Dragonflies and damselflies (the Odonata) are among the most efficient flying insects. However, fragmentation of the landscape can increase distance between habitats and affect costs of dispersal, thus shaping phenotypic patterns of flight-related traits, such as wing shape, wing loading and wing size. Urban landscapes are highly fragmented, which limits dispersal among aquatic habitats. Hence,
Ten common libellulid species perch along the shoreline of lakes and ponds in South Carolina, USA. We collected individuals at five ponds throughout summer 2005, weighed them in the field, and calculated wing loading (N·m2) and wing aspect ratios from digital photographs. We measured the perch-height preferences of these species in ‘low perch’ (10, 20,…
Odonata flight performance capabilities and behaviour and their body and wing form diversity are explored, and their interrelationships discussed theoretically and from observational evidence. Overall size and particularly wing loading appear predictably to be related to speed range. In Anisoptera at least, relatively short bodies and long wings should favour high speed manoeuvrability, though further…
For eleven species of sympatric libellulids, male mean mass was positively correlated with wing aspect ratio, wing loading, and mean perch height. We tested the hypotheses that perch height selection was governed by interspecific competition or biomechanical responses to increased wind speed at higher perches. Although larger odonates might prefer higher perches to offset their…