The ebony boghaunter (''Williamsonia fletcheri'') is a species of

dragonfly A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonfly are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threate ...

in the emerald family

Corduliidae The Corduliidae, also knowns as the emeralds, emerald dragonflies or green-eyed skimmers, is a family of dragonflies. These dragonflies are usually black or dark brown with areas of metallic green or yellow, and most of them have large, emerald-gr ...

. It is found in southeastern

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

and the northeastern

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. Larvae occur in acidic bogs.

Taxonomy

Williamsonia fletcheri genitalia illustration - E B Williamson

The Ebony Boghaunter was first

scientifically described A species description is a formal description of a newly discovered species, usually in the form of a scientific paper. Its purpose is to give a clear description of a new species of organism and explain how it differs from species that have be ...

in 1923 by American

entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arach ...

Edward Bruce Williamson based on 10 specimens collected in Mer Bleue Bog in

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

. The name ''fletcheri'' recognises Canadian entomologist James Fletcher, chosen by Williamson as the species was then known only from Canada. The genus ''Williamsonia'' had previously been named after Williamson in 1913. The description of this species was the subject of some dispute between Williamson and American entomologist R. Heber Howe Jr. The dispute originated in the fact that two specimens of ''W. fletcheri'' from Manitoba had been given a name, but not described, in 1867 by German entomologist

Hermann August Hagen Hermann August Hagen (30 May 1817 – 9 November 1893) was a German entomologist who specialised in Neuroptera and Odonata. He had established himself as one of Europe's preeminent entomologists by 1867 when he accepted a position at Harvard Unive ...

. The two men disagreed as to what implications this had for a proper species description being published. Howe wanted to include a brief description of ''W. fletcheri'' in a paper about '' Williamsonia lintneri'', using the name Hagen had proposed. This would, under the rules of zoological nomenclature, give permanent priority to that name. Williamson was simultaneously working on a full, detailed description of ''W. fletcheri'', for which he intended to create a new name. Williamson eventually prevailed, which is why the species bears the name he created and why it has the author citation "Williamson".

Description

The ebony boghaunter is a small emerald, 29-35 mm long as an adult. The adult body is dark brown to black, with bright green eyes on males, duller on females. Several white rings are present at the base of the abdomen, and the wings are clear except for orange tinging at the base. The larvae are about 16 mm long, and brown with a paler stripe down the back. The larvae are nearly identical to those of the closely related

Ringed Boghaunter The ringed boghaunter (''Williamsonia lintneri'') is a species of dragonfly in the emerald family ( Corduliidae). It is found at acid bogs in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. Description The adult ringed boghaunter is a s ...

. Despite repeated efforts, the larvae was not first collected until 1985.

Distribution

The ebony boghaunter has a narrow range, from

Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

, eastern

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

and northern

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

, through

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

, northern

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, and

central Ontario Central Ontario is a secondary region of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario that lies between Georgian Bay and the eastern end of Lake Ontario. The population of the region was 1,123,307 in 2016; however, this number does not in ...

, and east to

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

and southern portions of the

Canadian Maritimes The Maritimes, also called the Maritime provinces, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. The Maritimes had a population of 1,899,324 in 2021, which makes up 5.1% of Ca ...

Life History

Larvae are found in small pools in acidic bogs, typically surrounded by woodland and with abundant mosses. Males may be found at the breeding pools, although individuals and mating pairs are often found at some distance from the water. Adults fly very early in the season, typically in May and June. Unlike other emerald species, but similar to the

, Ebony Boghaunter often perches flat on the ground or on tree trunks.

Conservation Status

Ebony Boghaunter is classified as "endangered" in Massachusetts. It is considered rare in most jurisdictions where it is found, including Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williamsonia fletcheri Corduliidae Insects described in 1923