Signalling with clear wings during territorial behaviour and courtship of Chlorocypha cancellata (Odonata, Chlorocyphidae)

The reproductive behaviour of the damselfly Chlorocypha cancellata (Chlorocyphidae) was filmed at 600 frames per second. Different flight styles including straight, forward flight, threat and courtship display were analysed with respect to changes in wing beat frequency and phase relationships of fore and hind wings. The analysis revealed significant differences in the flight style between…

Reproductive behaviour and the system of signalling in Neurobasis chinensis (Odonata, Calopterygidae) – a kinematic analysis

The reproductive behaviour of the damselfly Neurobasis chinensis (Calopterygidae) was filmed at 300 and 600 frames per second in Thailand in spring 2009. This was subsequently viewed in slow motion for detailed analysis. Altogether we observed 26 matings at two different sites. Besides visual observations of behaviour of male–female encounters at the reproductive sites, we…

Kinematic analysis of maiden flight of Odonata

The maiden flight of five species of Odonata of different families was filmed by slow motion up to 500 f/s and analysed frame by frame. The aim of this study was to find out if the maiden flight differs among various species as well as between tenerals and adults within the same species with respect…

Smaller damselflies have better flight performance at lower body temperature: implications for microhabitat segregation of sympatric Mnais damselflies

In many cases where two closely related species coexist, ecological interaction or reproductive interference drive species to diversify in their body size and/or other signal traits, often concurrently with microhabitat segregation. However, it is usually unclear how character diversification is associated with microhabitat segregation. We performed laboratory experiments using males of two damselfly species (Mnais…