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Pseudagrion inopinatum

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family
ANIMALIA ARTHROPODA INSECTA ODONATA COENAGRIONIDAE

Scientific Name: Pseudagrion inopinatum
Species Authority: Balinsky, 1971
Common Name/s:
English – Badplaas Sprite, Balinsky’s Sprite
Taxonomic Notes: Pseudagrion is likely to be split into two genera at some point. Until this taxonomic split occurs, the candidates for these two groups are highlighted by "group A" and "group B". P. inopinatum is an A-group species.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria: Endangered B1ab(ii,iii)+2ab(ii,iii) ver 3.1
Year Published: 2010
Assessor/s: Samways, M.J.
Reviewer/s: Kipping, J., Simaika, J.P., Samways, M.J., Suhling, F. (Odonata Red List Authority) & Pollock, C.M. (IUCN Red List Unit)
Contributor/s:
Justification:
This species is known only from two localities, and it has been lost from at least one location since 1948. There is only one recent record from the second location (2002). Current threats are not clear. This species is on the verge of extinction unless a new population is discovered, expanding the range. Even at the type locality only one female has been found despite very intensive searches. It is therefore assessed as Endangered.
History:
2007 – Endangered
2003 – Vulnerable (IUCN 2003)
2003 – Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description: This is a South African endemic species known only from a few specimens from two localities in eastern South Africa. Only one female of the species has been rediscovered since 1968, collected from near its type locality (Badplaas, Mpumalanga) in 2002 (Samways 2006).
Countries:
Native:
South Africa (Mpumalanga)
Range Map: Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population: Current population size is unknown (it is known from only a few specimens), but the population may be declining. It appears to have a very localised distribution, with subpopulations probably awaiting discovery (Samways 2006).
Population Trend: Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology: Meandering open rivers and streams, with abundant marginal vegetation.
Systems: Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s): It is not clear why this species is so rare. It may be that alien trout species have played a role in this. It has not been rediscovered at the "Drakensberg" locality since its collection there in 1948 and only one specimen (a female) was found at the type locality in 2002. It is possible that livestock farming, damming of streams, invasive alien trees, and trout together may impact on this species, potentially aggravating its susceptibility to drought and flood (Samways 2006).

 

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions: No precise information available but research into population numbers and range, biology and ecology, habitat status, threats, conservation measures, and trends/monitoring of this species would be valuable. Continued searches for the species are essential.
Citation: Samways, M.J. 2010. Pseudagrion inopinatum. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2013.
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