Lestes macrostigma is a stenotopic dragonfly species of Western Palaearctic distribution that has high conservation status almost throughout its range. It inhabits mainly brackish water with a typical plant species, sea club-rush Bolboschoenus maritimus. Due to the absence of special investigations, the nature of this insect–plant association is not clearly understood, but it was supposed…

Clutch size is an important fitness component often quantified artificially by inducing oviposition in libellulid females. Female behavior and egg production of the yellow-veined skimmer, Orthetrum nitidinerve, were studied in northeast Algeria during its reproductive season. Data on reproductive behavior and biology of this Mediterranean endemic species has not been published previously. Males guarded territories…

Oviposition of Sympecma paedisca was observed in eastern Kazakstan. The main oviposition substrates were living Phragmites leaves. In comparison with European and Japanese populations we propose geographic variation in the proportional use of horizontal versus vertical oviposition substrates. Ovipositing females seemed to avoid the inner parts of Phragmites stands and there was a preference for…

The determination of seasonal regulation is important to understand how species have adapted to their local environmental conditions. In this study, we investigate the life history of a North African endemic damselfly, Platycnemis subdilatata, in a northeast Algerian population. We combined field and laboratory investigations to assess the embryonic development, larval growth, emergence pattern and…

A comparative study of female external genitalia was carried out in representatives of three dragonfly families that lay eggs exophytically, with special emphasis placed on skeletal musculature and sensilla. Female external genitalia are characteristically represented by the vulvar lamina and rudiments on the 9th sternum. In a gomphid, Gomphus vulgatissimus, and a corduliid, Cordulia aenea,…

The morphology of the endophytic ovipositor in Epiophlebia superstes was studied with light and electron microscopy with special emphasis made on the musculature and microsculpture of the exoskeleton. Structural characters are described and illustrated. The musculature of the ovipositor has many similarities with zygopterans. The ovipositor and 10th adominal segment bear groups of setae and…

Very little is known about the biology of larval odonates from the Neotropical region, and in particular there are no data on behavioral changes during ontogeny and growth ratios, though both are crucial to understanding the dynamics of Odonata communities. Here we study growth ratio, development patterns and behavior of Rhionaeschna marchali larvae. We characterized…

Damselflies adapted to forest habitats are expected to be negatively affected by the disturbance of riparian forests, due to the change in insolation when trees are cleared. In this paper, we compare survivorship and behaviour of two populations of Heteragrion cooki by means of mark-recapture methods and focal observations of adults. We found similar densities…

Zygonyx torridus inhabits waterfalls, rapids and riffle sections. Males patrol over these sites. After copulation the partners perform an extensive search while flying in tandem over a wide range. Behavioural studies in Mauritius 1997 and 2014 showed that there is considerable plasticity in oviposition behaviour. Three main modes could be distinguished: (A) egg-laying in tandem…

The exoskeleton of the female genitalic region in Phenes raptor is described based on light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. It is shown that in this species the pattern of sclerites, articulations, processes, and apodemes is overall the same as in other ovipositor-bearing Odonata, i.e. Zygoptera, the anisozygopteran Epiophlebia, and the anisopteran Aeshnidae. However, many…