[Odonata-l] Validity of subspecies fasciata for Cordulegaster obliqua?

[Richard Orr]

I have been working with a population of Cordulegaster obliqua in Southern
Maryland (Charles County tributaries of Mattawoman Creek).  A female
specimen collected yesterday measured 84mm, has 3-cells in the triangles of
both front and hind wings and had dull gray-blue eyes when alive.  Clearly
following existing keys it comes out to be the subspecies fasciata and not
obliqua.  I noticed that in Frank Carle's dissertation he thought the two
subspecies were the same and recorded them all as C. obliqua.  However, the
subspecies separation still exists in the majority of current literature. 

 

The subspecies fasciata is not recorded from Maryland or north of Maryland.
So the population in Southern Maryland is of interest.

 

Since I keep the odonate records for Maryland and DC.
http://www.marylandinsects.com/MDDCOdonateRecords.html I need to decide if
keeping track of the subspecies for C. obliqua within the state should take
place.  When appropriate, I do split out subspecies on other odonates on the
list.

 

If the subspecies rank is valid then I will record this female as such and
would split out the two subspecies under the Maryland list.  If not then I
will record species level alone. If anyone is currently working on this
species and has suggestions on how I should record this population in
Southern Maryland please let me know.  Is this subspecies separation still
considered valid?  This is more than just an academic exercise since the
State Heritage Program could rank a rare (in Maryland) subspecies different
than a subspecies that was just uncommon. Do other states separate out the
two subspecies in their records?  And if so do they rank them differently?

 

Any suggestions or discussion would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Richard Orr

Mid-Atlantic Invertebrate Field Studies

5215 Durham Rd - East

Columbia, MD 21044

odonata457 at comcast.net

www.marylandinsects.com

 

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