Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Through Mangrove Conservation and Re...
Odanata
1. Walking along the flooded path, one would be enchanted to see dozens of dragonflies and
damselflies species buzzing around everywhere. It is unbelievable that this tiny area of
4000 hectares is home to 44 Odonata species and counting. The species recorded from
Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve covers eight families thus representing 18% of the total
species found in Peninsular Malaysia.
Species found abundantly in AHFR are Neurothemis fluctuans, Nannophya pygmaea,
Ceriagrion cerinorubellum, Pseudagrion williamsoni, Pseudagrion microcephalum,
Brachydiplax chalybea, Rhyothemis obsolescens, Rhodothemis rufa, Ictinogomphus
decoratus, Orthetrum sabina and Brachygonia oculata.
The true alluvial swamp and peat swamp species recorded at AHFR are Amphicnemis
gracilis, Archibasis viola, Brachygonia oculata, Elattoneura aurantiaca, Podolestes
buwaldai, Podolestes orientalis, Ponorthemis serrata, Rhyothemis aterrima and
Risiophlebia dohrni.
However, the most interesting species collected from AHFR is Indothemis carnatica. A
few individuals of Indothemis carnatica were collected at a shallow water pool.
Indothemis carnatica is so far known from India, Sri Lanka and Thailand, and it appears
to be very scarce and local (Dow 2009). Another interesting species recorded from AHFR
is Podolestes buwaldai. Podolestes buwaldai is a rare and local species confined to
southern Peninsular Malaysia (Orr 2005). Only one specimen was collected/observed
during the short sampling trip to AHFR.
Odonata Checklist for Ayer Hitam Forest and Surroundings, Johor
recorded on 5-8 October 2012
