Diel pattern of activity, mating, and flight behaviour in Onychogomphus uncatus (Odonata: Gomphidae)

The behaviour of Onychogomphus uncatus, including flight and mating activity, was studied at a fast-flowing irrigation canal. During the day, males perched in sections of the canal with a strong current and a turbulent water surface. During short flights, interactions with other con-specific and hetero-specific males occurred, particularly with Orthetrum coerulescens. Under conditions of high…

Distribution, autecology, genetic characterization, and conservation of the Western Mediterranean endemic dragonfly Orthetrum nitidinerve (Selys, 1841): insights from Italy

Aquatic macroinvertebrates are a primary component of freshwater ecosystems and one of the most threatened by anthropogenic pressures. Among them, dragonflies are a charismatic group of growing scientific and social interest. However, little is known about the natural history of several species. One paradigmatic example is the declining Orthetrum nitidinerve, a Western Mediterranean endemic anisopteran….

The Odonata of Tunisia

Between 1987 and 1999 several visits to 69 localities in Tunisia were made. Altogether 46 species of Odonata, including 10 new to Tunisia, were recorded, raising the Tunisian checklist to 52 species. Our observations cover early May to mid June and late September to early November. Using as a basis for inference data from nearby…

Ecology and distribution of Lindenia tetraphylla (Insecta, Odonata, Gomphidae): A review

Information (published and unpublished) on ecology, phenology, and geographical distribution of Lindenia tetraphylla is reviewed. It reaches from Sardinia (Italy; in the past also Spain) in the West, along the northern coasts of the Mediterranean, the Caspian region and the Middle East, to Kazakhstan, Kirgizia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in the East. The southernmost record is…

Aspects of life history of Platycnemis subdilatata (Zygoptera: Platycnemididae) in Northeast Algeria

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…

Lifetime egg production of captive libellulids (Odonata)

The estimation of lifetime egg production (LEP) is a central question in ecology, since the number of eggs produced determines the potential size of the following generation. In this study, I tried to obtain a rough estimation of the LEPs in libellulids in outdoor cages. The main questions were: (1) does hand feeding influence females’…