Odonates from Mato Grosso and southern Para, Amazonian Brazil, November 2008 : |
From November 12 - 24, 2008 Sheridan and I were on a birding trip to south-central Brazil, and while there I tried to photograph every odonate that came my way. Sites visited were:
A small clear flowing forest stream on the Chapada dos Guimaraes - a spectacular sandstone outcrop east of Cuiaba the captial of Mato Grosso state (= CDG).
Along the banks and within half-a-mile of the Rio Azul at Pousada Rio Azul in southern Para state c. 4 hours by vehicle north of Alta Floresta, northern Mato Grosso state (=PRA).
Roadside swampy ponds with riparian edges in mostly cleared ranchland between Rio Azul and Rio Cristalino (=RSP).
Along the Rio Cristalino and in forest within half-a-mile of the river at Cristalino Jungle Lodge, northernmost Mato Grosso state (=CJL).
Along a forested road close to the banks of the Rio Teles Pirres near Cristalino Jungle Lodge (=RTP).
NOTE: The numbers assigned on this page to each entry correspond to those used in the image filenames; entries are grouped as best I can by morphological type and therefore are not in numerical order:
1): found along narrow enclosed forest trails within 600 yards of the river at PRA; I saw 3 male types each on a different trail; perched below knee-height. Per Dennis Paulson: an undescribed species of Telebasis, known previously only from a recent photo and specimen from Cristalino Jungle Lodge. UPDATE, APRIL 2011: now described and named Austrotepuibasis manolisi :
9):
perched along the bank of the River in a small semi-clearing at PRA; I saw at least 6 male types in this one spot; perched in tall grass and on bankside roots. Per Dennis Paulson: an undescribed species of Neoneura:
2): in tall grass overhanging the streamside in a tiny clearing within tall forest at CDG; I saw three male-types there. Per Dennis Paulson: Oxyagrion chapadense :
10): along narrow enclosed forest trails with scattered small sunlight patches with extensive unbroken primary forest, within 1,000 yards of the river at CJL. Fairly common; I saw males on four occasions and females on six occasions. Perched in or on edge of sunlit patch between knee and chest high, sometimes in small gatherings of up to four individuals. Per Dennis Paulson: Phoenicagrion flammeum:
Two presumed females of the above taxon:
6): very low to ground in knee-high vegetation at the ecotone between extensive tall forest and roadside edge, c. 30 yards from the river at RTP; this pair were the only ones seen. Per Dennis Paulson: Tuberculobasis inversa :
a female:
