Group oviposition in three platycnemidid species (Odonata: Platycnemididae)

Group oviposition in three platycnemidid species (Odonata: Platycnemididae) 00

Andreas Martensa

  1. Zoologisches Institut der Technischen Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany

International Journal of Odonatology, Volume 5, Issue 1, Pages 75-80, 2002

https://doi.org/10.1080/13887890.2002.9748177

Published: 1 April 2002 (Received: 23 August 2001, Accepted: 24 November 2001)

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Abstract

The European Platycnemis acutipennis and P. latipes and the African Mesocnemis singularis aggregate during oviposition. Choice experiments show that, in all three species, groups develop because tandems preferentially land where conspecifics already show oviposition behaviour. Just a single motionless male in the typical vertical position of a tandem male stimulates aggregation and oviposition behaviour in conspecifics.

Keywords: Odonata, dragonfly, aggregation, habitat selection, oviposition site selection, Mesocnemis, Platycnemis

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