 16 km
has no rapids or waterfalls. Thus suitable habi- west ofBanjul, but he also made athree day trip
for of in the ofterrain worked tats many widespread groups dragonflies up-country collecting sort
and NWM. RMG are absent, no species of Chlorocyphidae, by was later sent, for identification,
Calopterygidae or Zygonyx have been found. the specimens collected by two short expeditions
Over the ricefields, adjoining the river, on the in 1977 by the University of Lund, Sweden. He
other of the confirmed hand, many marsh-loving species are noted that they largely his own obser-
abundant. Whereas in the 1940s, there were still vations, but provided some new data on distribu-
considerable areas ofriverine forest, particularly tion. MH based in Bakau collected at various sites
up-river, today there is little left. within the Lower Sector during two weeks in
and December EDVP Compared with those of southern, eastern 1980, and was leader of the
parts of Central Africa, the dragonflies of West British Dragonfly Society party which visited the
Africa have received little attention. from 26 10 October 1989. Tropical very country Septemberto
However, reports on collections made and lists This party was based on the coast just south of
of species areto be found in the literature of most Fajara, but spent two nights at Tendaba, about
West The A African Territories, except for Gambia. 100 km up-river. few records come from other
in Though the male holotype of Phyllogomphus sources, includingD.A. Davidson who visited
aethiops , (now in the Natural History Museum, 1974 and specimens sent to EDVP by his con-
London) came from the River Gambia (SELYS, tacts in The Gambia in 1988/89.
1854; FRASER, 1957), the country appears to
have been otherwise almost completely neglected Results
until 1948. References have been found to only As a preliminary to mapping the distribution of
four other species. Accordingly, as the present au- the various species of Odonata throughout the
thors have visited the country briefly at different country, the map has been divided into 10 km
times its it desirable with those of UTM Grid to study dragonflies, seems squares, conforming
listof the there to publish a species found so far. Zone 28, and numbered arbitrarily from 1 to 162,
Doubtless this list could be expanded consider- as onFigure 1. This figure also shows an unoffi- Notul. odonatol., Vol. No. 6, December 1995 4, pp. 93-108, 1, 99
Fig. 1. The Gambia. Arbitrarily numbered 10 km squares plotted against U.T.M. Zone 28 grid.
dal division of the country, from west to east, trai: 9; - Upper: 126 into three sectors, each about 110 km in length, PROTONEURIDAE
- but different of Elattoneura Kimmins: Central: - containing quantities squares nigra 33; the western Lower Sector,from the Atlantic coast Upper: 126
42 PLATYCNEMIDIDAE up to the eastings, justupstream from Tendaba
(70 squares); the Central Sector, from here past Mesocnemis dupuyi Legrand: Central: 33; -
Kuntaur to the 52 eastings (49 squares); and the Upper: 126 eastern Upper Sector, from just west of George- - Platycnemis congolensis Martin: Lower: 73 town, past Basse Santa Su to the frontier (43 - P. sikassoensis (Martin): Lower: 73; - Central: squares). 14; - Upper: 126
COENAGRIONIDAE
recorded the end of - Fraser: Lower: 142 Species up to 1989,by sec- Aciagrion attenuatum 73,
- exilis Central: tors, were: Agriocnemis Sel.: 14, 33;-Up-
LESTIDAE 126 per:
- Lestes ochraceus Sel.: Lower: 39, 73 - A. maclachlani Sel.: Lower: 73;-Central: 14
- L. pallidus Ramb.: Lower: 39,133,161;- Cen- - A. victoria Fraser: Lower: 73; - Upper: 126
Fig. 2. The Gambia. National boundaries, course of river, principal towns (B=Bunjal, - BS=Basse
- - Santa Su, - F= Fajara, - G=Georgetown, K=Kuntaur, T=Tendaba), and division into sectors;
with number of ofOdonata recorded in each 10 km together species square. 100 Notul. Vol. No. odonalol., 4, 6, pp. 93-108, December 1, 1995
- - A. zerafica Le Roi: Lower: 73,150; Central: 141, 142, 149, 151, 153, 154; - Central: 4, 9,
14, 58; - Upper: 60 14, 55, 86;-Upper: 60, 126
- Ceriagrion glabrum (Burm.): Lower: 42, 72, - Hemistigma albipuncta (Ramb.): Lower: 39,
73,76, 82, 102, 106,131, 134, 141,150, 151, 42, 72, 73, 76, 82, 106, 131, 132, 141, 151,
154; - Central: 86 154; - Central: 4, 9, 14, 33, 58, 86; - Upper:
C. moorei Longfield: Lower: 73, 132; - Cen- 60
tral: 4, 9, 14, 33; - Upper: 60, 61 - Olpogastra lugubris Karsch: Central; 11, 14
- - Enallagma vansomereni Pinhey: Lower: 72 Orthetrum africanum (Sel.): Lower: 72; - Cen-
Ischnura senegalensis (Ramb.): Lower: 39,72, tral; 14
73, 102, 131, 142,161; - Central: 14, 55, 86; - O. angustiventre (Ramb.): Lower: 41, 72, 73,
- Upper: 60 103, 161;-Central: 11, 14, 33
- Pseudagrion angelicum Fraser: Lower: 73 - O. brachiale (P. de Beauv.): Lower: 42,72,73,
