IDF International Dragonfly Fund ­ Report Journal of the International Dragonfly Fund 1­ 28 Nataly Yu. Snegovaya Dragonfly (Insecta, Odonata) fauna of Nakhichevan Autonomic Republic (Azerbaijan) Published: 18.01.2019 127 ISSN 1435­3393 The International Dragonfly Fund (IDF) is a scientific society founded in 1996 for the impro­ vement of odonatological knowledge and the protection of species. Internet: http://www.dragonflyfund.org/ This series intends to publish studies promoted by IDF and to facilitate cost­efficient and ra­ pid dissemination of odonatological data. Editorial Work: Rory A. Dow, Milen Marinov, Oleg. E. Kosterin, Holger Hunger, Martin Schorr Layout: Martin Schorr IDF­home page: Holger Hunger Printing: Colour Connection GmbH, Frankfurt Impressum: Publisher: International Dragonfly Fund e.V., Schulstr. 7B, 54314 Zerf, Germany. E­mail: [email protected] Responsible editor: Martin Schorr Cover picture: Orthetrum coerulescens Photographer: Nataly Snegovaya Published 18.01.2019 Dragonfly (Insecta, Odonata) fauna of Nakhichevan Autonomic Republic (Azerbaijan) Nataly Yu. Snegovaya Zoological Institute NAS of Azerbaijan, proezd 1128, kvartal 504, Baku, AZ 1073, Azerbaijan. Email: [email protected] Abstract The article presents new faunistic data on 33 Odonata species, based on the material collected by the author in 2012, 2016 and 2017 and a systematic research in 2018 throughout the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic (AR). Onychogomphus assimilis (Schneider, 1845) is a new record for the fauna of Azerbaijan. Eight species were re­ gistered for the first time for the territory of Nakhichevan AR: Lestes virens Rambur, 1842, Coenagrion scitulum (Rambur, 1842), Aeshna mixta Latreille, 1805, Anaciaeschna isoceles (Müller, 1764), Anax parthenope (Selys, 1839), Sympetrum sanguineum (Müller, 1764), Cro­ cothemis erythraea (Brullé, 1832), and Selysiothemis nigra (Vander Linden, 1825). Key words: Odonata, fauna, Nakhichevan Autonomic Republic, Azerbaijan, Onycho­ gomphus assimilis. Introduction In our opinion, until recently, the order Odonata was among the poorly studied groups of animals in Azerbaijan, and regional information about the dragonfly fauna was not syste­ matized and compiled. Some information about the fauna of Nakhichevan dragonflies is given in the works of Bartenev (1916, 1919, 1929, 1935) and Bartenev & Popova (1928) in which the authors list a total of 12 species for the territory of AR. Akramovsky (1939) sup­ plements the list with 11 new species for Nakhichevan so that the number of species reaches 23. Recently, we have begun a systematic study of the dragonfly fauna in Azerbaijan, the results of which were published in Skvortsov & Snegovaya (2014, 2015a, b). The study of the dragonfly fauna in Azerbaijan should make a significant contribution to the knowledge and assessment of the biodiversity of not only our country, but also the entire Caucasus region. In this regard, the study of dragonflies of the Nakhichevan AR, known for its unique endemic flora and fauna, which is one of the centers of speciation in the Caucasus (Kirichenko, 1938; Grossgeim, 1936), is of particular interest. Nakhichevan AR occupies the southeastern part of the Transcaucasian Highland. Almost 75% of the territory lies at an altitude of over 1000 m. Most of the territory of the AR is covered by the Zangezur and Daralayaz ranges of the Lesser Caucasus. The highest peak is the Gapichig (Qapıcıq ) mountain (3904 m). While the territory of the AR com­ IDF­Report 127 | 1 Snegovaya prises only 6.2% of the entire territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, its flora comprises around 60% and the fauna 56% of Azerbaijan. Five out of 11 climate zones existing in the world are met in Nakhichevan AR. The main ecosystems are: semi­desert, mount­ ainous with xerophyte shrubs, high­altitude mountain steppe, alpine meadows, sub­ alpine meadows. Material and Methods Collection of faunistic material was carried out during the summer in 2012, 2016 and 2017, and in the period from May to September of 2018 throughout the territory of the Nakhichevan AR in all districts (Fig. 1, 2). All photos were taken by the author using Sony DSLR­A230 and Canon EOS 5D Mark III, with Tamron SP 90mm, F/2.8 Macro lens, in natural condition. Specimens are deposited in the Laboratory of Terrestrial Invertebrates of the Zoological Institute NAS of Azerbaijan, Baku. Localities examined Djulfa district (Culfa district): Loc. 1. Erezin (∂r∂zin) (N39°07'09.6"; E45°36'16.3"; 1076 m a.s.l.), a small irrigation canal along a road. Loc. 2 Arafsa (∂r∂fs∂), 30.06.2018, a river section with woody vegetation along the banks and inundated areas in meadows along the Alindjachay river (N39°16'53.5"; E45°46'32.7"; 1555 m a.s.l.) (Fig. 2). Loc. 3. Arafsa, 30.06.2018, a small stream on the slopes with grassy vegetation near Arafsa village. (N39°17'06.4"; E45°46'59.7"; 1591 m a.s.l.). Fig. 1. Map of Nakhichevan AR with districts indications. 