17. Libellula depressa (Linnaeus, 1758)

Conservation and breeding status: LC (EU), LC (IT), LC (MED), NB

L. depressa is a central Asian - European lentic dragonfly which was recorded in EXP (4,6) and PDS (15); breeding however was not confirmed. It is a dragonfly characteristic of altitudes below 700 m in the Alps (Siesa 2017). Boano et al. (2007) reported it as widely distributed and common up to 600 m in the Piedmont plains and lowlands, whereas its occurrence in the Alps was limited to some records from Ligurian and Maritime Alps; the same pattern of altitudinal distribution was observed in Switzerland (Wildermuth et al. 2005). Later surveys revealed more observations for Piedmont, including some records penetrating the main alpine valleys (Riservato et al. 2014c). In VGNP the highest record was collected in PDS at 937 m (7 Jul 2013, two individuals); here, the species was not recorded again during the course of repeated surveys in 2016. Further research is thus needed to confirm its distribution and reproduction status around and inside VGNP, which cannot be excluded considering the observation of a metamorphosis at 1132 m and of a territorial male at 1750 m in VCO (Clemente et al. 2011).