Ischnura heterosticta ( Burmeister, 1839 )

Grand, Daniel, Marinov, Milen, Jourdan, Herve, Cook, Carl, Rouys, Sophie, Mille, Christian & Theuerkauf, Jörn, 2019, Distribution, habitats, phenology and conservation of New Caledonian Odonata, Zootaxa 4640 (1), pp. 1-112 : 27

Ischnura heterosticta ( Burmeister, 1839)

( Fig. 19 )

Agrion heterosticum Burmeister, 1839: 820 ; Agrion distigma Brauer, 1869 .

Distribution ( Fig. 20 ). This taxon is recorded from eastern Indonesia to Palau and Tonga, including all of mainland Australia and Tasmania. In New Caledonia, it has been recorded from more than 50 localities, including ultramafic substrates, on which it is abundant. Bigot (1985) recorded several individuals from Ouvéa. Several individuals from Anse Vata in Nouméa, Pont Pérignon (Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue) and Montagne des Sources (30/12/1963) are also held in the ONNC collection.

Habitat. Ischnura heterosticta and A. exsudans often occur syntopically.

Biology and behaviour. The larva was described by Hawking (1986). Its behaviour is very similar to I. aurora . Ischnura Charpentier, 1840 species are highly aggressive, it is not uncommon to see I. heterosticta catching and eating individuals of A. exsudans .

Status. According to its wide regional distribution, including New Caledonia, we do not consider I. heterosticta as threatened and rank it as LC.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Ischnura heterosticta: a) male, b) female.

FIGURE 20. Records of Ischnura heterosticta.