Systematic notes. The species is unknown to us in Nature, as it is attributed to our fauna only by old data by Hagen (1856), which were later replied by Selys Longchamps et McLachlan (1872). This situation does not allow to judge about morphological peculiaritis of our specimens [sic, although the author meant individuals, not specimens] of this American species.

Range. An. junius Drury is a typical American species but spread quite far over islands of the Pacific and penetrating into Asia, where is known from Kamchatka and north-east of China.

Data to species' history. Occurence of species in Asia by separate spots, isolated both from each other and the American range part, is extremely interesting and at the same time shed light to the history of formation of its modern range.

Our special studies (Belyshev, 1966a) [which were just speculations] revealed a double settling of Asia by this species:

1) The northern one, e. g. through Alasca and, most probably the Aleut Islands, although hitherto one cannot deny compoletely a possibility of its arriving to us through the Chukot peninsula, but this could happen only in the case if the spreading took place during the xerothermic period

2) The southern one, e. g. through the Hawaii Islands and further through the Marschall and Karoline archipelagoes.

So, in the eastern Asia there appears a natural disjunction between the northern and southern parts of the Asian range, which always brings about disappointment in those who does not now the history of the species' spreading.

However there is no firm confidence that the species is indeed present in Kamchatka. If it is absent from Kamchatka, then its penetration to Asia went only through the islands of the Pacific Ocean"

Belyshev, 1966:

[O. K.:
1) In the below translation I tried to be as close to the original text as possible and to retain the excess verbosity which, to my mind, it is characterized by (in fact, its positive content is very concise).
2) The xerocopy available does not show either the very beginnigs or ends of lines as hidden in a somewhat folded volume, where the words were not reconstructable I put "???".]

ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE CHINESE AND KAMCHATIAN DISJUNCTIVE RANGES OF THE AMERICAN WATCHER - ANAX JUNIUS DRURY (ODONATA, INSECTA)

[O. K.: In this paper, a Russian name "amerikanskii dozorshchik" is sometimes used. It translates as "The American Watcher", and "the watcher" is just a translation of a Greek word "Anax" (as most of Russian names are translations of the Latin ones), and the Russian word used is not colloquial. It looks very archaic and of a too high register and, although quite understandable, I suspect it was not existed at all before invented for this translation, to reflect the odour of ancience, as it was done, for instance, for translations of Homer. The epithet "American" was most probably invented by Belyshev himself for this species. In Russia, "official" Russian names are invented from time to time, but they mostly are just translations, vary from author to author and are not used by anybody but in official Red Lists. Entomologists use only Latin names, while plain people have vernacular names for very few creatures and these names vary greatly from place to place, and the common situation is that the same set of names is applied for different creatures in different areas. In Omsk, where I was a child, we called all Aeshnids (that is only Aeshna spp.) "ataman", a word (of probably a Turcic origin) meaning a chieftain of a rober band or of a kazak troop (in the latter case it was an official military rank in theRussian Empire)]

In accordance to the works by V. L. Bianchi (1905), E. M. Walker (1958), F. C. Whitehouse (1984), I. G. Needham (1930) and others, the recent range of Anax junius Drury can be drawn as follow. Its main part occupies the south of North America from the latitude of ??? in the north to the latitude of Panama in the south, including West-India and the Bermuda islands. Besides, there are separate isolated parts of the range: on the Hawaii, on Taiti island in the southern Pacific, in China and Kamchatka (see the figure). Such an intriguing distribution of the species along the Pacific coast for the fauna of dragonflies is for the first time recognized and shows complicated double migrations of representatives of the American fauna into Asia.

The disjunctive range on Taiti is omited here, the main attention we pay to the Asian parts of the range which give certain indications for the history of the species dispersal and state in favour of existence of a southern equatorial migrational pathway between Asia and America which hitherto was not recognized by odonatologists. There is no American Watcher in the Kurile Islands (Asahina, 1958; Okumura, 1941, 1942); it is absent, according to the data by Selys Longchamps (1983) and Asahina (1938, 1956, 1956a), from Japan. We can also claim that the species is absent from the Himalaya and Indochina, since it was not reported for Burma by F. G. Fraeser (1936) and for Thailand by Asahina (1961). The absence of the species in Soviet Primorye is corroborated by the works by A. N. Bartenev (1914; 1956 and others) and B. F. Belyshev (1956; 1958; 1963)/

Turning to the Chinese range, we should note that in the times of Bianchi (1905) who summarized all the knwledge on the odonatofauna of Palaearctic, the species was known only from the lands around the ??? Bay of the Yellow Sea, but recently Needham (1930) reports it for the northern, eastern and central parts of China, its abnsence in Taiwan and Southern China being stressed, that is very important for us as evidencing at a very restricted territory occupied by the Chinese range.

Starting a historical analysis we have first of all to decide how to consider the Asian parts of the range: either as a remnant of a wider contiguous range of the species in the past or as recently and independently arisen from the common centre - the American range. We keep to the latter point of view.

Indeed, if to assume that the wide Asian range arose in the Tertiary, then in Kamchatka the species would disappear in the glacial time but would retain, besides China, also in Japan and, probably, in the Ussuri area, that is not the case. Besides, against the ancient arising of the wide primary Asian area stands the narrow locality of the species there in the recent times along with a wide distribution of the species in America, where during the glaciation it was forced far to the south and in the recent times started to spread to the north again. We cannot suppose also occurrence of two migrations through the southern part of the Pacific, that is one praeglacial, from which the Chinese part of the range retained, and another already post-glacial wave taken part in one of the xerothermic periods. ??? species in America ranged north of the modern for ??? has produced the Kamchatian part of the range.

At last, we cannot suppose the origin of the Kamchatian part from the Chinese one by analogy with other southern species the range of which forms a strong projection to the north along the coast of East Asia. Thus, such a southern species as Pantala flavescens Fabr., being found in Kamchatka, retains connection with the southern part of the range and lives in all the countries between China and Kamchatka, that is found in Japan and Amurland.

Having decided an independant origin of both Asian isolated range we have to deal with the history of both of these ranges.

1. Kamchatian range. Earlier (Belyshev, 1962, 1963) it was stated that two American species occurred in Kamchatka in the Quaternary in one of the xertothermic periods, more or less coinciding with the last sea regression. One of the species mentioned in these works was Anax junius Drury. If this species would penetrate into Kamchatka in the Tetriary, then it, as a southern species, would disappear under the influence of the first glaciation while having penetrated there in an interglacial time would disappear during the second glaciation. So far there is still no ground to believe that the species could retain in Kamchatka as a relic, for instance, on hot springs, that is known for Orthetrum albistylum in the Baikal area (Belyshev, 1960), since in Kamchatka all the preglacial fauna has disappeared, including all species of the northern section of the fauna. Earlier we (Belyshev, 1963) supposed that such a relic of the interglacial time could be Agrion armatum Charp. But now, with the finding of this species at Yakutsk, this "relic" disappears as well. The American Watcher could not get to Asia after the last sea regression as well, since at that time the northern limirt of the species distribution should already have withdrawn to the south up to the modern limits; the flight along the Aleut islands over the cold waters of the Bering Sea is also excluded, since cooled insects would gradually weaken and, diminishing the flight rate, would have got into the water. It seems that it is this reason which comprises the main obstacle for modern movement of the fauna not only along the Aleut Archipelago but also along the Kurile Archipelago.

[O. K.:
1) All these speculations about "the Kamchatian [part of the] range" resulted from two specimens reported by Hagen (1856) and Bartenef (1911), respectively; of which the former most probably was mislabelled and originated from Alaska (and delivered through the Russian-American Company), as it was proved for some other American dragonfly species reported for NE Asia in the same work. There were no other records for a century. The modern Kamchatian climate makes impossible a more or less permanent existance of Anax junius there
2) It seems that Belyshev's notion about the so-called xerothermic period taking place in the Holocene, when the climate in high latitudes was warmer than presently while the sea level underwent a regression (to open a land bridge along the Aleutes), is something extravagant (maybe this was a point of view of the cited Lindberg, 1956) which did not withstand time and criticism. This notion seemed to imply that the climat got warmer and drier while huge amount of water were still accumulated in glaciers]

2. Chinese range. Above we determine the size and age of the Chinese part of the range. Now we still have to decide concerning the ways of its origin, that is to reveal its connection to the main range which is in America.

[O.K.: On page 75 Needham (1930) offers Anax junius Drury (Syn. spiniferous Ramb.) with the range "Northern Hemisphaere" and the note "This is a very wide ranging holoarcic species." Hence for some reason Needham assumed its broad range in Asia, yet he did not provide any details for China. There is nothing like "reports it for the northern, eastern and central parts of China, its abnsence in Taiwan and Southern China being stressed", as Belyshev (1966) referred to. But if we look at the next page 76, where Anax parthenope (syn. parisinus Rambur, julius Rambur) is provided, we see for some reason "The handsom wide ranging holoarctic species" and "This is a very common species in North, East and Central China". But there is no "stress of absence in Taiwan and South China". So the source of Belyshev's 'knowledge', Needham (1930) for some reason did assumed A. junius to occur in China but had no particular data. The range in China provided by Belyshev (1966) with reference to Needham (1930) is given by Needham (1930) for A. parthenope julius. I assume that Belyshev made notes reading Needham (1930), confused junius and julius and did not check the source again when writing his paper of 1966. Obviously he bothered more on his biogeographical speculations than primary data. I have no idea from where he [mis]took the mentions of Taiwan and Southern China.]