P. hamoni Fraser: Central: 14; - Upper: 60 131, 134, 141, 142, 154, 157; - Central: 14.
nubicum - - P. Sel.: Central: 14, 33, 58; - Upper: 33, 86; Upper: 126
60, 126 - O. chrysostigma (Burnt.): Lower: 75, 76, 104
- P. sjoestedti nigeriense Gambles: Central: 14; - O. icteromelan Ris; Lower: 72, 73, 131, 132;
- Upper: 60, 126 - Central: 4, 9, 14, 33, 55; - Upper: 60, 126
- P. sudanicum Le Roi: Upper: 126 - O. kalai Longfield:Lower: 72,73, 131, 133; -
GOMPH1DAE Upper: 60
- Central: 13 - O. monardi Schmidt: Lower: 134, Gomphidia sp,: 72,73, 133,
- Cen- - Central: - 126 Neurogomphus sp. (?featheri Pinhey): 154; 58, 86; Upper: 60,
tral: 13, 33; - Upper: 60 - O. trinacria (Sel.): Lower: 72, 73, 131, 157;-
- Phyllogomphus aethiops Sel.: coastal region Central: 14
(exact locality unrecorded). - Oxythemis phoenicoscelis Ris: Upper: 126
AESHN1DAE - Palpopleuradeceptor (Calv.): Lower; 42, 72,
- - Anax tristis Hagen: Lower: 73; - Central: 14; 73, 75, 131, 133, 134, 141, 154, 157, 161;
- Upper: 92 Central: 14, 58, 85; - Upper: 60, 126
- Heliaeschna lanceolata Le Roi: Lower: 73; - - P. lucia (Dru.); Lower; 72, 73, 131, 132, 151,
Central: 14 153; - Central: 14, 58; - Upper: 60
- Hemianax ephippiger (Burnt.): Lower; 102, - P. portia (Dm.): Lower: 42,72,73,76,82,102,
131, 151;-Central: 14, 55 104,131,132,134,141,151,153,154,157;-
CORDULIIDAE Central: 14, 58; - Upper: 60. 126
- Macromia bifasciata (Martin): Central: 11, 14 - Pantala flavescens (Fabr.): Lower: 41, 42, 72,
LIBELLULIDAE 73, 75, 76, 82, 102, 106, 131, 133, 134, 142,
86 - Aethriamanta rezia Kirby: Central: 14, 33 151;-Central: 14, 58, 85,
- Lower: - Acisoma panorpoides inflatum Sel.: Lower: Parazyxommaflavicans (Martin): 73;
42,72, 73. 76, 131, 132, 150, 151, 153, 154;- -Central: 14
Central: 4, 9, 14, 55, 58; - Upper: 60 - Philonomon luminans (Karsch): Lower: 75,
14 - A. trifidumKirby: Lower: 73, 102 131, 134;-Central:
- Brachythemis lacustris (Kirby): Central: 14 - Rhyothemis notata (Fabr.): Lower: 73; - Cen-
- B. leucosticia (Burnt.): Lower: 41, 72, 154; - tral; 14
Central: 11, 14, 33, 55, 58, 86; - Upper: 60 - R. semihyalina (Desj.): Lower: 102, 131; -
- Chalcostephia flavifrons Kirby: Lower: 72,73, Central; 14
14 102, 131, 151;-Central: 14;-Upper: 126 - Sympetrum navasi Lacroix: Central:
Lower: - Lower: 131 - Crocothemis erythraea (Brull6): 39,41, Tetrathemis bifida Fraser;
42,71,72,73,75,76,82,102,104, 131, 132, - Tholymis tillarga (Fabr.): Lower: 72, 73, 82,
134,149, 151,153,154,157;-Central:9,14, 132, 151;-Central: 14;-Upper: 126
55, 58, 86;-Upper: 60,61, 126 - Tramea basilaris (P. de Beauv.): Lower: 42,
- - Diplacodes lefebvrei (Ramb.): Lower: 39, 41, 73, 82, 102, 131, 134; - Central: 14, 86;
42, 72, 73, 76, 82, 102, 103, 131, 132, 134, Upper: 126 Notul. odonatol., Vol. 4, No. 6, pp. 93-108, December 1, 1995 101
- Trithemis annulata (P. de Beauv.): Lower: 39, tor than downstream. However, eventhese tenta-
72, 73, 82; - Central: 9, 14, 33. 55; - Upper: tive conclusions should be regarded with caution,
