New records of Aeshna subarctica elisabethae (Odonata, Aeshnidae) from the Tatra Mountains (Slovakia)

Aeshna subarctica elisabethae Djakonov, 1922 belongs to the endangered species of dragonflies in Slovakia (David, 2001). This boreo-montan species is a rare inhabitant of bogs and boggy marshes with Sphagnum sp. Eutrophication renders water unsuitable for Aeshna subarctica Walker, 1908 (Askew, 1988). In the High Tatra Mts, we found one larva and some imagoes in a small shallow raised bog with dominant moss Sphagnum sp. and some rare plant species: Oxycocus palustris, Scheuchzeria palustris, Carex pauciflora, Drosera rotundifolia, Eriophorum vaginatum, Carex limosa. Material examined: High Tatra Mts (49◦07.488′ N, 20◦03.208′ E), 1379 m a.s.l., 1 larva, 2.X.2002, leg. T. Derka, det. et coll. E. Bulánková; 1 , 14 exuviae, 5.VII. .2003, leg. et det. D. Šácha; 6 , 1 , 4 exuviae, 9.VII. 2003, leg. et det. D. Šácha; 2 , 1 , 8 exuviae, 24.VIII.2003, leg. et det. D. Šácha; 1 exuvium, 7.VI.2004, leg. et det. D. Šácha. The dragonflies associated with this habitat were Aeshna juncea (L., 1758), Somatochlora alpestris (Sélys, 1840) and Leucorrhinia dubia (van der Linden, 1825). Janský & David (1997) found Aeshna subarctica elisabethae in raised bog Klinské rašelinisko (NW Slovakia). Out of the High Tatra lakes, some larvae of this species were found in Jamské pleso (Trpiš, 1965; Krno, 1991), Tatranská kotlina basin, Javorina, in Štrbské pleso (Trpiš, 1965) and in Nižné Rakytovské pleso (Lukáš, 1995). Larvae occur together with Aeshna juncea and it is a problem to distinguish Aeshna subarctica from Aeshna juncea which had been previously confused (Askew, 1988). The occurrence of larvae and imagoes together confirm the breeding of Aeshna subarctica elisabethae in mentioned acid pool.