It is completely obvious that in the time of possible migration of the dragonflies to the central part of the Pacific there were no land bridges there, and Anax junius Drury flew though the ocean along the line California - the Hawaii islands - the Marschall islands - the Mariann islands - China. On the Hawaii, an isolated part of the range is known, there is no data for other islands. It is extraordinarily indicative that the species is absent not only from the islands of the Zond Archipelago but is unknown also for the Philippine islands. It is impossible to suppose existance of regular flights of dragonflies along the line specified. We should consider that Anax junius Drury inhabited the Hawaii islands and further crossed the Ocean as a "wandering species" (Puzanov, 1938, page 337) and, of course, not owing to its powerful flight but as carried by storms, that follows from bringing together the following factors. The dragonflies fly, according to Gladkov (1948, p. 51), with a normal flight about 30 km/hr. Hence, a flight from California to the Hawaii islands would take more than 100 hrs, that is above 4 days and nighs. Such a work is of course too hard for an insect. But if to consider that the flight was carried out passively, by means of the hurricane wind which can reach ??? km/hr, then from California to the Hawaii islands a dragonfly having a perfect hoaring flight would be in the air as little as ??? hrs. This possibility is supported by, for instance, a report by a well known naturalist Burmeister (cited after K. Kornelius, 1866, page ???), which saw an Aeshna sp. calmly flying over the sea at 350 km (in the book 50 miles were reported, which we consider as the geographic ones) from the islands of Green Cape. To keep for a while at ???, the dragonfly has flew away. Thus, it would have taken an uninterrupted way of 700 km, that is to be in the state of an active flying for 25-30 hours.

Importance of wind in the flight of dragonflies over the Pacific ocean is in a direct relation from their mentioned absence southerly of the presumed line of migration. The line deliniated by us coincides with the line of the passate winds of the Northern Hemisphaere. Southerly, there is a line of stills or the passate winds of opposite directions. Obviously, this is the reason of absence of the species, for instance, on the Zond islands. In California, in summer the winds out of the land predominate which could easily carry the dragonflies being in the air into the open sea, into the power of passates.

Thus, an interesting way of a probable occupation of Asia by American dragonfly species is being revealed. It is quite obvious that the insect crossings in the opposite direction is possile only in the Southern Hemisphere.

It should be once again stressed that the revealed way of migration is not permanent but should be considered as an occasional carrying by the wind by flocks of apparently young dragonflies. And this took place not less than by two steps: America - the Hawaii islands and the Hawaii islands - Asia, But it is more likely that between the Hawaii islands and China there were one more intermediate stop which should be reconstructed on those lands which arose in the places of the modern archipelagoes during sea regressions when the coast line was shifted at least up to the Aleut and Kurile archipelagoes, Japan, the Ryu-Kyu Archipelago (Lindberg, 1956).

When speaking about importance of wind in dragonfly distribution, one should ??? the opinion of such a great authority as G. H. Kennedy (1929) about occupation by the species in question of the Hawaii islands by wind. This author considers that this took place not ealier than 2,000 years ago, that is not earlier than appearance of rice fields on these islands, an inhabitant of which the Watcher is presently, that well corresponds with our indication of a recent invasion of the species into Asia.

Aeshna juncea

Bartenev, 1929b: 49-50

"
Most probably there are transitions [of the nominotypical subspecies] to
Ae. juncea mongolica and to Ae. juncea orientalis. There is no certainty
that specimens from Siberian tundras do not exhibit differences from Ae.
juncea juncea. It is unknown at all where specimens from Turkestan belong.

2) Aeshna juncea mongolica ssp. n.

The present material from Mongolia on Ae. juncea is scarce to
extraordinarity [sic, до чрезвычайности скуден] and, obviously, has a
transitory nature between Ae. juncea juncea and Ae. juncea orientalis (and
Ae. juncea crenatoides?). Independency of Ae. juncea mongolica is beyond
any doubt. [I wonder how these phrases match eact other.] It is enough to
pay attention to the genital plate. Most probably, the range of mongolica
touches the range of Ae. juncea orientalis [where. I wonder? Orientalis is
from Ussuri. In NE China?]. Geographical connection of our form with Ae.
juncea crenatoides and atshischgho should not be expected. Most of all Ae.
juncea mongolica stands  obviously to Ae. juncea juncea, although sharply
differs from the latter by its genital plate. Unfortnunately, the poverty
of the material available made me to abstain from the study of the
genitalia of the 2nd segment of male on preparations boiled in KOH. The
borders of distribution of Ae. juncea mongolica remain unknown, as well as
unknown is its connection to the Turkestanean Ae. juncea."

In a table for this subspecies he stated:
"the hind angle (a) and posterior-inner margin (b) of the upper appendages of 
male are not expreseed (transitions to A. juncea juncea occur)." 


Aeshna gigas (a junior synonym of A. crenata)

Bartenev, 1908: 18

"The descriptoin is compiled by 1 specimen of male and female.
Male taken in Soymenskoe 7. VII. 06 (S.S.)
female [taken] between Murashinoe and Soymenskoe 6. 06. [sic] (S.S.)"
S.S. could be S.A. Sidorov, mentioned in the footnote in page 1 among natural science 
students paricipated in the expeditoin.
In the list of localities on page 8 we see:
"Soymenskoe, see Kasaelga"
Page 7 says:
"Kasaelga, a rivulet, in the valley of which Soymenskoe village is situated. It has a 
nature of a fast, shallow rivulet with solitary deeper reaches, which are overgrown 
at banks. Shrubbery (willows, alder) grows on banks. The mountain slopes are overgrown 
with larch and other coniferous trees. 7-8. VII. 06"
and also:
"Murashinoe-Soymenskoe, the road goas in Ural foothills by a pine forest, at places 
replaced by deciduous one. Sometimes slopes with lush herbaceous vegetation occur. 
On the slopes, in gulleys, the above described mossy lakes reside. 2-3-6. VII. 06."
Page 6 says:
"Only upon the end of work at Lake Uvil'dy, an excursion was undertaken to the mountains, 
to Soymenskoe;  here collections were made at the Atkusa River headwaters from Lake 
Bol'shoy Agardash, and also in Soymenskoe, along the Kasaelga Rivulet. Thus here 
the excursion concerned a terrain drained by rivulets".



Aeshna crenata and A. nigroflava

Belevicn, 2005: 11

"Aeshna crenata Hagen, 1856

Rsults are presented of the study of the life cycle of dragonflies of this
species, with indication of parametres of each age stage of a larva and
changes in the abdomen coloration in the process of their growth.
Variation of systematically important characters of imago is analysed: the
shape of the anal appendages, of the genital apparates, the coloration of
the thorax and wings. Earlier, two subspecies were described for Ae.
crenata - the western light-winged Ae. crenata and the eastern dark-winged
Ae. c. wnukovskii.  As a result of investigatin of the wing coloration
throughout the range we noticed decrease of the area of the dark colour in
the eastern direction, that is a situation which is diametrally opposite
to that which was a basis of describing subspecies. Taking into account a
strong variability of this colourational character in general, we consider
that isolation of continental subspecies is not justified. 

Aeshna nigroflava Martin, 1908

As the a result of the study of morphological characters it was stated
that the species analysed is most close to Ae. crenata. For confirmation
of similarity of Ae. nigroflava and Ae. crenata, study of the male
genitalia of these species was carried out, as a result of which it their
complete identity was stated. The characters separating Ae. nigoflava from
A. crenata is the larger T-like spot and the shape of the male anal
appendages (viewed from above). On the basis of these peculiarities we
consider Ae. nigroflava an island subspecies of A. crenata."


Gomphus davidi

Belyshev et al., 1989:

"G. davidi reported by A.N. Popova (1951) for Turkmenia without exact 
locality. Probably, this datum was adopted by her from the unpublished 
manuscript by Bartenef. One female specimen of G. davidi from the Ashkhabad 
environs is kept in the museum of Zoological Institude of USSR Acad. Sci."


