https://doi.org/10.4081/nhs.2026.974
Just found and already in danger: first observations of the Italian endemic Coenagrion castellani Roberts 1948 (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) in Lunigiana, northern Tuscany, with a new altitudinal record
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Published: 2 July 2026
The presence of the Italian endemic odonate Coenagrion castellani is herein reported for the first time in the province of Massa-Carrara, in two distinct areas of the Lunigiana historical region. One population was found in 2025 in the SAC IT5110002 “Monte Orsaro” and is located about 100 m from the border of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park, where the species is not reported. The second site is known for two specimens collected in 2012 in a wetland situated at 1150 m a.s.l. in the Zeri Valleys, about 15 km apart from the first site and outside any protected area. This latter observation represents the new upper altitudinal limit for the species. Unfortunately, this wetland has undergone significant habitat alteration, and the species has not been confirmed in 2025. This valuable Italian endemic species is included in the Annex II of the Habitats Directive and is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN; however, its geographical distribution has not yet been exhaustively defined. These observations highlight the urgency of identifying unknown populations of this Species of Community interest, particularly in stations outside protected areas to protect them adequately.
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