Diversity of dragonflies and damselflies in Rwanda with a focus on Nyungwe and Akagera National Parks (Odonata)

Globally over 6400 species of dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) are known, all confined to freshwater ecosystems, from the muddiest puddles to the greatest lakes and clearest springs. To date 115 species of Odonata are known from Rwanda. We have confirmed the presence of 75 dragonfly species in Akagera National Park and its immediate surroundings, especially the swampy area at the park entrance, and 52 dragonfly species in Nyungwe National Park. Data include historical information and records collected during recent surveys and the Summer Schools carried out in Nyungwe National Park in 2021 and 2022 and in Akagera National Park in 2023 as part of the project “Mind the Darwinian Shortfalls: A Graduate Summer School on Biodiversity and Collection Management in East Africa”, a joint initiative of the Senckenberg Research Institute, Germany, and the Center of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management (CoEB) at the University of Rwanda.