| Sumario: | Abstract. A case of successful restoration of a tropical wetland evaluated through its Odonata (Insecta) larval assemblage. This article provides numerical study of the Odonata larvae from a tropical recovered wetland located in La Mancha (LM, Ramsar site 1336), Veracruz, Mexico. Larval surveys were performed during the dry and rainy seasons of 2010 and 2011 and compared to a reference site in the locality of Cansaburro (CB). The effect of site, season and year on Odonata larval abundance was explored and diversity, richness, evenness and abundance distributions of both assemblages were compared. A total of 3,718 larvae from 25 species (five Zygoptera and 20 Anisoptera) in 14 genera and three families were collected from both wetlands. Species number was equal to both wetlands although abundance was significantly higher in LM. Diversity and species abundance patterns in both sites were similar although Shannon diversity was significant and slightly higher in the reference site. Differences in species composition and species dominance order between both assemblages were observed and addressed to differences in the aquatic plant structure between both wetlands which is mainly affected by management in La Mancha and by cattle grazing in Cansaburro. While the diversity of La Mancha was lesser than the reference site, most of the results of this investigation showed that La Mancha wetland has been successfully recovered.
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