Lindenia inkiti

Belyshev et al., 1989:

"... rises doubts in its reality as a species" 

Ketenchiev, Haritonov, 1998:

p. 37. "L. tetraphylla - L[indeniya cetyrekhlistnaya.)
From the territory of the Pitsundian Nature Reserve the species L. inkiti  
was described by A. N. Bartenev in 1929, but its status is discutable and 
most of the systematics consider it as a synonym of L. tetraphylla. "

Ketenchiev, Haritonov, 1999: 

p. 18-20. "A, N, Bartenev (1930 b) [O. K.: I'm afraid this is the notorious 
Russian version of his German paper published in 1929, where the species was 
actually first described] by 5 males from the environs of Pitsunda and from 
Lake Inkit described the species Lindenia inkiti. So far this species remains 
the most enigmatic taxon of dragonflies reported for the Caucasus. Basing on 
Bartenev's description, many authors report this species for the Caucasian 
fauna (Belyshev, Haritonov, 1983 a-v; Dumont, 1991 and others), however nobody  
managed to found this species next time. Special search of this species on 
the type locality, Lake Inkit, were arranged by the Biological Society of DDR 
(Beutler, 1989), and also repeatedly by us, but n representatives of the genus 
were found neither on this lake nor in its surroundings. 
     Some circumstances in the first description by A. N. Bartenev allow to 
doubt in reality of existence of this species. First, the genus was described 
only by males, no female was found. Second, practically all characters of the 
newly described species concern coloration and reflect L. inkiti being  darker 
than L. tetraphylla. Third, A. N. Bartenev himself stressed that the degree of 
melanization of specimens in his series was varying. The only structural character 
noted by the author of the description is as follows: "The lobes opf the lower 
anal appendage (Fig. 4) are more widely set than in Lind. tetraphylla ..." (p. 
51). However, our examination of long series from Central Asia and specimens 
from the North Caucasus revealed a sufficiently strong variation of this character 
and its irrelevance as a diagnostic one. Besides, colorationh of Caucasian 
specimens is in general darker than of the Central Asian ones and this may 
be manifestartion of geographical or modificative variation. One should pay 
attention also to the note by A. N. Bartenev that "the thorax bottom and 
partly its sides may have traces of a dark-blue bloom (as in old specimens 
of Lestes dryas etc)", that is darkening of coloration may appear a consequence 
of a widely distributed among many species of dragonflies phenomenon of appearing 
of a bloom on the body witg ageing, interfering with the true coloration of 
an insect [O. K.: but the pattern is should not change!]
     Lastly, suspicious is the fact that simultaneously with the dark colored 
representatives of the genus Lindenia, A. N. Bartenev observed and described 
from Lake Inkiti [O. K.: an error, I'm afraid,  should be Inkit] dark-coloured 
individuals of Orthetrum sabina, which were described by him in the same paper 
as O. sabina var. nigripes Cns var. n. Existence of dark-coloured individials 
of representatives of another family increases probability of the hypothesis 
about modoficational nature of melanization of dragonflies frok Lake Inkiti 
[sic]. As a consequence of the above discussed reasons we consider as extremely 
dubious a possibility of eistence of L. inkiti as an independent species, but 
until appearance of doubtless facts [O. K.: what they could be?] denaying its 
existence, we retain L. inkiti in the checklist of the Mediterranian 
odonatofauna" 

[O. K. So, these authors tend to denay L. inkiti since they have enough materials 
of the genus to judge. I think their arguments are sufficient while caution 
is excessive and L. inkiti should be synonymized to L. tetraphylla.]


Cordulia aenea

Belyshev, 1956:

"16. Cordulia aenea amurensis Selys, 1887.
1 male, 8.VI-45 - Sikhote-Alin' Nature Reserve; 3 males,
3.VII-41; 9 males and 2 females; 22.VII-41; 1 male, 25.VII-41; 1 
male and 1 female, 29.VII-41; 3 females, 9.VII-42; 1 male and 2
females, 16.VII-42; 1 male, 11.IX-43 - the Okhot coast, the Tugur
River mouth. 
    Almost all our specimens present an interesting mixture of 
characters between the typical and Amurian form amurensis Selys. 
Having a considerable series of this species, including different ages,
I find it possible to express a certain opinion about eastern specimens,
even so that they can be compared with a large series of typical ones.
Selys Longchamps in 1887 has separated the Amurian (v. Pokrovka) C.
aenea L. from typical ones, considering them to differ by a smaller size
and absence of the ochre colouration at wing bases. After this noone
more reports about findings of C. a. amurensis even in places adjacent to
the place of description. Thus, Bartenev (1911) can not attribute 
Transbaikalian specmens to the form amurensis Selys, as having a strongly
expressed ochre colouration at wing bases. Yakutian specimens, according 
to Bartenev (1917) represent only a weak degree (in the wing colouration)
of transition to amurensis Selys. 
     Of 3 specimens from Ussuriiskii Krai (the Odarka River) and 
Transbaikalia (the Symnyur River) Bartenev (1914) did not find completely
the yellow colouration on wings in only one male, in one female it is
weakly expressed, but in another one, from the Odarka River, on the contrary,
strongly. In a specimen from Mandzhuria there is no deviations from the
typical form. No deviations are noted also in specimens from the upper
flow of Enisei (Bartenev, 1910). Lastly, in all our specimens the yellow
colouration at wing bases is well expressed, even in very teneral ones. So,
basing on the materials available from the adjacent places, as well as
Priamurye [Amurland] as such (the Symnyur River, Transbaikalia [Tranbaikalia
is not commonly included into Amurland])  it is clear that the yellow
colouration on wings or its absence can not be considered as a systematic
character.
    A large series of C. aenea from Wes Siberia also supports our conclusion.
Thus, from the surroundings of Biysk C. aenea often has a very weak yellow
colouration, and in some cases it is absent. The same is observed in the 
northern Narym, where at the same time a specimen was recorded with a complete
reduction of yellow colouration. In specimens from the Kulundinskaya Steppe 
(Lake Lyagushachye) in a number of specimens a yellow colour at wing bases
is completely missing, in some it is in a rudimental state. In a number
of specimens from NE Altai the yellow colour is very weakly developed.
    Now let us mention the variation in size. Selys Longchamps (1887)
gives for his new form the following (these data are cited from Yakobson
and Bianci "Pryamokrylye i lozhnosetchatokrylye", where the size of the
male abdomen is given as 32-38 mm, that is larger than in typical, that
does not match with the indication in the text on a smallness of the form,
that is either error or mistake):
                               Males            Females
Abdomen                          ?              30-34 mm
Hind wing                      28-29 mm         28-30 mm

While the corresponding measures in European, that is typical, are as 
follows:
                               Males and females
Abdomen                          33-36 mm
Hind wing                        32-35 mm

     It is clear that teh dimensional differences are significant and 
quite justify isaolation of the Amurian specimens into an especial subspecies.
The Transbaikalian specimens are distinctly somewhat smaller than the
European ones:
                               Males            Females
Abdomen                        32-34              30 mm
Hind wing                      29-32 mm           31 mm

but at the same time larger than those described by Selys Lonchamps.
Specimens from the Ussurian Krai have the following dimensions:

                According to Bartenev   Our measurements
                Males     Females       Males      Females
Abdomen           ?       30-34 mm      29 mm      29.8-30.8 mm
Hind wing       28-29 mm  28-30 mm      28-29.5 mm 29.5-30.5 mm

     Again we have contradictory data on the abdomen length and close those
on the hind wing length, which correspond to the form amurensis Selys.
     West Siberian specimens have the following dimensions: 

                               Males            Females
Abdomen                         35 mm           32-35 mm
Hind wing                      28-36.8 mm       32-35.5 mm

    From here it is clear that West Siberia is inhabited by just a large form ,
almost equal to the European one and obviously larger than amurensis Seys,
although some specimens deviate to this subspecies.
    Inconsistency in the abdomen size between the specimens by Bartenev
and mine from the Ussurian Kra, by Bartenev from Transbaikalia and Selys
Longchamps' data from the Amur should be explained only by different methods
of measurements, It is clear that Bartenev included also the anal appendages
into the length of the abdomen. At least it is clear that the eastern
specimens are smaller and they should retain the name amurensis given by
Selys Longchamps, but from the diagnosis excluded should be the absence of
the yellow colouration, which is not pertained to a certain territory.
Specimens with the absence of yellow colour at the wing bases should be
considered as a special aberration - ab. selysi Belyshev nova."

Belyshev, 1973, pp. 377-379

"SYSTEMATIC NOTES. The species is very close to the American C. shurtleffi
Scud., forming with it a vicariant pair and very probably, judging by 
a figure, that both species are only subspecies of the same common species.
Geographical variation of C. aenea L. is exhibited not distinctly: throughout
its tremendous range the species gives only in the east of Siberia a subspecies
C. a. amurensis Selys, differing from the type by only smaller size.
    Selys Longchamps (1887), when isolating the Amurian form, noted as
its basic character the disappearance of the yellow colouration from its
wings. Our studies (Belyshev, 1956a) showed that both subspecies differ
only in size, while the yellow colouration in the wing bases does not disappear
in the eastern specimens but only exhibits a trend to disappearance. This
is expressed in some specimens, isolated by us iinto a special aberration
- C. aenea ab. selysi Belyshev, often met with in the East but very rarely
in the West.
   Specimens from the western and, most probably, central part of Siberia
often exhibit an interesing mixture of characters between both subspecies
(Belyshev, 1956a). Systematic position of Japanese dragonflies remains
unknown.
TABLE FOR IDENTIFICATION OF SUBSPECIE OF C. AENEA L.

1(2) Dragonflies small. Hind wing: in males no more than 30 mm,
in females 31 mm.........................C. a. amurensis Selys
(Siberia east of the line Lake Baikal - the Yana River)

2() Dragonflies large. Hind wing in males and females not less than 32 mm.
The rest territory----------------------C. aenea aenea L."

