In Cuba there are six endemic damselfies. These are:
Coenagrionidae - Cuban Bluet Enallagma truncatum
Megaopdagrionidae - Cuban Hypolestes Hypolestes trinitatis
Protoneuridae - Orange-sided Threadtail Neoneura carnatica
Protoneuridae - Cuban Blue Threadtail Neoneura maria
Protoneuridae - Black-fronted Threadtail - Protoneura capillaris
Protoneuridae - Blue-and-orange Threadtail - Protoneura caligata
All of them are on the IUCN Red List.
We have only seen one of them before and that is Hypolestes trinitatis. I think I'm right in saying that this is the largest of the six and we have seen it a couple of times in the Alejandro de Humboldt NP in the east. The others are small and easily overlooked.
I have recently been sent some great photos by Ana Hernandez of three of these species. The pictures were all taken at Las Terrazas Nature reserve, Sierra del Rosario, Pinar del Rio province in the far west of the country. Ana monitors the communities of these three endemics there, studying the habitat characteristics, and gathering data to try to ensure that they are included in the nature reserve management plans. There is almost no insect included in the list of priorities for conservation in the nature reserves and natural parks in Cuba. Thank you Ana for allowing me to use your photos. Keep up the good work.
Coenagrionidae - Cuban Bluet Enallagma truncatum
Megaopdagrionidae - Cuban Hypolestes Hypolestes trinitatis
Protoneuridae - Orange-sided Threadtail Neoneura carnatica
Protoneuridae - Cuban Blue Threadtail Neoneura maria
Protoneuridae - Black-fronted Threadtail - Protoneura capillaris
Protoneuridae - Blue-and-orange Threadtail - Protoneura caligata
All of them are on the IUCN Red List.
We have only seen one of them before and that is Hypolestes trinitatis. I think I'm right in saying that this is the largest of the six and we have seen it a couple of times in the Alejandro de Humboldt NP in the east. The others are small and easily overlooked.
I have recently been sent some great photos by Ana Hernandez of three of these species. The pictures were all taken at Las Terrazas Nature reserve, Sierra del Rosario, Pinar del Rio province in the far west of the country. Ana monitors the communities of these three endemics there, studying the habitat characteristics, and gathering data to try to ensure that they are included in the nature reserve management plans. There is almost no insect included in the list of priorities for conservation in the nature reserves and natural parks in Cuba. Thank you Ana for allowing me to use your photos. Keep up the good work.
Black-fronted Threadtail Protoneura capillaris (Endemic) © Ana Hernandez
I don't have pictures yet of one of the endemics - Enellagma truncatum for which there seems to be little if any information on the internet. But for the other - Protoneura caligata which is vulnerable and known I think from just five sites in the Escambray Mountains, I have just found a picture which is reproduced under licence below. I have just read that it is known from a waterfall just to the east of Topes de Collantes. We have walked past the path down the river to the waterfall as it is sign-posted on the road! I wish I had known that when we were there and would have made the effort to go and look for it.
Blue-and-orange Threadtail Protoneura caligata June 2022 Topes © Alexis Felipe (CC BY-NC 4.0)
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