A survey of naiads in Otsego County, NY, summer 2017 Gabriella E. Scott1

ABSTRACT In the summer of 2017 a survey of immature and was conducted at six sites located in Otsego County, New York. This study was designed to complement an adult Odonata survey conducted by Iwanyckyj (2018). These studies were conducted during the same time period and at many of the same sites. A total of seven taxonomic families and seventeen genera were documented. The most diverse site sampled was the chain pond complex at the Thayer Farm property.

INTRODUCTION The order Odonata is divided in to two suborders; Anisoptera (dragonflies) and Zygoptera (Damselflies). This group consists of over 5,500 described species (Kalkman et al. 2008). In New York State 170 and species have been documented (Snyder 2007). Dragonflies and damselflies exhibit a complex life cycle. Their aquatic larval stage, which includes the naiad, can vary in length, ranging from a few months to years. They emerge from the water and begin their terrestrial life. As adults, the reach sexual maturity and reproduce. Dragonflies and damselflies all have a specialized face mask known as a labium. This body part is used to grab and hold on to prey; all Odonates are predatory both in their aquatic and terrestrial phases (Stoks & Córdoba-Aguilar 2012). Odonata naiads can be used as indicators of water quality, in particular, they are reliant on dissolved oxygen. However, in order to fully understand the health of a system, all benthic microorganisms, along with chemical data, should be taken in to account (Stephan et al. 1985). In 2007 a survey of dragonfly and damselfly adults was conducted at 14 sites in Otsego county (Snyder 2007). Many of those sites were included in this survey. Also coinciding with this survey, an adult Odonata survey was conducted at the same sites during the same season (Iwanycky 2018).

METHODS Six sites were included in this study, detailed in Table 1, representing pond, wetland, lake, and river habitats. All sites were sampled between 16 June 16 2017 and 05 July 2017. All sites sampled were in Otsego County, New York. Sampling was conducted using a standard dip net for a duration of at least one hour, usually with multiple people collecting naiads; this

1 2018 Biology Department Intern. Current affiliation: SUNY College at Oneonta, Oneonta, NY. ensured sites where sampled thoroughly. Collected organisms were preserved in 70% ethanol and identified to the level according to Merritt and Cummins (1996).

Table 1. 2017 Odonata naiad survey site details.

Site Site Sample Date Coordinates Site Description Sample size 1 Otsego Lake 6/16/2017 Multiple locations Muddy, vegetation and 13 6/22/2017 sampled gravel substrates sampled 2 Oaks Creek at 6/26/2017 42.7375 N, 75.01083 W Slow moving creek. 6 Parslow Road Muddy substrate 3 Big Pond at 6/30/2017 42.7958 N, 74.90857 W Clear water with mucky 6 Thayer Farm water. Submerging plants present 4 First two 6/30/2017 42.79306 N, 74.90514W Shallow waters. Mucky 16 Chain Ponds bottom and mucky at Thayer waters. These ponds Farm where sampled extensively earlier in the season by school groups. 5 Susquehanna 7/5/2017 42.66158 N, 74.95062W Slow clear moving 2 River at water feeding in to the Compton Susquehanna. Substrate Bridge was a combination of mud and rocks. 6 Upper Site 6/20/2017 42.71697 N, 74.94814W Wetland with mucky 17 Wetland bottom and mucky (adjacent to waters Moe Pond)

RESULTS Among the six sites sampled a total 60 organisms was collected, representing seven families and 17 genera. Table 2 shows specifically which taxa were found at each site. The most diverse sampling site was the first chain pond on the Thayer Farm property. This site yielded a total of nine genera. The least diverse sites sampled were Otsego Lake and the Susquehanna River at Compton Bridge. At each of these sites two genera were observed.

Table 2. Genera found at each site during the 2017 survey of Odonate naiads. See Table 1 for site descriptions.

Family Genus Otsego Parslow Big Chain Compton Upper Lake Road Pond Pond Bridge Site Wetland Enallagma X X X X Amphiagrion X X Ischnura X Chromagrion X Lestidae Lestes X X Calopterygidae Calopteryx X Gomphaeschna X X Gomphidae Ophiogomphus X Libellulidaae Pachydiplax X Sympetrum X X Leucorrhinia X Celithemis X Libellula X X Corduliidae Somatochlora X Neurcordulia X Dorocorduia X Epithera X

DISCUSSION In the 2017 field season a variety of Odonata naiads were found and preserved. Lentic systems had greater diversity compared to lotic systems. Depth of water impeded sampling at some sites, such as Lake Otsego and the Susquehanna River at Compton Bridge. Comparisons between this naiad survey and surveys of adult Odonata (from 2007 and 2017) proved difficult. This is because immature odonates are more stationary and bound to one aquatic system. The 2007 adult survey found seven more genera than this study. This difference could reflect the greater number of survey sites utilized in 2007, or may indicate that sampling both the aquatic and terrestrial stages of Odonates is necessary to document the diversity present. The survey of adult Odonates conducted in 2017 found members of the genera , Coenagrion, Nehalennia, and Plathemis. This survey found the genera Amphiagrion, Ischnura, Gomphaeschna, Ophiogomphus, Leucorrhinia, Celithemis, Somatochlora, Neurcordulia, Dorocorduia, and Epithera which were not accounted for in the adult survey (Iwanyckyj 2017). An immature Odonates survey yields more diversity than a survey of just the adults. To account for total diversity all life stages should be included.

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