Information on the origin of distribution patterns shown by freshwater invertebrates in the Indo-Australian Archipelago is poor. Here we present a molecular based hypothesis of the phylogenetic relationships of Argiolestidae, a family of damselflies found throughout the tropical parts of the Eastern Hemisphere. We use this to address the following questions: (1) did Argiolestidae colonize…
Aerial dispersal of freshwater gastropods by dragonflies (Odonata)
At a ditch near Tribsees in northeastern Germany a young individual of the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis was photographed while attached to the dorsum of the abdomen of a female Aeshna viridis, after the odonate took off after oviposition in Stratiotes aloides. This is the first known case for odonate-born dispersal of freshwater gastropods.
Differential dispersal propensities between individuals in male Leucorrhinia intacta (Odonata: Libellulidae)
I compared males of Leucorrhinia intacta collected at two permanent and two previously dried ponds to assess whether males colonizing formerly dried sites differed in morphology or level of mite parasitism from males at permanent sites. Males colonizing sites that had local extinctions in the previous year due to pond drying were more similar to…
Evidence for widespread gene flow and migration in the Globe Skimmer dragonfly Pantala flavescens
The global population structure and dispersal patterns of Pantala flavescens (Fabricius, 1798) are evaluated using a geographically extensive mitochondrial DNA dataset, a more limited samples of nuclear markers, wing isotopic (δ²H) data and a literature review. No spatial or temporal haplotype structure was recovered between the samples.
Environmental variables affect the diversity of adult damselflies (Odonata: Zygoptera) in western Amazonia
Our study evaluated the effects of environmental variables on the assemblages of the suborder Zygoptera, and tested the hypothesis that environmental variables are more important determinants of the structure of these assemblages than limnological variables in streams. We sampled 17 streams in the Carajás National Forest and tested our hypothesis using a linear regression analysis, with the zygopteran species composition, richness, and abundance as the response variables.
Forest edges and their effects on the arrival of dragonflies at north-temperate experimental ponds
The matrix, an environment in the landscape that individuals move through but do not reside in, can affect species dispersal and the arrival of individuals at habitat patches. Elements around this matrix that provide refuge or resources may shape the arrival of animals at habitat patches, even when those patches are equivalent in quality. Adult dragonflies (Odonata: Anisoptera) frequently use open terrestrial environments during movement and dispersal in north-temperate regions…
Wing shape patterns among urban, suburban, and rural populations of Ischnura elegans (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)
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,
Genetic consequences of range expansions along several fronts in Crocothemis erythraea
Global warming has altered the ranges of many species, especially those of insects and other ectotherms that are particularly susceptible to rising temperatures. Four decades ago, the dragonfly Crocothemis erythraea began to demonstrate northern range expansion in Germany, as well as in Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and the UK. The rapid range expansion of C….
Spatial displacement of Odonata in south-west Siberia
A brief account is presented of mass dragonfly migrations observed previously in Russia and West Siberia in particular. A mass migration in Libellula quadrimaculata is described in detail. It occurred on 1 July 1981 in the south-western part of the West Siberian Plain in the valley of the Ishym River. From 1968 to 2008 we…
Population structure of Polythore procera at a Colombian stream (Odonata: Polythoridae)
We studied a population of Polythore procera along a stream in the Colombian eastern Andean foothills. Mark and recapture samples were made during January to April 2006, covering both dry and wet seasons. We determined population size, daily survival probability, and longevity during the entire period and compared them with precipitation data. Age and sex…