Malikova, 1995:
    "In the Far East it [C. aenea] is represented by 
ssp.  C.  a.  amurensis  Selys, 1887, inhabiting also NE SIberia
(the Yana and Indigirka Rivers) and Transbaiklaia"


[O. K.: As to me, the subspecies based only on size are 
nonsense. Belyshev has well shown that colouration features 
on which subspecies in a number of species (such as
Epitheca bimaculata, Gomphus flavipes) were based by earlier authors are 
just the matter of individual variation, but he mostly retained subspecies
basing solely on the size, by leaving some threshold value to consider
individuals below it as one subspecies and above as others (too often
individuals fall just into the very value). 
Here we have two subspecies considered by Belyshev as differing by 1 mm 
and exhibiting a transition zone being the entire territories of West and 
Central Siberia, fairly 2500 km! I think the 
question should be regarded as closed. The name selysi was naturally
regarded as infrasubspecific, but by this name Belyshev designated a
character condsidered by Selys as the diagnostic feature of amurensis. 
According to Belyshev, the type(s) of amurensis was (were) based on
aberrant specimens. This makes no problem with the subspecies name,
provided the subspecies is considered to exist, but I am not sure 
one has to introduce another name for aberration exhibited by the
type of a subspecies.]


"Macromia bartenevi Belyshev, 1973.

Belyshev, 1973 (pp. 388-389).

"...M. A. Lieftink (1955) in a special study of the genus
Macromia did not attributed the Barteneff's specimens to the species
M. amphigena Selys.
 S. Asahina (1964) consider these specimens as belonging to M.
amphigena fraenata Mart., but on the figure given  of the male
anal appendages (fig. 138) characters are given quite different
from what is present on the figure by A.N. Bartenev and what we saw
on our specimen."

"All this allowed us to isolate our specimens into a new species -
Macrimia bartenevi sp. n. - in the honour of A.N. Bartenev, since 
the difference have been noticed by this odonatologist, the description of
which we retain as the original description of the species"

[O.K. According to Art. 13.1.2 of ICZN, this means that the species was
described by reference, to description of specimens by Bartenev (1914),
which he provisionally and doubtfully identified as "Macromia ?amhigena". 
Hence the type series of the new species consists of Bartenev's specimens 
(male and female) only, which most probably are lost. The word "our' in 
the translated passage meant "here considered"]

"... The range of this species is unclear, as it is known only by
three specimens: two from the environs of city Harbin and one from
the Middle Amurland (the Birushka River). Most probably this is an
Amurian endemic."

[O.K. The provenance of Bartenev's specimens was indicated as 
"North Manchouko (Station Imjanpo, North China Railroad)". On the map, 
I found a town Inshoupu near Tsingdzhen, which is at some distance
from the rainroad and very far from Harbin.]

Malikova, 1995:

"In 1973 B. F. Belyshev [1973b] has described a new
species M. bartenevi by a male from Khabarovsk Province
(Pereyaslavsk Distr., the Kiya River at the Birushka River mouth),
attributing to these species the specimens from NE China
reported by A. N. Bartenev (1914). The only diagnostic character
of the new species B. F. Belyshev reported the shape of
the male anal appendages. Having studied the type specimen of M.
bartenevi in the collection of Zoological Museum of Institute of
Systematics and Ecology of Animals, I found out that it is a teneral,
not fully spread male of M. a. fraenata with the anal appendages folded.
The drawing of the anal appendages is very schematic and it is incorrect 
to base a description of a new species on it. Thus, we consider M. bartenevi 
Belyshev, 1973 as a junior synonym of M. amphigena fraenata Martin, 1906."

[O.K. Although identification of Belyshev's only specimen as M. a. fraenata 
is correct, the synonymy statement is incorrect since Belyshev's specimen from 
Kiya River was not a syntype, see my above note. The species M. bartenevi 
seems still to be valid, with the type series consisting of specimens by Bartenev, 
which is missed. If new specimens from North China fitting description by 
Bartenev (1914) were found, designation of the neotype of M. bartenevi is 
desirable.]

Leucorrhinia intermedia

Malikova, 1995:

"   Leucorrhinia intermedia Bartenef, a larva
Measurements:
The body length: 17.0-20.o mm
The wing case legth 4.8-5.0 mm
The head width 4.8-5.0 mm
The 6th abdominal segment width 5.8-6.3 mm
The hind femur length 5.0 mm
     The larvae are of intermediate size for the genus Leucorrhinia,  
greyish-brown or grey. A wide dark stripe goes through entire dorsal side 
of the abdomen, which entirely embraces the 10th tergirte abd the anal 
pyramid. Within this stripe each tergite, except for the 10th one, bears 4 
very dark points: two on the band lateral edges and two points (or short 
strokes) closer to the tergite centre. Obscure dark spots may present on 
the light lateral parts of the abdomen. Sometimes a dorsal stripe is split 
into two dark stripes or lines, leaving light the central part of the 
abdomen. On the ventral side of the abdomen on each segments except for 
9th and 10th there are two dark short transversal strokes.
     The head is short and wide, the eyes are less protruding than in 
other representatives of the genus. The head hind angles are covered with 
rather long setae.
     The labium is spoon-shaped, reaching the second pair leg bases. The 
mentum is smoothly widening to the apex, its middle lobe is well 
expressed, triangular. The palpi bear 7-9 wide tooth on the distal edge. 
There are 14-15 mental setae and 9-11 (usually 10) palpal setae. 
     The legs are relatively short; the femora and tibiae bear long hairs 
and setae, besides, there are two rows of acute spines on the hind femora 
and tibiae.
     The abdomen is convex dorsally, flat ventrally. 3-8(6)th segments 
have the dorsal spines. They are thin and long on the segments 3-5, 
starting from 6th one their length reduces. The spine on the 8th segment 
in very small, often absent, less frequently that on 7th segment is also 
absent. In three specimens from Kolyma the dorsal spines are present only 
on the segments 3-5. The lateral spines present on 8-9 segments, they are 
rather small. acute, with almost straight internal edge. In the last 
instar larvae the length of the spine on the 8th segment equals 0.40 mm, 
that on the 9th segment - 0.55-0.60 mm. The spined on the 9th segment 
end at the level of the middle of the cerci or reach their apices.
     The anal pyramid equals in length to 9th and 10th tergits taken 
together. The lengths of the cerci, epiprocts, and paraprocts equal 
0.6:1.2:1.4 mm, respectively.
     From the relative species L. rubicunda the larva of L. intermedia 
differs by longer lateral spines (in L. rubicunda the spines of the 9th 
segment do not exceed the length of the 10th segment), the abdominal 
ornament (in L. rubicunda the abdomen is dorsally evenly-coloured or 
hasobscure spots), and less prominent eyes."


Leucorrginia intermedia

Belyshev, 1973: 320:

"at last, it is absolutely indifferent how to evaluate this [the mutual status 
of intermedia and rubicunda]: either as well differentiated subspecies or 
weakly formed close species with predominating of only quantitative variations 
in their peculiarities". 

                       
Leucorrginia rubicunda

Belyshev, 1973: 326:

"Delimitation of territories occupied by L. rubicunda L. and L. intermedia 
Bart. is not so simple, but as a first approach the species ought to be 
considered as vicariant, that is colliding but not living together on the 
Yenisei Iiver, and in the southern part of Siberia on Altai (fig. 109), 
although there are reasons to suppose that the central part of Siberia 
will appear to be habitated by intermediate forms. Investigations of this 
question represents a great interest and will finally resolve how we 
should consider the interrelation of both species: species or subspecies."


Leucorrhinia circassica

Ketenchiev, Haritonov, 1998:

p. 34: "L. circassica. B[elonoska] cherkasskaya. 
The status of the speces is discutable. The range and biology are not known. 
Descrived by A. N. Bartenev in 1929 from the territory of the Caucasian Nature 
Reserve. Some systematics consider this species as a subspecies of L. dubia, 
widely ranging in the temperate zone of Europe and West Siberia."

Ketenchiev, Haritonov, 1999:

p. 54: " both these species [Leucorrhinia dubia and L. rubicunda] are absent 
from the Caucasus, but from the territory of the Caucasian Nature Reserve, 
A. N. Bartenev described a peculiar population of dragonflies of the genus 
Leucorrhinia as a special species L. circassica Bartenef, 1929. This species 
is close to L. dubia but have a number of distinct differences from the latter 
[O. K. I guess only those reported by Bartenev]
        Thus, the genus Leucorrhinia most probably is not autochtonic for the 
Mediterranian. Five of its six European species just penetrate into the region 
from the north, but L. circassica is an endemic of the Caucasus formed under 
conditions of a long isolation from the main generic range. Distribution of 
the species of this genus is distinctly connected with forests, so the 
forestless areas neighbouring the Caucasus from the north prevent penetration 
of these dragonflies to its territory [O. K.: but two widely ranging species 
managed to do this!]. But the same circunstance conditioned formation here of 
an endemic species, ancestors of which could get to the Caucasus in one of less 
xerothermic phases of the climate [O. K.: no more than 5 thousand years ago, 
too short!] when forests existed in place of the recent steppes."

[O. K.: So, these authors cautiously retain L. circassica as a Caucasian 
endemic. I have no own notion about this region but I think it to be highly 
improbably for it to be a Caucasian endemic species indeed and would believe 
this was an isolated population of L. dubia, maybe a Caucasian subspecies, 
which most probably have already become extinct.


