Fifty years later: the rediscovery of Leucorrhinia pectoralis (Odonata: Libellulidae) in Romania

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1 Travaux du Muséum National d Histoire Naturelle «Grigore Antipa» DOI: /travmu Vol. 59 (2) pp Faunistic Note Fifty years later: the rediscovery of Leucorrhinia pectoralis (Odonata: Libellulidae) in Romania Cosmin Ovidiu MANCI 1, Irinel Eugen POPESCU 2, * 1 Oceanic-Club, 41 Decebal Str. Constanţa, Romania. 2 Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Biology, Carol I Blvd. 20A, Iași, Romania. * corresponding author, irinellus@yahoo.com Received: April 27, 2016; Accepted: November 22, 2016; Available online: December 18, 2016; Printed: December 30, 2016 Abstract. Leucorrhinia pectoralis is included in the Bern Convention (Appendix II), the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC) (Annexes II and IV), the IUCN European Red List of Dragonflies, the IUCN Red List of Mediterranean Dragonflies and in the Red List of Dragonflies of the Carpathians. Typical environments for this species are peatlands, a habitat that is in decline and needs special protection throughout Europe. In the summer of 2014 we investigated ROSCI0247 Tinovul Mare Poiana Stampei and identified two males of Leucorrhinia pectoralis. At 4.5 km from this protected area, within the same period, we found several dozen individuals of L. pectoralis in a peat exploit area, called Turbamin, an example of human activities contributing accidentally to maintain a rare and protected species in nature. Key words: Leucorrhinia pectoralis, Odonata, Libellulidae, distribution, nature conservation, Romania. Leucorrhinia pectoralis (Charpentier, 1825) is included in the Bern Convention (Appendix II) (Council of Europe 1979), the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC) (Annexes II and IV) (European Commission 1992), the IUCN European Red List of Dragonflies (LC category) (Kalkman et al., 2010), the IUCN Red List of Mediterranean Dragonflies (LC category) (Riservato et al., 2009) and in the Red List of Dragonflies of the Carpathians (NT category) (Šácha et al., 2014). L. pectoralis is the largest European species of the genus, with mm body length. It has an Euro-Siberian distribution that declined sharply, especially in the westernmost parts of its range where it became uncommon with small and scattered populations (Macagno et al., 2012). L. pectoralis is associated with densely vegetated habitats with still or slow flowing waters that have mesotrophic to eumesotrophic trophicity, acidic to neutral ph and medium stages of vegetation succession. Typical environments for this species are peatlands, a habitat that is in decline and in need of special protection in Europe (Tatole, 2010). L. pectoralis is reported from Romania in two Natura 2000 sites: Coridorul Jiului (ROSCI0045) (Cîrdei, 1956 (from Căciulăteşti); Cîrdei & Bulimar, 1965; Tatole et al., 2009; Brînzan, 2013; Iorgu, 2015) and Tinovul Mare Poiana Stampei (ROSCI0247) (Marcu, 1939; Cîrdei & Bulimar, 1965; Tatole et al., 2009; Brînzan, 2013; Iorgu, 2015) (Fig. 1). A recent investigation of the first author in ROSCI0045 Natura 2000 site was negative about the presence of the species there. In Cîrdei & Bulimar Collection from the Faculty of Biology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi, we found one female of L. pectoralis labeled Panaci 1949 (Fig. 2). This locality is in the vicinity of ROSCI0249 Tinovul Şarul Dornei Natura 2000 site and its recent investigation by the first author was also negative. L. pectoralis was also mentioned

2 110 Cosmin Ovidiu MANCI, Irinel Eugen POPESCU Fig. 1 Distribution of Leucorrhinia pectoralis in Romania: white circles data before 1965 (not confirmed present populations, with the exception of Tinovul Mare Poiana Stampei Natura 2000 site); red circles present study. Fig. 2 Female of Leucorrhinia pectoralis in Cîrdei & Bulimar Collection from Faculty of Biology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Iaşi, labeled Panaci 1949.

3 Rediscovery of Leucorrhinia pectoralis in Romania 111 from Sibiu (Czekelius, 1933), the peatland from Găina-Lucina (Moldova-Suliţa village, Suceava County, ROSCI0086 Natura 2000 site) (Marcu, 1939) and Băneasa (north of Bucharest) (Cîrdei & Bulimar, 1965) (Fig. 1). We have no information about the present existence of populations of L. pectoralis in these three sites. In 2014, we received a photo of a male of L. pectoralis from Snagov (north of Bucureşti), by the kindness of Mihaela Floriana Soare. Further investigations will be necessary in this region. In the summer of 2014, we investigated the ROSCI0247 Tinovul Mare Poiana Stampei and identified two males of L. pectoralis. The potential habitats for the species in this site are not favorable because the ponds suitable for larvae development are very small and rare. At 4.5 kilometers from this protected area, in the same period, we found several dozen individuals of L. pectoralis in an exploited area for peat called TURBAMIN (Figs. 3, 4, 5). This is an example of how human activities can contribute accidentally to maintain a rare and protected species in nature. We observed the same population also in 2015 and 2016, despite the human activities. The site can also be part of a metapopulation and we recommend some conservation actions. The ponds from the exploited area and from Tinovul Mare Poiana Stampei must be maintained. We also recommend that in the vicinity and inside the forest, several artificially small breeding ponds should be made with peat as preferable sediment, m deep and with a sun-exposed vegetation along the banks. We express our gratitude to Elena Iulia Iorgu for the bibliography kindly offered and the valuable discussions on the subject. Fig. 3 Exploited area for peat called TURBAMIN, a typical habitat for Leucorrhinia pectoralis.

4 112 Cosmin Ovidiu MANCI, Irinel Eugen POPESCU Fig. 4 Male of Leucorrhinia pectoralis from the exploited area for peat called TURBAMIN. Fig. 5 Female of Leucorrhinia pectoralis from the exploited area for peat called TURBAMIN.

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