2 | IDF­Report 127 Odonata of Nakhichevan Autonomic Republic (Azerbaijan) Loc. 4. Arafsa, 30.06. 2018, a pond with blackberry thickets and woody vegeta­ tion along the road (N39°16'16.85"; E45°44'50.31"; 1487 m a.s.l.). Loc. 5. An irrigation canal with dense water vegetation along the central road Djulfa­Ordu­ bad (Culfa­Ordu­ bad), 1.07.2018 (N38°57'09.5"; E45°46'58.9"; 751 m a.s.l.). Loc. 6. A small lake and small canal­ like water spills, co­ vered with cattail (Typha spp.) and reeds and ditches near the lake along the highway Djul­ fa­Ordubad, 1.07. 2018 (N39°03'29.9"; E45°35'11.1"; 876 m a.s.l.) (Fig. 3). Fig. 2. Map of loc­ alities. IDF­Report 127 | 3 Snegovaya Ordubad district: Loc. 7. Brook in the pasture near the highway Djulfa­Ordubad (N38°56'37.7"; E45°48'35.5"; 757 m a.s.l.) (Fig. 4). Loc. 8. Bilyav (Bil∂v), Bashdizya (Başdiz∂), stretch of river Gilyanchay overgrown with trees (N39°00'57.4"; E45°49'15.8"; 951 m a.s.l.) (Fig. 5). Loc. 9. Agdere (Ağd∂r∂), a small “river 1” with areas of subalpine tall­herb meadows and areas with scattered stands of Rosa spp. and Crataegus spp. (N39°06'37.1"; E45°54'52.2"; 2007 m a.s.l.) (Fig. 6). Loc. 10. Agdere, a small “river 2” with areas of subalpine tall­herb meadows and areas between trees and shrubs (N39°06'26.3"; E45°53'37.9"; 1535 m a.s.l.) (Fig. 7). Loc. 11. Agdere (Ağd∂r∂), a small rivulet between slopes and in a meadow where a group of hawthorn trees grows (N39°05'37.4"; E45°54'35.9"; 1889 m a.s.l.). Loc. 12. Aza water reservoir, water spills and small reservoirs with Typha spp. and reeds (Phragmites australis) along the shores on a grassy meadow (N38°55'33.3"; E45°51'11.1"; 740 m a.s.l.) (Fig. 8, 9). Loc. 13. Lake near Sabirkend (Sabirk∂nd) settlement with Typha spp. and reeds along the shores (N38°56'06.1"; E45°50'04.2"; 775 m a.s.l.) (Fig. 10). Sharur district (Şərur) district: Loc. 14. Pusyan, flooded meadow and along a channel with reed vegetation (N39°24'41.5"; E45°02'00.9"; 785 m a.s.l.) (Fig. 11). Loc. 15. Tezekend (T∂z∂k∂nd), along the system of irrigation canals overgrown with reeds (N39°24'41.7"; E45°01'14.5"; 789 m a.s.l.) (Fig. 12). Loc. 16. Arpachay (Arpaçay) water reservoir and small ponds covered with cattail and reed near the reservoir (N39°36'40.9"; E45°04'47.3"; 878 m a.s.l. (Fig. 13). Loc. 17. Arabyengidja (∂r∂byengic∂): water spills and shallow reservoirs, sometimes overgrown with cattail and reeds (N39°28'31.3"; E44°57'33.8"; 793 m a.s.l.) (Fig. 14). Sederek district (Sədərək) district: Loc. 18. Sederek (S∂d∂r∂k) small lakes and irrigation canal densely covered with reed (N39°39'25.4"; E44°49'38.8"; 803 m a.s.l.) (Fig. 15). Loc. 19. Irrigation canal and a reed­covered lake along the road (N39°42'39.93"; E44°48'38.94"; 800 m a.s.l.). Shakhbuz district (Şahbuz) district: Loc. 20. Badamli (Badamlı), a small river and flood effected grassy vegetation and scattered trees along the banks (N39°24'41.3"; E45°30'36.2"; 1179 m a.s.l.). Loc. 21. Guney Gishlag (Güney Qışlaq), a section of a small river flowing among trees and a section of the river Kukuychay (N39°30'24.9"; E45°35'07.2"; 1724 m a.s.l.). Loc. 22. Shada (Şada), a small flooded area at a meadow (N39°28'41.3"; E45°30'07.5"; 1480 m a.s.l.). Loc. 23. Batabat is a mountain lake, situated in the mountains along the bank of the upper reach of the Nakhichevanchay River. The lake is surrounded by alpine meadows, not far from the sources of the Kukuychay River (a tributary of Nakhichevan­ 4 | IDF­Report 127 Odonata of Nakhichevan Autonomic Republic (Azerbaijan) Fig. 3. Alindjachay river section with woody vege­ tation along the banks. Fig. 4. A small lake and small canal­like water spills, covered with Typha spp. and reeds along the highway Djulfa­Ordubad Fig. 5. Inundated area in the grass meadow along the highway Djulfa ­Ordu­ bad. Fig. 6. Bilyav, stretch of river Gilyanchay over­ grown with trees. IDF­Report 127 | 5 Snegovaya Fig. 7. Agdere, small “ri­ ver 1” with areas between vegetation along the banks trees and shrubs. Fig. 8. Agdere, small “ri­ ver 2” with areas of sub­ alpine tall­herb meadows and areas between trees and shrubs. Fig. 9. Aza water reservoir.