Notul. odonatol., Vol. I, No. 1, pp. 1-16, June 1, 1978 9 An Asiatic dragonfly, Crocothemis servilia (Drury), established in Florida (Anisoptera:Libellulidae) D.R. Paulson Washington State Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States Abstract —As of Aug. 10,1977 this Asiatic same time a number of young individuals, which had within the sp. was apparently established in a canal probably emerged few flushed from near Goulds, Dade County, Florida, USA. previous days, were grassy the the three males This is firstreported instance ofa success- areas near canal. Altogether, ful introduction of odon. main- and three females were collected. One an sp. to a not of each has been in land locality, but its presence is sur- specimen sex deposited prising considering the high degree of the Florida State Collection of Arthropods, establishment of the in ecological disturbance and Gainesville, Florida; rest are my introduced in southeastern Florida. collection. activities spp. Although breeding were not observed, and 1 could find no exuviae and Material observations during a search of the canal bank, I assume I to On 10 August 1977, Susan Hills and the species be an established resident stopped at a canal at S.W. 224 Street and 87 because of the presence of both territorial Avenue, 3 miles east of Goulds, Dade males and post-tenerals at the same site. County, Florida, to look for Odonata. At I once recognized a bright scarlet dragonfly Comparisonwith Asiatic specimens as a species 1 had not seen before. Upon The specimens were comparedwith material I Crocothemis capturing one decided it was in my collection from several localities in servilia (Drury), an Asiatic species; I con- Asia and found to be similar to specimens firmed this identification subsequently. At from Sumbawa (Indonesia), Taiwan and the least four mature males were present and Khasi Hills of India. They differed from be each appeared to on territory, chasing specimens from Japan and South Vietnam other along the banks of the canal. At the in having less color at the wing bases and 10 Notul. odonatol., Vol. I, No. l,pp, 1-16, June 1, 1978 extensive black more on the dorsal carina of United States, and reductions in bird popu- the abdomen. The basal wing spots reach to lations have been well documented the first antenodal in the hind wings and (ROBERTSON & KUSHLAN, 1974). Along halfway to the first antenodal in the fore with ecological changes and reduction in the The vary from to there wings. wings hyaline native avifauna, has been a great surge yellow tinged, independent of age or sex. of establishment of exotic birds in the The specimens measure: male hind wings region (OWRE, 1973), all of them tropical 30-32 male abdomen 29 female mm, mm, species. Exotic amphibians and reptiles are hind 31-32.5 female in wings mm, abdomens also more prevalent southern Florida than 25-26 mm. They are definitely C. servilia, elsewhere in North America (KING & the widespread species of southern Asia, KRAKAUER, 1966; CONANT, 1975), and and not C. erythraea (Brulle) from Europe the same is true for fresh-water fish and and Africa, with which 1 also compared doubtless other animals and plants. Now them. from the same area we have the first success- ful introduction ofa member of the Odonata to Discussion a mainland locality. Three North The at canal which the Crocothemis were American zygopterans, Enallagma civile collected Ischnura is deep and steep sided, with a (Hagen), posita (Hagen), and I. muddy bottom and abundant ramburi have become established in aquatic vege- (Selys), tation, including Najas and Typha. I had the Hawaiian Islands (ZIMMERMAN, 1948; visited this site repeatedly between 1961 HARWOOD, 1976), but 1 know of no other and 1964 (PAULSON, 1966) and again in introduced populations of dragonflies. It December 1971, and it formerly supported remains to be seen whether or not C. populations of up to 21 species of Odo- servilia will persist. nata. On the 1977 visit it was apparent that both the abundance and diversity of dragon- References - CONANT, R., 1975, A field flies was considerably reduced. Six species guide to reptiles and amphibians ofeastern were present, in addition to C. servilia: and central North America, Houghton Miff- - Ischnura ramburi (Selys), Aphylla william- lin; HARWOOD, P.D., 1976 ,Proc. Hawaii soni (Gloyd), Brachymesia gravida (Calvert), ent. Soc. 22: 251-254; - KING, W. & T. Erythrodiplax berenice (Drury), Orthemis KRAKAUER, 1966, Quart. J. Fla Acad. Sci. - ferruginea (Fabricius) and Perithemis tenera 29; 144-154; OWRE, O.T., 1973, Wilson - - (Say). Only three species of libellulids Bull. 85: 491-500; PAULSON, D.R., B. gravida, C. servilia and P. tenera - were 1966, The dragonflies {Odonata:Anisoptera) whereas in southern Florida. PhD Univ. common, during visits the pre- of thesis, - vious decade quite a few other species were Miami, Coral Gables; ROBERTSON, present in substantial numbers. Likewise, W.B., Jr. & J.A. KUSHLAN, 1974, Mem. the abundance and of fishes Miami Soc. 2: - diversity appar- geol. 414-452; ZIMMER- ent in the canal had decreased from earlier MAN, E.C., 1948, Insects ofHawaii, Vol 2. years, and 1 assume something rather drastic Apterygota to Thysanura, Univ, Hawaii had happened in the interim. Press, Honolulu. the Southeast Florida is becoming one of most ecologically disturbed regions in the Received March 22, 1978.