IntroductionThe
study of dragonfly fauna of Kharkov region started in 1876, when P.
Ivanov published his pioneer paper on dragonflies of Kupyansk environs
(
Ivanov, 1876). Since then, several papers that treated dragonflies of
Kharkov region appeared:
Yaroshevsky, 1881, Rodzyanko, 1889, 1895,
Fadeev, 1929, Solodovnikov, 1929, 1940, Zakharenko, 1955, 1968,
Medvedev, 1963, 1964. As a result of this research, the list of Odonata
of Kharkov region reached 46 species.
After that and until recently, there was
no systematic study of the dragonfly fauna and distribution in Kharkov
region. The most recent faunistic treatment of the whole
territory of Ukraine (
Gorb et al., 2000) gives the history of
odonatology in Kharkov region but almost completely omits all the
details on the dragonfly distribution (the list of dragonflies of
Kharkov region listed there contains just 5 (!) species
1, though other
regions of Ukraine are treated much more comprehensively). A short note
on Eastern Ukraine (
Martynov & Martynov, 2005) summarizes the state
of previous research and gives no new records
for Kharkov region. The maps published in a recent Eastern European guide (
Skvortsov, 2010) give no authentic information about Kharkov region (and contain several errors).
The
present project is devoted to fill the
gap in this research. From 2006 to 2013 a lot of fieldwork in the
region was made. During 2006, 2007, and 2008 the dragonfly observations
were occasional, and only since 2009 they become more systematic. Many
of
the field trips were joint with Aleksandr and Konstantin Slutsky and
Boris Loboda. I also include here some finds made by fellow
entomologists. We studied mostly adult insects (though a few exuvia
were recorded). All
specimens were identified in hand; some specimens were collected. The
photographs of all recorded species were made; most were photographed
in natural conditions. The majority of these photographs were taken by
A. Slutsky, B. Loboda, and me.
During
our
research, fieldwork were made in Kharkov, Dergachi, Zolochev, Krasnokutsk, Valki,
Novaya
Vodolaga, Zmiev, Balakleya, Izyum, Borovaya, Barvenkovo, Bliznyuki, Lozovaya,
Chuguev, Pechenegi, Volchansk, Velikij Burluk, Dvurechnaya, and
Zachepilovka
districts, and within the city of Kharkov. We studied the dragonfly
fauna of Seversky Donets, Oskol, Volchya, Udy, Lopan', Kharkov, Mzha, Merla,
Orel', and Orchik
river basins, many lakes, ponds, and bogs of various types as well as
surrounding habitats.
As a result, we record 50 species of Odonata. Among these, 10 species (
Lestes parvidens, Sympecma paedisca, Anax parthenope, Orthetrum brunneum, Orthetrum coerulescens anceps, Crocothemis erythraea, Sympetrum depressiusculum, Sympetrum striolatum, Sympetrum fonscolombii, and
Leucorrhinia rubicunda) are new records for the region. Notice that
A. parthenope, O. brunneum, O. c. anceps, C. erythraea, S. striolatum, and
S. fonscolombii are species of southern
origin expanding their ranges (thus might be absent in the region in mid-XX century), and
S. paedisca was possibly overlooked (see
Rodzyanko, 1895: 121-122 on "two morphs" under
S. fusca). The most interesing among new records is
L. rubicunda,
which is a boreal species and probably is of relict origin in our
region. Records of
L. parvidens and
S. depressiusculum are also very interesting. The above mentioned new records (except
L. parvidens, added later in 2011) were published in
Karolinskiy & Gramma, 2010. Notice also that 6 of the species previously recorded for the
region were not found by us. Some of these are known by just a few
specimens collected more than 100 years ago (e.g.,
Ae. viridis,
Ae. grandis,
L. caudalis)
and probably are now extirpated, some might be recorded erroneously,
and some have a chance to be found during future research.
Notice that a recent important paper
Martynov, 2010,
dealing with Odonata fauna of the whole Seversky Donets basin in
Ukraine (within Kharkov, Donetsk and Lugansk regions), gives a lot of
dragonfly records for Kharkov region (these records are also shown on
maps at this site, thanks to A. Martynov for his kind permission). In
particular, there are independent records of
S. paedisca, O. c. anceps, and
C. erythraea.
Therefore,
the list of Odonata ever recorded in Kharkov region is
expanded to 56 species. We split this list into two parts: fully illustrated list of
species recorded by us during 2006 - 2013, and
historic records.
For each species we include a map showing the places of observations
(including the specimens from available collections). We plan to
continue this project and make the knowledge of the dragonfly fauna of
our region more accurate and complete.
The systematic treatment in the lists follows
Dijkstra et al., 2006 (with some minor changes).
I am grateful to
A. Drogvalenko (Kharkov), A. Dronov (Kharkov), E. Dyatlova (Odessa),
V. N. Gramma (Kharkov), Yu. Guglya (Kharkov), B. Loboda (Kharkov), E. Malikova (Blagoveshchensk), A. Martynov (Donetsk), V. Moskaev (Kharkov reg., Borovaya), V. Savchuk (Crimea, Primorskij), A. Shekhovtsov (Kharkov), E. Skobtsova (Orel), A. Slutsky (Kharkov), and
K. Slutsky (Kharkov) for various help in conducting this
project, and to my beloved wife Sasha for her inspiration and patience.