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Winged wonders

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You can find at least 51 species of dragonfly and damselfly at the Mai Po Nature Reserve, according to a two-year field study organised by WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) Hong Kong.

The study, which began in May 2003, covered two hectares of marshes, ponds, mangroves and reed beds in Mai Po.

The researchers recorded the number of dragonfly and damselfly species in the area once a week.

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Among the 51 species recorded, the Midget (Mortonagrion hirosei) is a damselfly classified as 'endangered' by the World Conservation Union, while 15 others are rare or uncommon species in Hong Kong.

The Midget has only been found in a few places in Hong Kong and Japan.

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Also, the researchers found the Eastern Lilysquatter (Paracercion melanotum) in Mai Po for the first time. It is a blue damselfly - about 25 millimetres long - that is very rare.

WWF Hong Kong education officer Alex Wong Wai-tung said dragonflies and damselflies are semi-aquatic insects developed from larvae.

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