During the course of a population genetic study of Trithemis stictica that included sites in Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Botswana and Zambia, two undescribed libellulid species were discovered in the Okavango and Upper Zambezi Floodplains. These were both previously identified as T. stictica. We describe the two species, T. morrisoni sp. nov. (holotype ♂: Namibia,…
Trithemis bifida is reported for the first time from East Africa. Previously there were only two Afrotropical records of this species: one male from Zambia and one male from the Ivory Coast. The male of T. bifida is described and compared with the closely related T. donaldsoni which is also found in East Africa. Taxonomically…
Little is known about the ability of adult dragonfly individuals to survive into or over the winter in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR), a significant biodiversity hotspot in South Africa. Dragonfly species richness and abundance were recorded throughout winter and into spring in Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. Several environmental variables were also measured. Individuals of eight…
From 12 to 25 August 2009, the odonate fauna of Santo Antão, Cape Verde was surveyed by recording adults and collecting larvae and exuviae at 26 localities, mostly situated in the northwest of the island. Based on the results of this survey and literature data on the Cape Verdes it appears that the resident odonate…
It has been shown that life history, behavioural as well as morphological traits vary with the habitats occupied by odonate larvae. Here we ask the following questions: (1) Are the morphological traits, which are associated with perception and foraging, related to the larval habitat? (2) Do these traits influence foraging success and growth rate? We…
Orthographic details of 118 name-bearing types of Odonata and 11 ‘holotypes’ of forms, without nomenclatural status, are provided in two parts: the second and present paper deals with Zygoptera. The taxonomy of the gracilis-group of Chlorocypha and the Afrotropical members of Prodasineura and Aciagrion are discussed. Chlorocypha fabamacula is removed from synonymy with C. wittei;…
Orthographic details of 118 name-bearing types of Odonata are provided in two parts: the first and present paper deals with Anisoptera, the second with Zygoptera. 58 types pertain to good species, although the taxonomy of at least four is problematic. The details of 11 ‘holotypes’ of forms are also provided, although these and their names…
I investigated whether the level of male harassment affects females’ oviposition behaviour, such that females oviposit unguarded under suboptimal conditions and/or vary oviposition duration, dip number, dip frequency or number of oviposition site changes. The study species were the libellulids Crocothemis erythraea, Ortbetrum chrysostigma, Pantala flavescens, Sympetrum fonscolombii, Trithemis annulata and T. kirbyi ardens. Only…