Selysiothemis nigra (Vander Linden, 1825)

Shapovalov, M. I., Korotkov, E. A. & Saprykin, M. A., 2022, Additions to dragonfly (Odonata) fauna of the Republic of Adygea (North-Western Caucasus), Russian Entomological Journal 31 (3), pp. 213-217 : 215

Selysiothemis nigra (Vander Linden, 1825)

Figs 7–9 .

MATERIAL. Maykop : Zelenstroy City District, 44.595043N, 40.070025E, 7.06.2019, 28.06.2019, 3.07.2019, 14.07.2019, 20.07.2020 — 12♂♂, 5♀♀ ; Maykop , Belaya River, 44.589418N, 40.073485E, 23.07.2020 — 1♀ .

REMARKS. For the Republic of Adygea, it was recorded for the first time. Species is currently characterized by an expansion of its range. In 2002, one specimen was caught in Ukraine, near the shore of the Chirnine Lake, in the vicinity of Pokrovka village in the Nykolaiv Oblast [ Titar, 2007]. In 2006, the species was first discovered in the Crimea, in the vicinity of the Karadag Nature Reserve [ Matushkina, 2007]. In 2007, this species was registered as new for the European part of Russia, based on materials from the Chornye Zemli Nature Reserve located on the territory of the Yashkul and Chernozemelsky Districts of the Republic of Kalmykia [ Skvortsov, Kuvaev, 2007]. In August 2015, the species was registered in the Krasnodar Krai, on the banks of the Temryuk Estuary (in the vicinity of Temryuk), as well as on the banks of the Beisug Estuary (Kanevskoy District, in the vicinity of Trud village) [ Martynov et al., 2015]. Findings of the species were registered in the Yeysky District of the Krasnodar Krai in 2014 and in the town of Goryachy Klyuch in 2018 [ Onishko, 2019]. Findings of the Selysiothemis nigra were registered on the Black Sea Coast: in 2015, on the Abrau Peninsula, in the vicinity of Novorossiysk and Kabardinka [ Kosterin, Solovyev, 2017]; in 2017, on the Abrau Peninsula, 2.4 km WNW of Dyurso village [Kosterin, 2017].

INFORMATION ON THE BIOLOGY OF THE SPECIES. No imagoes of this species were registered directly near the pond. Dragonflies were flying at a distance of 200– 250 m from the reservoir, in an open area practically devoid of vegetation and shelters from sun exposure. During the period of imago activity (on the territory of Maykop), the air temperature was 26–32°C. According to Borisov [2005], imago activity in the desert zone was observed even at 42°C.

On the territory of the city of Maykop, when studying the fauna of ponds in the Zelenstroy District, we collected exuviae (4 specimens) of larvae of this species from 5–15 July 2019 ( Fig. 10–11 ). Exuviae were located on near-water vegetation at a height of 30–50 cm, at a distance of 0.5 m from the shore of the reservoir. The finding of exuviae of S. nigra larvae indicates the reproduction of this species in the water bodies of the region.

Figures

Figs 7–11. Selysiothemis nigra: 7 — imago ♂; 8 — pterostigma; 9 — anal appendages ♂, lateral view; 10–11 — exuvia (arrows indicate dorsal spikes) (collected in the Maykop). Рис. 7–11. Selysiothemis nigra: 7 — имаго ♂; 8 — птеростигма; 9 — конец брюШка ♂ (анальные придатки), сбоку; 10–11 — ЭкЗувий (стрелками укаЗаны дорсальные Шипы) (ЭкЗемплЯр собран в Майкопе).