A ranking of key dragonfly sites in Hong Kong using a species conservation value assessment metric

Dragonflies were surveyed at 33 sites across the territory of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region over the period 20162017. Surveys included identification of larvae, exuviae and adults, and involved 92 separate site visits. The chosen sites covered the whole spectrum of dragonfly habitats in Hong Kong, with the exception of actively managed fish ponds and reservoirs. Twentytwo of the study locations had been identified as "key dragonfly sites" by Wilson (1997a); eight of these are found to no longer merit such status. Two of the "key dragonfly sites" are here retained and expanded to include adjacent dragonflyrich areas, and four new key dragonfly sites are proposed. Sites are evaluated by species richness, number of species of conservation importance (Reels 2019), and by means of a species conservation value metric (Reels 2019) applied to the entire dragonfly species assemblage present at each site. By all such measures, Sha Lo Tung / Hok Tau is determined to be Hong Kong's premier dragonfly site.