Aim: Poleward range shifts of species are among the most obvious effects of climate change on biodiversity. As a consequence of these range shifts, species communities are predicted to become increasingly composed of warm-dwelling species, but this has only been studied for a limited number of taxa, mainly birds, butterflies and plants. As species groups may vary considerably in their adaptation to climate change, it is desirable to expand these studies to other groups, from different ecosystems.Freshwater macroinvertebrates, such as dragonflies (Odonata), have been ranked among the species groups with highest priority. In this paper, we investigate how the | 937 TERMAAT ET Al.
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The antlions (Myrmeleontidae) of Cyprus have been poorly studied and only 13 species were known from this biogeographically interesting island. In light of new field research, we provide an updated checklist to the Cypriot antlions, including seven species reported for the first time from the island. Of these, the findings of the Middle Eastern species Distoleon laticollis and Cueta kasyi are particularly noteworthy. The Cypriot antlion fauna appears dominated by widespread Mediterranean elements, with relatively few Middle Eastern and endemic species.
Based on literature data, unpublished material and the results of the year-round monitoring at selected sites island-wide by the Cyprus Dragonfly Study Group since 2013, we acquired an excellent knowledge of the diversity and status of the Odonata of Cyprus. Altogether, 37 species are on the island’s checklist. Ischnura pumilio, Aeshna affinis and Brachythemis impartita were only very rarely recorded in the past but are considered to be no longer present. The single record of Calopteryx virgo from 1930 is in our opinion a misidentification and has been removed from the checklist. The island has a rather impoverished odonate fauna compared to neighbouring countries. There are no endemic species, but the island is home to some range of restricted species of which Ischnura intermedia is the most important. Flight seasons determined for the 31 species with sufficient data were generally found to be longer than reported for other countries in the Eastern Mediterranean. This may be due to intensive year-round monitoring but could also result from Cyprus’ warmer climate. Very wide annual variations were found in the abundance of all species over the seven years and show an almost immediate response to the wide fluctuations in Cyprus’ annual rainfall levels.
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