Neurothemis ramburii

Bartenev, 1913: p. 295-296:

"Genus 10. Neurothemis Brauer.
Neurothemis palliata palliata Ris.
(Neurothemis palliata Krueger, Neurothemis fluctuans palliata Selys)
1 [male]. Vladivostok, from coll. of Tarenetskiy (Wladiwostok) [O.K.: this is a German
tranliteration, the English transliteration is Vladivostok]
   In view of contradictions among authors concerning systematics and volume of
some forms from the genus Neurothemis, here we give a detailed description
of the collection specimen, which we assume to be Neurothemis palliata palliata
Ris; = Neurothemis fluctuans palliata Selys; = Neurothemis palliata Krueger 
[references are given as footnotes].
   The characters of our specimen are as follows:
   Pterostigma 3 mm; field behind node (netween node and pterostigma) 10 mm; 
17-19 antenodal nervures; 14-15 postnodal nervures. Wing triange with 11-14 cells;
8 rows of cells in discoidal field. Abdomen length 26 mm, hind wing length 32 mm.
Field between radius and main sector from start of subnodal sector to node is
free. Main sector branch is at level of pterostigma base. 1 submedianquerader
(Cuq) on left fore wing, 2 on right one. Wing coloration distally reaches
pterostigma base; on hind wing its margin curves at wing hind margin towards
wing base and so leaves a narrow transparent border along its margin to middle
of its length. 
  Finding in Vladivostok of this representative of a genus characteristic for 
the Indo-Australian islands was very unexpected. In the just cited work, 
Ris surprisingly states the finding of Neurothemis palliata palliata in Formosa, while now
its northern border is to be shifted far more to the north."

Belyshev, 1973: p. 292-293:

"Genus VII. Neurothemis Brauer, 1867 (fig. 92)

A widely distributed southern genus, going southwards to North Australia
and to the north to South Primorye, but absent from Japan. In Siberia it is
represented by one species.

30. Neurothemis palliata Ramb., 1842.

   Systematic notes. A specimen from Primorye was attributed by A.N. Bartenev
(1919a) to the typical form - N. p. palliata Ramb. 
   Distribution. A Korean-Chinese and Malay species, confined to a narrow
strile along the coast of the Pacific Ocean.
   In Siberia, the only finding of this species was recorded by A.N. Bartenev 
(1912a). In southern part of Primorye, there is the northern limit of distribution 
of this species to the North. It is impossible to anticipate findings of this
species on Sakhalin and the Kurile islands since it is absent from Hokkaido
island. In the region of Lake Khanka, as well as on the islands most close
to Vladivostok, such as Putyatin, Askold, Russkiy, Popova etc. the species
will no doubt be found. 
   Data to the species' history. It is impossible to say anything about the
history of this species rare in our area.
   Biology. Since the species is known by the only record, its biology
in the conditions of Siberian remains completely unknown.

[P. 293]
Fig. 92. Neurothemis Brauer. [male] Wing. After Fraser, 1933-1936.
"

Malikova, 1995:

"   Genus Neurothemis Brauer, 1867
    80. Neurothemis fluctuans (Fabricius, 1793)
    Bartenev, 1912б:295-296 (palliata palliata Ris).

Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore [Asahina, 1969; Tsuda,  1986];  southern
Primorskiy Kray?
    The species was reported by A.N. Bartenev by one male
from Vladivostok, from collections by Tarenetskiy. Later it was
never found in the Far East of Russia and neighboring regions
(the closest findings of the species are in Cambodia and Vietnam
[Asahina, 1969]). Unfortunately, the specimen described by Bartenev
no more exists. If its identification was correct, we should take
into account a possibility of occasional transportation of the
Malaysian-Indochinese species into the port sity Vladivostok
onboard of a sea ship.
   The nomenclature is given according to the modern species of the
word fauna [Davies, Tobin,  1985; Tsuda, 1986]."

OK: Judging from the description, as well as current synonymy, this specimen
must have been Neurothemis ramburii rather than N. fluctuans.


Orthetrum spp., including "O. translatum"

Bartenev, 1929:

Here a determination of two small collections received by me from Prof. V. S. Elpatyevskii (Baku) and from A. A. Shorygin (Moscow). The former originates from northern Persia (the Caspian Sea coast), the second from Migry settlement upon Araks (in the former Erivan Provence), from Erivan', and also from the Semirechye Province in Turkestan. ...

7. Orthetrum translatum, sp. n. - Migry, 14. VII. 1927, 2 females.
Head entirely yellow; thorax yellow, there is a pair of whitish stripes hardly noticeable on thorax frontal side, or they are absent et all; laterally of them there are vestigal (present only in the fore half) dark praehumeral streaks; thorax sides entirely yellow, without black lines and white stripes; abdomen entirely yellow, only the medial and lateral ribs black; sides of 8th tergite widened as in O. anceps Schn and chrysostigmum Burm.
8th sternite hind hargin with a wide and shallow triangular incision; bottom of this incision of a black colour; diverging margins of the incision roundishly swallen at middle; these swellings yellowish, do not protrude beind; distance between their apices exceeds 1/2 of sternite width.
Anq 11-12. Membranula in one specimen blackish as in O. chrysostigmum, in the other grey. Arc situated somewhat proximally than Anq2, in one case at Anq2. Rs-Rspl with one cell ow. t free. Pterostigma light. In A4-A5 - 4-(5) cells.
Wings with a strong development of yellow; the yellow coloration equally on fore and hind wings occupies their entire base down up to A; behind A. there is sometimes [in two females - O. K.] a less intensive yellowish coloration graduallydisappearing to middle or end of anal field, so it continues up to t; distally of t the coloration, gradually weakening, continues to wing fore part between C and M1-8 (or M4) until nodus; further it continues only between C and M2 and gradually disappears about halfway between Nod and pterosting or closer to the latter.
Abdomen length 25-26, hind wing length 26-28, pterostigma (of fore wings, measured along pterostigma fore margin) 3-3.25 mm. Male unknown.
By the position of Arc, by absence of light stripes on thorax sides resembles O. anceps while by the membranula colour close to O. chrysostigmum. A characteristic wing coloration and genital plate say that this is a new species, in general as if somewhat [sic!] intermediate between the mentioned species. By the way, the end of sternite 8 in these two species, according to our data, is of the following structure. In O. anceps: the incision is rather quadrangutlar, its bottom is straight or wavy, black, the incision margins are as two very small yellow projections, protruding behind by their angle-like apices; the incision margins do not diverge or diverge, so that the distance between the nehind protruding angle-like apices is equal less [sic!] 1/4 of the sternite width; in O. chrysostigmum: the incision is almost unnoticeable; the mlack hind margin of sternite 8 wavy; laterally and slilghtly forward of it there is a pair of either large or very small, not touching the hind margin, yellow spots.

