Bibliography of Victorian Dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata) I. Endersby 2006 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 157 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 157 Bibliography of Victorian Dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata) Ian Endersby February 2006 Published by: Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Department of Sustainability and Environment PO Box 137 Heidelberg, Victoria 3094 Australia Telephone: (03) 9450 8600 www.dse.vic.gov.au/ari This publication may be cited as: Endersby, I. (2006) Bibliography of Victorian Dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata). Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Technical Report Series No.157. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Melbourne. © The State of Victoria Department of Sustainability and Environment 2006 This publication is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for private study, research, criticism or review allowed under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any forms or by any means, electronic, photocopying or other, without the prior permission of the copyright holder. ISBN 1 74152 439 3 ISSN 1326 6446 Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Front cover photos supplied by Reiner Richter (clockwise from top left): Orthetrum caledonicum (female), Adversaeschna brevistyla, Hemicordulia australiae, Synlestes weyersii. Bibliography of Victorian Dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata) Contents 1 Overview...................................................................................................................................................1 2 Format ......................................................................................................................................................3 3 Species’ listing.........................................................................................................................................4 Order Odonata.............................................................................................................................................4 Suborder Zygoptera ...............................................................................................................................4 Family Hemiphlebiidae.....................................................................................................................4 Family Synlestidae.............................................................................................................................4 Family Lestidae...................................................................................................................................4 Family Megapodagrionidae..............................................................................................................5 Family Protoneuridae........................................................................................................................6 Family Isostictidae.............................................................................................................................6 Family Coenagrionidae .....................................................................................................................6 Family Diphlebiidae...........................................................................................................................8 Suborder Epiproctophora .....................................................................................................................8 Family Austropetaliidae ...................................................................................................................8 Family Telephlebiidae.......................................................................................................................8 Family Aeshnidae.............................................................................................................................10 Family Gomphidae...........................................................................................................................10 Family Synthemistidae....................................................................................................................12 Family Austrocorduliidae ..............................................................................................................13 Family Cordulephyidae...................................................................................................................13 Family Hemicorduliidae .................................................................................................................13 Family Libellulidae...........................................................................................................................14 4 Acknowledgements..............................................................................................................................16 5 References..............................................................................................................................................17 Appendix.........................................................................................................................................................29 i Bibliography of Victorian Dragonflies 1 Overview One hundred and sixty-six scientific reports and papers have been located which refer to dragonflies in Victoria by species’ name. This literature can be divided into a number of eras: Pre - 1900 Baron Edmund Sélys de Longchamps who lived in Belgium was a prolific worker in the late nineteenth century, decribing dragonflies provided by a world-wide network of collectors. His contribution to Victorian odonatology was in the naming of species where that State was the type locality. 1900- 1930 It is quite likely that R. Billinghurst was the source of some of Sélys’ specimens as he collected in Alexandra where the type of Hemiphlebia mirabilis originated. He also sent specimens to R. Martin in France who described new species. Robin Tillyard, first Chief Entomologist of CSIR, specialised in the Odonata. While much of his research concentrated on collections from New South Wales and Queensland a number of his taxonomic and biological papers covered Victorian species. 1955 -1965 F.C. Fraser had a strong interest in “Far Eastern” dragonflies and contributed some taxonomic works including his Handbook which was the first comprehensive identification key to the Australian species. Post 1973 Since the early 1970’s there has been an escalation in the dragonfly literature within Australia so there is some value in dividing it into five-year periods. The number of papers classified by subject for Victoria has been: taxonomy biology distribution surveys excursions conservation theses Total 1971 - 1975 2 1 2 1 6 1976 - 1980 4 2 2 8 1981 - 1985 7 2 7 1 1 18 1986 - 1990 3 4 12 2 3 24 1991 - 1995 6 5 3 17 5 3 39 1996 - 2000 7 2 2 13 3 3 2 32 2001 - 2005 4 4 2 2 1 13 “Distribution” includes checklists and new distribution records for the State. “Surveys” have been carried out by statutory bodies or institutions, generally for environmental monitoring and river health analyses. “Excursions” were the results of amateur sampling or overseas visitors. “Theses” report research carried out at Monash or La Trobe Universities which included odonates amongst the taxa studied or sampled. Considering each half-decade in turn: 1971 - 1975 Tony Watson’s paper on the distribution of Australian dragonflies was the stimulus for John Hutchinson to publish the first checklist for Victoria. Brian Timms produced the first higher degree that included Odonata in its species’ list. 1 Bibliography of Victorian Dragonflies 1976 - 1980 This is the start of the Watson era in Australian odonate studies with a number of taxonomic papers and new distribution records. John Hutchinson added additional species to the State’s list and the first major survey was conducted by the (then) National Museum of Victoria staff as part of the Dartmouth Dam project. 1981 - 1985 Taxonomy studies blossomed with contributions from Watson and Günther Theischinger, as well as Stewart and Maurits Lieftinck who, although based in the Netherlands, worked on specimens from the former Dutch East Indies colonies to Australia’s north. Survey work with an environmental health emphasis was started under the auspices of the Rural Water Commission, the Environmental Protection Authority and by Museum staff. 1986 - 1990 The Zoological Catalogue of Australia’s volume containing the Odonata was published as was John Hawking’s identification guide to larvae. This was a big half-decade for environmental survey reports and theses from Monash and La Trobe Universities included dragonfly taxa. Hemiphlebia mirabilis spawned what was probably the first conservation oriented analysis for the State and it was then used as case study material in broader contexts. 1991 - 1995 The big event was the publication of the Australian Dragonflies by Watson, Theischinger & Abbey and Theischinger continued with a number of additional taxonomic studies. Dragonflies as flagship species were introduced into the conservation