Odonata enter the biodiversity crisis debate: The first global assessment of an insect group

The status and trends of global biodiversity are often measured with a bias towards datasets limited to terrestrial vertebrates. The first global assessment of an insect order (Odonata) provides new context to the ongoing discussion of current biodiversity loss. A randomly selected sample of 1500 (26.4%) of the 5680 described dragonflies and damselflies was assessed using IUCN’s Red List criteria. Distribution maps for each species were created and species were assigned to habitat types. These data were analysed in respect to threat level for regions and habitat types. We have found that one in 10 species of dragonflies and damselflies is threatened with extinction. This threat level is among the lowest of groups that have been assessed to date, suggesting that previous estimates of extinction risk for insects might be misleading. However, Odonata only comprise a small invertebrate order, with above-average dispersal ability and relatively wide distribution ranges. For conservation science and policy to be truly representative of global biodiversity a representative cross-section of invertebrates needs to be included. Fil: Clausnitzer, Viola. Philipps-University of Marburg; Alemania Fil: Kalkman, Vincent J.. National Museum of Natural History; Países Bajos Fil: Ram, Mala. Zoological Society of London. Institute of Zoology; Reino Unido Fil: Collen, Ben. The Zoological Society Of London; Reino Unido Fil: Baillie, Jonathan E.M.. The Zoological Society Of London; Reino Unido Fil: Bedjanič, Matjaž. No especifica; Fil: Darwall, William R.T.. Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza; Reino Unido Fil: Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B.. National Museum of Natural History; Países Bajos Fil: Dow, Rory. No especifica; Fil: Hawking, John. Latrobe University; Australia Fil: Karube, Haruki. Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural ; Japón Fil: Malikova, Elena. Blagoveshchensk State Pedagogical University; Rusia Fil: Paulson, Dennis. University of Puget Sound; Estados Unidos Fil: Schütte, Kai. Universitat Hamburg; Alemania Fil: Suhling, Frank. Universität Braunschweig; Alemania Fil: Villanueva, Reagan J.. Ateneo de Davao University,; Filipinas Fil: Von Ellenrieder, Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; Argentina Fil: Wilson, Keith. No especifica