....
Here I give the table of the Orthetrum species which were recorded from the USSR or not far from its borders.
1 (18) Rs-Rspl 1 row of cells. A4-A5 4-5 cells
2 (9) males
3 (8) Ia almost vertical o slightly skewed behind by its apex; at least its apic lies behind not further than the hamulus base. Anq 9-13. Pterostigma light. Membranula white or grey. Wing base without yellow. Body male adlt. in a blue bloom. Arc between Anq1-2.
4 (5) Incision between Ia and Aa shallow. Aa ends with a short, protruding up and somewhat forward, narrowed, a very peculiar projection. Ia and Aa equal in height. Anq 9-11. Pterostigma 2<3 mm. There is a whitish line on the outer side of femora and, partly, tibiae. Male adlt. in a light-blue bloom. Abdomen base strongly swallen dorso-ventrally. Membranula greyish. From Persia to Egypt. ........O. rasonetti Brauer.
5 (4). Incision between Ia and Aa shallow. Aa wide and less defined, since Ia much lower than Aa and Aa rounded and not stretched up into a narrowed projection. Anq 10-13. Pterostigma 2.5-4 mm. Legs in male adlt. black. Abdomen atbase more gradually and less dorsoventrally [sic] widened. Membranula white or greyish
6 (7). Ia swallen apically and skewed somewhat forward. Membranula whitish. Anq 11-13. Pterostigma 3-4 mm. Western Europe to Poland....................O. caerulescens Fabr.
7 (6). Ia apically not widened or slightly narrowed and not skewed forward, almost vertical or slightly skewed behind. Membranula greyish. Anq 10-12. Pterostigma 2,5-3,5 mm. - North Africa, Balcan Peninsula, Anterior Asia to the Caucasian Range in the north (footnote: north of the Caucasian Range two-three localities are known) and to Kashmir. ................. ...............................................................O. anceps Schn..
8 (3). Ia strongly skewed behind, so that its apex lies clearly further behind than base of hamulus. Membranula blackish. Thorax with light streaks. Frons without black. Venules in sc light. Anq 9-13 (14). Arc at A2 or between A2-A3. - Africa and southern Asia to south Spain, Syria, and southern China. .......... ...............................................................O. chrysostigmum Burm.
9 (2) Females
10 (11) Sides of tergite 8 not widened at all. Thorax sides without white stripes. Arc between Anq 1-2. Membranula greyish. ...... O. rasonetti Brauer
11 (10). Sides of tergite 8 always widened. Sometimes thorax sides with light stripes.
12 (13). Wing bases with a yellow coloration which continues, gradually weakeninh, behind nodus. Membranula blackish or grey. Thorax sides without light spots. Arc between Anq1-2 or at Anq2. - Migry upon the Arax. .....................O. translatum, sp. n.
13 (12). Wing bases without yellow coloration, just its weak traces may present at very bases.
14 (15). Membranula blackish. Thorax sides as a rule with one or more light stripes. Arc at Anq2 or between Anq2-3............................. O. chrysostigmum Burm.
15 (14). Membranula white or grey, Thorax sides often without light stripes. Arc at Anq2 or proximally of it.
16 (17) Membranula bright white. .................. O. caerulescens Fabr.
17 (16) Membranula greyish. .......................... O. anceps Schn.
18 (1) Rs-Rspl 2 rows of cells.
19 (20) Membranula white or whitish. A4-A5 - 5-7 (8) cells. Pterostigma >2-3 mm. Anq 11-16. Arc between Anq1-2. Males adlt in a light blue bloom. Fore margin of Ia very slanting, almost lies behind. Ia directed behind and outwards. Aa lower than Ia. There is no lateral rib on female tergite 8. Genital plate with a deep, wide, somewhat quadrangular incsion. - From SW Europe through Anterior Asia to eastern Mongolia .......................O. brunneum Fons.
20 (19). Membranula grey or black.
21 (22) Abdomen base spaerically swallen, further abdomen very narrow while abdomen end widened dorso-ventrally. A4-A5 3-4 cells. Male aldt. without blue bloom. Thorax sides with black and light streaks. - Form Transcaucasia to Somali, Central China, Australia and the Bismark Islands. .......................................................................... O. sabina Drury.
22 (21) Abdomen base is not spaerically swallen, while abdomen end is not widened dorso-ventrally. A4-A5 3-6 cells.
23 (30) Males
24 (27). Hamulus not subdivided into Ia and Aa and is a vertically, in a longitudinal plane, set blade, often of a complicated shape. A4-A4 5-6 (7) cells. An1 11-15. Apex of La bilobate.
25 (26). Abdomen at base almost not widened. Black stripe on 1st lateral suture of thorax rudimental, does not go up above stigma. Yellow stripes on thorax sides often absent. Anal appendages black. Pterostigma 2-3 mm. La subdivided by an incision almost up to 1/2 of its height. Hamulus with a strong processus pointed outwards. Europe except for the extreme North, western Asia to Kashgharia and western Siberia to Minusisk. ................... O. cancellatum
26 (25). Abdomen rather strongly widened at base. Black stripe on 1st lateral suture of thorax well developed, goes up above stigma. Thorax sides s often with tw wide yellowish stripes: 1) between humeral and 1st lateral seam and 2) behind 2nd lateral suture. Anal appendages white or in adlt. at least partly whitish. Pterostigma 3-4 mm. Incision of La not deeper than 1/4 or 1/3 of its height. Hamulus with an insufficient roller-like outward projection, only in singular cases with a somewhat pointed, very short apex. Moderate subregion of Palaearctic from southern France to Japan.. ................... O. albistylum.
27 (24). Hamulus subdivided into Ia and Aa or Aa is absent. Hamulus is not a vertically, not up narrowed blade. A4-A4 4-6 cells. An1 10-14. Apex of La unilobate.
28 (29). La vertical or slightly slanting behind. Aa absent at all. Pterostigma 2-2.5 mm. Abdomen with a black stripe along medial seam. A4-A5 5-6 cells. Anq 10-12. Arc between Anq 1-2. Anterior Asia and adjacent bank of Africa. ................................ O. taeniolatum
29 (28). La strongly slanting behin, so that its apex lies at the level of middle of hamulus base. Aa present but lower Ia. Pterostigma 2.5-3.5 mm. A4-A5 4-5 cells. Anq no more than 14. Arc between Anq 2-3. Venules in sc light ................................... O. chrysostigmum Barm.
30 (23). Females.
31 (36). At either side between the middle and lateral ribs of at least middle abdominal segments there goes a wide lengthwise black, sometimes interrupted and vestigal, stripe leaving yellow spots or semilunules at lateral ribs of segments and a yellow stripe at long abdomen middle, on each side of medial rib. A4-A5 5-7 cells.
32 (35). Hind margin of sternite 8 with a narrow but deep incision. Dimensions not less than: hind wing 33, abdomen 28 mm. Anq 11-15.
33 (34). Thorax side with a complete black line on 2nd lateral suture and with an incomplete one, reaching stigma at most, on 1st lateral suture. Pterostigma 2-3 mm. Sides of tergite 8 not widened at all. Anal appendages in adlt. dark. ...........O. cancellatum L.
34 (33). Black stripe on 1st lateral always goes at list a bit above stigma. Pterostigma 3-4 mm. Sides of tergite 8 clearly widened. Anal appendages in adlt. white. ....O. albistylum Selys.
35 (32). Hind margin of sternite 8 almost straight, without an incision. Dimensions not greater than: hind wing 28, abdomen 25 mm, pterostigma 2.5 mm. Anq 10-11. Black stripes at abdomen sides vestigal. Matrgins of tergite 8 not widened at all. .......... O. taeniolatum Schn.
36 (31). Abdomen yellow, almost without black. A4-A5 4-5 cells. Margins of tergite 8 widened.. Venules in sc light. Pterostigma 2.5-3.5 .......................O. chrysostigmum

Orthetrum anceps

Belyshev et al., 1989, in its part concerning Central Asia 
written by S. Borisov, pages 22-23:

"O. anceps is common throught the entire territory in vallies and foothills up to the elevation of 1500 m above sea level. In the mountains in the south it was recorded up to the absolute height of 2400 m. The species' systematics is not fully clear, A. N. Bartenev (1929b) describes [sic, present historical], by two females from Migry settlement in South Armenia O. translatum as close to O. nceps, and indicates a strong development of yellow coloration on wings as one of the basic characters. V. N. Krylova (1969) reports O. translatum for Kirghizia. A surway of more than 100 specimens from different places of Middle Asia has shown that a strong yellowing of wings is characteristic for females of O. anceps, the character being well expressed in young, just hathed individuals. With age, the yellow coloration in most part of females disappears and remains as well noticeable in few specimens only. For a final decision of the question a comparison of material from Middle Asia and Transcaucasia is necessary. Most probably, O. translatum will appear a synonym of O. anceps."

Orthetrum melania

Belyshev, 1965, p 611:

"2. Orthetrum triangulare melania Selys.
1 female, 26 June 1962, Kunashir Island at Kurile Archipelago, Alekhino
village, a hot spring (V. Nechaev); 1 male, 1 August 1962, the same place
(Z. Konovalova). A Chinese-Japanese supspecies of a south-east-asian
species. In Japan it was found on Hokkaido island by S. Asahina (1938) but
was not reported from islands of the Kurile Archipelago, that follows from
another paper by the same author (1959). Thus, the finding of the species
on Kunashir Island is the first for the USSR and introduces a new species
into our fauna"

Belyshev et al., 1976, p. 166

Orthetrum triangulare melania Selys. So far in USSR, this species was
known just by two specimens fromj Kunashir Island (Belyshev, 1965). A
series of 10 specimens, collected on that island in 1968, evidences for a
strong individual variation of the species. In some of them the wings are
transparent throughout, except for bases, but with dark tips, in others
they are darkened throughout with  a light-brown tint. Perhaps, the
general wing darkening is partly a manifestation of age variability, since
this character in a number of cases, but far not always, correlates with a
complete covering of the abdomen with a glaucous pruinescence. material:
Kunashir, Alekhino, 5/VIII 1986 - 10 males"

Crocothemis erythraea chaldaeorum

Belyshev et al., 1989.
 
"C. e. chaldaeorum - ranges on the majority of territory [O.K.: Turkmenistan, 
Uzbekistan Tadjijistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan north to the 
conventional border the Aral Sea - Lake Balkhash - Lake Alakul]. 
In the south  is common in piedmonts and rare in the mountains up to 2000 m. 
In Kirghizia (Krylova, 1969) does not recorded in the mountains. By systematic 
characters the speciemens from the south of Middle Asia correspond to the 
description of C.e.chalcaeorum by Schneider (1985., the reference is missing 
from the reference list!), differing in small details, for instance, weak 
but noticeable basal spot on the fore wings in some males and, sometimes, 
by three rows of cells in discoidal field of fore wings."

