Sahlberg’s Aquatic Weevil was described in 1911; it is known exclusively from the type series of four specimens that were collected from the Ayalon River in Tel Aviv, Israel, which now is almost completely channeled and probably quite polluted due to agriculture.
The species has not been found since its description and is thus very likely already extinct. [1]
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References:
[1] Ariel-Leib-Leonid Friedman: Review of the Hygrophilous Weevils in Israel (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea). Diversity 10: 1-48. 2018
This species was described in 1998; it is known only from several specimens that were collected in 1936 from Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus L.) growing in the Hula swamp in the Hula Valley in Israel.
The species is thought to have been semi-aquatic, it is now very likely extinct as the Hula Valley has been drained completely for agricultural purposes. [1]
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References:
[1] Ariel-Leib-Leonid Friedman: Review of the Hygrophilous Weevils in Israel (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea). Diversity 10: 1-48. 2018
Lake Hula Phantom Flutterer (Rhyothemis semihyalina ssp. syriaca)
The Phantom Flutterer (Rhyothemis semihyalina (Desjardins)) is very widely distributed on the African continent. The species is sometimes split into several subspecies of which some may be valid and others not.
The form that formerly inhabited the Hula Valley in Israel was described as a distinct subspecies in 1850, it is thought of as having been a Pleistocene relict form. This alleged subspecies is said to differ from the nominate in having the black spots on the hindwings more reduced, leaving a narrow hyaline fringe along the posterior border of the wings. Structurally, however, both subspecies are identical. [1]
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The complete drainage of Lake Hula as well as of the swamps associated with this lake in 1958 led to the extinction not just only of this endemic dragonfly form.
[1] H. J. Dumont: Endemic dragonflies of Late Pleistocene age of the Hula Lake area (northern Israel), with notes on the Calopterygidae of the rivers Jordan (Israel, Jordan) and Litani (The Lebanon), and description of Urothemis edwardsi hulae subspec. nov. (Libellulidae). Odonatologica 4(1):1-9. 1975
The Long Jaw Tristramella was endemic to the so-called Sea of Galilee, also known as Lake Tiberias, a small freshwater lake in northern Israel.
The species reproduced by spawning in the marshy northern part of the lake; this part of the lake, however, dried out repeatedly during the 1990s, resulting in the disappearance of this fish species.
The Long Jaw Tristramella is now extinct.
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Depiction from: Louis Charles Émile Lortet: Poissons et Reptiles du lac de Tibériade et de quelques autres parties de la Syrie. Lyon 1883
The Blue Basker (Urothemis edwardsi (Selys)) is very widespread on the African continent and once also inhabited parts of the Middle East. The Middle East form, however, is not universally accepted as a distinct taxon.
The Lake Hula Basker was described in 1975, it is thought to have been a Pleistocene relict that was restricted to the Hula Valley in Israel. It differs from the nominate in the extent of the basal spot on its hindwings which is greatly reduced.
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The Lake Hula Basker disappeared due to the complete drainage of Lake Hula and its attached swamps in 1958.
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The photo below shows the nominate race of that species.
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Blue Basker (Urothemis edwardsi (Selys)); nominate
[1] H. J. Dumont: Endemic dragonflies of Late Pleistocene age of the Hula Lake area (northern Israel), with notes on the Calopterygidae of the rivers Jordan (Israel, Jordan) and Litani (The Lebanon), and description of Urothemis edwardsi hulae subspec. nov. (Libellulidae). Odonatologica 4(1): 1-9. 1975