60 since further of surveys new locations, and at
- T. arteriosa Lower: 73 times of bound (Burnt.): 72, year not yet covered, are to modify
- - observed. T. groutiPinhey: Lower: 73, 131; Central: the patterns ofdistribution so far
14
- T. imitata Pinhey: Lower: 39 Conclusion
- Urothemis assignata (Sel.): Central: 14 Up to end 1989, 64 species of Odonata - 22 of
- U. edwardsi (Sel.); Lower: 72; - Central: 9, them (35%)in all three sectors - have been recorded
126 from The Gambia, This with 245 14;-Upper: compares spe-
cies known from Nigeria and 130 from the Ivory
RMG, who the basic list of countries with much diver- compiled species Coast, a very greater which had been found in The Gambia, did not sity ofhabitats. No endemic species have been dis- always agree with other taxonomists about cer- covered but, besides Phyllogomphusaethiopsmen- tain species. In particular, he considered Palpo- tioned above, another species, Ceriagrionmoorei, pleura lucia and P. portia to be separate species, has its type locality in The Gambia, having been contrary to some other opinions. Similarly, his found by NWMin 1948. Both species have proved ideas differed from those who considered Orthe- to be widespread in Africa.
kalai of Orthe- It is that few further will be trum a synonym or sub-species likely a species
Acisoma added the Gambia trum brachiale (Pinhey, 1970); panor- to list, oncethe Upper Sector,
ofA. in is several poides inflatumasynonym p. ascalaphoides particular, adequately surveyed; as
Rambur (Pinhey, 1961); and Aciagrion attenua- non-Gambian species have already been recorded tum only a sub-species of A. gracile (Sjostedt) just over the border in Senegal.
the of this in (Pinhey, 1972).For purpose paper, deference to RMG, his nomenclature has been References –FRASER, F.C., 1957, Revue Zool. retained. Bol. afr. 56: 9-32; - GAMBLES, R.M., N.W.
In a country so under-worked, little would be MOORE & M. HÄMÄLÄINEN, no date. Anno-
distribution for each tated list the Gambia end gained by showing a map of Odonatafrom up to
2 species. Instead, Figure shows, against a back- 1980, Mus. Nat. Hist,, London [unpublished ground of a map of the country, how many spe- manuscript]; - LONGFIELD, C., 1952, Proč. R. cies have been recorded in each 10 km square. It ent. Soc. Land. (B)21:41-48;-PINHEY, E.C.G., must be emphasized that the figures are much 1961, A survey ofdragonflies(order Odonala)of
more a reflection of observer effort than of the eastern Africa, Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.), London;- probabledistribution ofthe species. Nevertheless, 1970, Occ. Pap. natn. Mus. Sth. Rhod. (B)4(30): there are indications of some tendencies; for ex- 261-321; - 1972, ibidem, 5(1): 1-59; - SELYS ample, whilst Ceriagrion glabrumis widespread LONGCHAMPS, E. de, 1854, Bull. Acad. Belg. in the Lower Sector, it appears to be largely re- 21(2): 23-112. placed by C. moorei as one proceeds up-river.
Similarly, the conspicuous Brachythemis leuco- Received March 6, 1995 sticta seems to be commoner in the Central Sec-