Borisov, Haritonov, 2008: 105-106:

"Crocothemis erythraea chaldaeorum Morton, 1920

Taxonomical notes. The African-Eurasian species C. erythraea (Brulle,
1823) is subdivided into two subspecies. The African-European part of the
range is occupied by the nominotypical subspecies, while the Asian part by
C. e. chaldaeorum. This subspecies was earlier considered a local endemic
of Iraq. Examination of specimen series from NorthWwest Africa and South
Europe preserved in Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Scinences
(St. Petersburg), and also collections in North Caucasus and Central Asia
has shown that Central Asian populations well differ from Affrican and
European (e. g. from the Danube mouth) ones. At the same time, in North
Caucasus all specimens bear characters intermediate between subspecies and
their attribution to any of the subspecies is problematic. Most probably,
the same situation takes place also on the Upland of Asia Minor. All
specimens from there are identified only up to species [Kalkman et al.,
2004a, 2004b, Pelt, 2004], only H. Beutler [1987] reports the
nominotypical subspecies for Transcaucasia. The Near East is probably
characterised already by C. e. chaldaeorum. This W. Schneider [1985a,
1986] found there great differences of local populations from C. e.
erythraea and considers the form chaldaeorum as ain independent species.
Unclear remains the situation  with this taxon in the Iranian Upland. Only
S. Asahina (1973) reported C. e. chaldaeorum for Iran. Other authors
report specimens without a subspecies name or report both species
simultaneously [Dumont, 1991; Dumont, Heidari, 1996; Heidari, Dumont,.
2002] that is erroneous to our opinion. Thus, in one of the works [Dumont,
Heidari, 1996- where the photos of the female genital plate are given,
attribution of the specimens to the subspecies C. e. chaldaeorum is easily
recognised, although both authors leave them without subspecies names.
Subspecific attribution of dragonflies from the south of Arabian Peninsula
remains unclear as well; specimens of C. erythraea are reported from
there without subspecies names [Dumont, Al-Safari, 1993]. 
   It is interesting that by literature sources (before our research), only 
this species [O.K.: C. erythraea] was reported for this region [O.K.: Central 
Asia within the former USSR], while for the second species, C. servilia,
only one repotrt by A.N. Popova [1951] existed for yje mouth of the
Ferghana Valley (Leninabad city) by data adopted by her from an
unpublished manuscript by A.N. Bartenev. In the same work, A. N. Popova
[1951] reported numerous localities of C. erythraea in Tadjikistan.
Analysis of specimens from the collection of IZiP of Academy of Sciences
of tadjikistan (Dushanbe), identified by A. N. Popova as C. erythraea, has
shown that in fact most of them belonged to C. servilia. Other authors
report for this region only C.  erythraea as well:.... .... Range. In
Central Asia [within the former USSR - O.K.], C. e. chaldaeorum ranges
widely. The northernmost localities lie at Lake Balkhash. In the
Pamiro-Alai Mts. it was recorded upt to the abcolute height of 2000 m, but
is already rare above 1300  [Borisov, 2002], in Tian Shan - only on
piedmont plains [Krylova, 1969]. At the same time, F. Brauer [1877]
reported the species for highlands (10000 ft.) that needs confirmations".

And in the text for Crocothemis servilia: 
"By morphological characters the Central Asian specimens are most close to
South Asian ones, differing from the nominotypical Chinese species, in
particular, by the shape and size of the female genital plate. In this
respect the following circumstance is worth to note, which resulted in
confusion in identification of Central Asian subspecies of C. erythraea
and C. servilia ssp. Habitually, by specimen size and especially  by the
shape of the genital plate in females, the subspecies C. e. erythraea is
very similar to the Central Asian subspecies C. servilia ssp. At the same
time, the Central Asian subspecies C. e. chaldaeorum much resembles the
nominotypical form C. s. servilia from China by these characters. Thus,
using, for instance, a key for the Crocothemis species in G.G. Yakobosn
and V.P. Bianchi [1905], which was composed for the nominotypical forms, a
wrong identification of these species would be inevitable."



Sympetrum sanguineum

Belyshev, 1973, pp. 281-282:

"SYSTEMATIC NOTES. Our dragonflies belong to the Siberian subspecies
S. s. sykinia Belyshev. More southerly and westerly this subspecies 
contacts with others, that makes necessary to give its differential 
diagnosis which we will give for males, as in females the characters of
geographical variation are not so distinct.
   From the type our specimes differ, first of all, by a longer lower anal
apendage, which, as in S. s. obsoletum Bart., protrudes behind the lower-hind 
angle of the upper ones, and also by a more straight upper margin of the 
appendage; from S. s. armeniacum Selys it differs sharply as having a well
developed black pattern on the body and entirely black legs, but is close
to this subspecies by the size of the lower anal appendage; from S. s. 
obsoletum Bart. it differs by a weak development of the yellow colouration
on the wings, but is very close to this form by the size of the lower 
anal appendage reaching the half of the length of the uppers.
   Thus, our specimens morphologically are most close to S. s. obsoletum Bart.
   An interesting characteristic for all the geographic forms of the species
- they show no transitory, that is, quantitative changes, as different 
characters mix in different combinations.
   All these characters can be better compared in the following key for males.

A KEY FOR IDENTIFICATION OF SUBSPECIES OF THE SPECIES S. SANGUINEUM MULL.
                    Males.

1(2) Yellow colouration on wing bases extents always more than the half
distance from the wing base to the triangle but can spread as well to 
node and even to pterostigm, this being expressed uniformly on both 
wing pairs. Lower anal appendage always reaches middle of hind margin
of the uppers............S. s. obsoletum Bart. (Kazakhstan and adjacent 
lands, the Ukraine).

2(1) Yellow colouration in wing bases, although bright, does not reach 
half distance between wing base and triangle, on hind wings these spots
always are more strongly developed. Lower anal appendage  either 
reach the lower-hind angle of the uppers or only slightly goes behind it.

3(6) Legs entirely black or, as an exception, a yellow strike 
appears on internal surface of femora.

4(5) Lower anal appendage only reach or slighly goes behind the
lower-hind angle of the uppers....S. s. sanguineum Mull. (Europe and,
probably, Siberian Priuralye (near Ural area)).

5(4) Lower anal appendage almost reach middle of hind margin of th upper
........................S. s. sykinia Belyshev
                    Upper Ob River and, probably,  NE Kazakhstan

6(3) Legs more yellow than black; all femora, and often tibia with 
a wide yellow stripe.....S. s. armeniacum Selys
                   Asia Minor and adjacent lands."

and on page 284-285:

"Areas of distribution of subspecies schematically are as follows: 
Siberia and, prbably, NE Kazakhstan are occupied by S. s. sykinia 
Belyshev; West Mongolia (?), Kazakhstan, the Ukraine, Turkestan, the
northern Iran and the northern Caspian lands are occupied by S. s. 
obsoletum Bart.; Asia Minor, the north-west of Iran and Transcaucasia
are inhabited by S. s. armeniacum Selys; the main part of the species
range, that is the entire Europe and, probably, the eastern Priuralye
are occupied by the typical form. 
    Thusm theoretically our Siberian geographical form should contact
S. s. sanguineum in the west and S. s. obcoletum Bart. in the south,
but places of subspecies boders are unclear. We can only be sure that
in Upper Ob' Basin there flies S. s. sykinia Belyshev. In Ural there 
probably lives the typical form. Systematic attribution of dragonflies
from the Upper Enisei River basin is unknown."

Sympetrum striolatum

Belyshev, 1976: 167.

"Sympetrum striolatum kurilis s. sp. nova Belyshev. There is a large 
series of quite uniform specimens which differ distinctly from the eastern 
subspecies - S. s. imitoides Bart. - by the following characters: there 
are no any yellow streaks on the femora of the second and third leg pairs, 
while the tibia with only very narrow yellow streaks on their outer sides. 
The black stripes along the sutures of the sides of the meso- and metathorax 
are very distinct and broad, while the anastomoses going through the stigma 
are very distinct and always complete. These characters are so distinct and constant that allow to isolate the dragonflies from Kunashir into a special geographic form, which is ascribed with the name - Sympetrum striolatum kurilis s. sp. nova Belyshev.

Material. Holotype - male, 11/VIII 1969; Kunashir Island. Paratypes: 5 males, 
8 females, 11/VIII 1968, the same place. All specimens are kept in Zoological 
Museum BIN SO RAN (Novosibirsk city).

Systematic notes. The specimens studied are close to S. s. imitoides Bart. that 
allowed S. Asahina (1938, 1949, 1958) to attribute the dragonflies from the 
islands of Sakhalin, Kunashir and Hokkaido to the continental geographical form. 
It is quite probable that specimens from Hokkaido Island will appear to belong 
to the form described by us, as occupation of Kunashir by this and other species 
took place only from that island. 

As an interesting feature of our island subspecies, the drastic blackening of the 
legs should be considered, that is known in another island subspecies described from 
Madeira Island in Atlantic Ocean - S. s. nigrifemer [sic!] Selys. Of course, this is 
not by chance but is connected with living on islands.

Perhaps the subspecies from the Kuriles and Madeira will form a distinct species with time, 
represented by narrowly local ranges at both sides of the Eurasian continent. If this 
happens, this will be an excellent example of allopatric origin of isolated populations 
of the species rather than remnants of a big, broad range."


