An annotated check list of Hong Kong dragonflies and assessment of their local conservation significance

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). An annotated check list of Hong Kong Odonata was compiled, listing 128 taxa. Comparison of local distribution of dragonflies during the present study with that recorded by Wilson (1997a) indicated that only three species had undergone significant decline in the intervening two decades, while several others (including the conservationsignificant Mortonagrion hirosei Asahina, 1972 and Orthetrum poecilops Ris, 1919) had considerably extended local distributions. Twentyeight species of particular conservation importance for Hong Kong were identified and ranked, using a species conservation value assessment metric.