Sympetrum vulgatum

Belyshev, [note, this very translation was made not by me but by
Dr. E. I. Malikova]:

"Sympetrum vulgatum L.
Amur Bay near Vladivostok, 25 .VII.1961, 1m;
Shkotovsky distr., Maihe River, Anikin kordon, 8.VIII.1961, 1m;
Sudzuhe Nature Reserve [Ussuriskii at present - E.M.], Kievka River, 3.IX.1961, 1m;
Kedrovaya pad' Nature Reserve, 8.X.1961, 2m, 11f; Do., 12.X.1961, 2m, 14f; Do., 15.X.1961, 6f.
The large series of the species collected in Kedrovaya pad' Nature Reserve between October 8-15 is of interest. All 35 specimens are very similar in the wing colouration: the wings are strongly darkened, the colouration being most intensive along the costal margin. All the wings have pale main veins, which becomesomewhat darker to the hind wing margin.
Abdomen size usually less than 28 mm, only several specimens reach this limit or slightly exceed it. Hind wing does not exceed 32 mm; this length is recorded in few specimens, most having a smaller size.
So, our specimens obviously belong to S. v. imitans by the wing colouration, but belong to the typical form by the colour of veins and by the size.
The set of characters, their clarity and sustainability let us think that we deal with a special geographic form which is relative to S. v. imitans. The diagnostic features of the new subspecies should be as follows: dark frontal stripe in front of eyes absent or obscure being just a brownish strike. Fore and hind wings almost completely darkened along veins with brown; most intensively along costal margin. Veins pale in frontal part of wing and dark in rear part. Size relatively small, analogous to that of the type - S. v. vulgatum L., e.g. hind wing 32 mm or less and abdomen length 28 mm or less, rarely exceeding these dimensions. Genital plate small, as in the typical form.
The name proposed to the new form is Sympetrum vulgatum fuscopterum Belyshev ssp. nova.
We must consider this subspecies, like S. v. imitans, as more primitive to the type; the latter evolved from them in the West during the Ice Age. Both eastern subspecies occur in the places of their ancestry.
S. v. imitans belongs more to western and southern locations, e.g. drier places, and new subspecies is characteristic to north-eastern sector of species range with a more humid climate and forest landscapes.
It is quite natural that individual variability leads few specimens to the appearance of the type or of the southern subspecies - this phenomenon is known as parallelism in individual or geographical variability."

Malikova, 1995: 

"   Sympetrum imitans Selys, a larva.
The measurements:
The body length 19.0-21.5 mm
The wing case length 8.0 nn
The head width 5.2 mm
The 6th abdominal segment length 7.2-7.5 mm
The hind femur length 6.0 mm.
     The larvae are large, dark-grey, the body is little haired.
     The head shape is typical for the genus, the eyes are not large, 
convex, slightly protruding. The occiput bears short setae. 
     The labium is spoon-shaped, it goes behind the middle pair leg bases. 
The mentum length is 5 mm, its maximal width beinh 3.8-4.0 mm. The  middle 
lobe of the mentum  is well expressed, triangular. The palpi bear 9-10 
wide tooth on the distal edge. There are 14-16 mental setae and 11-12 10) 
palpal setae. 
     The legs are of intermediate length; the tibia and distal parts of 
the femora bear setae.
     The abdomen is convex dorsally, flat ventrally. There is no dorsal 
spines, only one exuvium had a blunt knob on the third segment. The 
lateral spines present on 8-9 segments. Those on the 8th segment are 
small, not exceeding 1/4 of the segment length (0.3-0.4 mm), those on the 
9th segment are long (1.1-1.3 mm), robust, almost reaching the apices of 
the paraprocts. , they are rather small. acute, with almost straight 
internal edge. In the last instar larvae the length of the spine on the 
8th segment equals 0.40 mm, that on the 9th segment - 0.55-0.60 mm. The 
spined on the 9th segment end at the level of the middle of the cerci or 
reach their apices. 
     The anal pyramid equals in length to 9th and 10th tergits taken 
together. The lengths of the cerci, epiprocts, and paraprocts equal 
0.8:1.4:1.9 mm, respectively.
     From the relative species S. vulgatum the larva of L. imitans differs 
easily by the absence of the dorsal spines (in S. vulgatum they present 
of the segments 2-8, rarely on 4-8, in S. v. decoloratum Selys - on the 3-8, 
rarely on 4-8 segments."

[O. K.: There are strong evidence that the taxon imitans is
no more than a subspecies of Sympetrum vulgatum]

REGIONS:

The West Siberian Lowland

Sukhacheva, 1979:  


Species with         The Tobol    The Ishim   The Irtysh  Barabinskaya
Turgay Gap          middle flow  middle flow middle flow  forest-steppe 
formerly presumed                           [Omsk, my data]  [Lake Chany]

S. sanguineum           -            +            +            +
S. pedemontanum         +            -            +            -
E. bimaculata           -            -            -            +
O. serpentinus          -            +            -            -
G. vulgatissimus        -            +          reported       -
                                            in early century
Ae. mixta               +            -            +            +
Ae. affinis             +            +            +            +
L. barbara              +            +            +            +
I. elegans              -            +            +            -
P. pennipes             -            +            -            -
L. albifrons            -            -            -            -
L. caudalis             -            -            -            -
A. parthenope           -            -            -            -

[O. K.: In fact, among these species only L. albifrons, L. caudalis and A. parthenope 
seem not to inhabit West-Siberian lowland, the maps for others should be 
more simple than Belyshev's (without gaps).]

Only those are included from which some text is translated above

Bartenev, A. N. 1929. Donnees nouvelles sur les Odonates de la Transcaucasie, de la Perse et du Turkestan. Revue Russe d'Entom., XXIII, No. 1-2, p. 125-129 (in Russian, with a French title)

Belevich, O.G. 2005. Strekozy roda Aeshna (Odonata, Anisoptera) Palearktiki. Autoreferate of dissertation. Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Novosibirsk, 22 p.

Bartenev, A. N. 1956. Materialy k faune strekoz (Odonata, Insecta) Dal'nego Vostoka Rossii [Contributions towards a dragonfly fauna (Odonata, Insecta) of the Far East of Russia]. In: Kurentzov, A.I. (ed.) "Trudy Dal'nevostochnoho filiala imeni V.L. Komarova akademii nauk Soyuza SSR (ser. zool.), tom III(VI)" [Proceedings of the V. L. Komarov Far East Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (Zoological Series)], Dal'nevostochnoe Knizhnoe Izdatel'stvo, Vladivostok, p. 201-238. (in Russian)

Belyshev, B. F., A.Y.Haritonov, S.N.Borisov, Z.D.Spuris, G.A.Mazokhin-Porshnyakov, P.A.Mokrushov, P.S.Pavlyuk, L.N.Pritykina, G.I.Ryazanova, E.S.Shalopenok, A.D.Pisanenko, G.A.Sukhacheva, I.N.Haritonova, V.V.Zaika, L.I.Frantsevich. Fauna and Ecology of Dragonflies. Nauka. 1989. Novosibirsk. 207 pp. (In Russian)

Belyshev, 1956 K podnaniyu dal'nevostochnoi fauny strekoz. [Contributions to our knowledge of the Far Eastern fauna of Odonata]. In: Kurentzov, A.I. (ed.) "Trudy Dal'nevostochnoho filiala imeni V.L. Komarova akademii nauk Soyuza SSR (ser. zool.), tom III(VI)" [Proceedings of the V. L. Komarov Far East Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (Zoological Series)], Dal'nevostochnoe Knizhnoe Izdatel'stvo, Vladivostok, p. 181-199. (in Russian)

Belyshev, B. F. 1966.

Belyshev, B. F. 1973. The dragonflies of Siberia (Odonata). Volume I, parts 1,2. Nauka, Novosibirsk. [In Russian; English title].

Belyshev, B.F., Zolotorenko, G.S., Velizhanin, A.G. 1976. Odonatofauna Kuril'skikh ostrovov i nekotorye voprosy ee struktury i formirovaniya [Odonata fauna of the Kurile Islans and some issues of its structure and formation]. The dragonflies of Siberia (Odonata). Volume I, parts 1,2. Nauka, Novosibirsk. [In Russian; English title]. In: Trudy Biologicheskogo Instituta Sibirskogo Otdeleniya Akademii Nauk SSSR 18: 165-174 [In Russian]

Borisov S.N., A. Y. Haritonov. 2008. The dragonflies (Odonata) of Middle Asia. Part 2. (Anisoptera). Euroasian Entomological Journal 7 (2): 97-123. (In Russian, with English summary).

Ketenchiev, Kh. A., Haritonov, A. Yu. 1998. Opredelitel' strekoz Kavkaza. Uchebnoe posobie dlya studentov universitetov [Guide for Dragonflies of the Caucasus. Teaching materials for university students]. Kabardino-Balkarian State Pedogogical University. Nal'chik, 118 p. (in Russian)

Ketenchiev, Kh. A., Haritonov, A. Yu. 1999. Strekozy Sredizemnomorya [Dragonflies of the Mediterranian]. El'-Fa, Nal'chik., 116 p. (in Russian):

Malikova, E. I. 1995. Strekozy Dal'nego Vostoka Rossii [Dragonflies (Insecta, Odonata) of the Russian Far East]. Dissertation, Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Novosibirsk. (In Russian).

Haritonov, A. Y. 1988. Strekozy roda Ischnura Cgharp. (Insecta, Odonata) fauny SSSR [Damseflies of the genus ischnura (Insecta, Odonata) of the fauna of USSR. In: Taksonomia zhivotnykh Sibiri [Taksonomy of Animals of Siberia]. New and little known species of the fauna of Siberia. 20. pp. 32-46

Sukhacheva, G. A. 1989. Strekozy Zapadno-Sibirskoi lesostepi i ikh troficheskie svyazi [Dragonflies of West-Siberian Forest-Steppe and their Trophic Connections]. Dissertation submitted for a scientific degree of candidate of Biological Sciences [Ph. D. Thesis]. - Novosibirsk.