Taxonomy, behaviour, and habitat of Mesopodagrion and Sinocnemis. Notes on Old World Megapodagrionidae 3 (Odonata)

Abstract

Published records of Mesopodagrion are reviewed and the distributions of M. tibetanum and M. yachowensis are given. Sinocnemis henanese is considered a junior synonym of S. yangbingi. Based on morphological and behavioural characters Sinocnemis is removed from Platycnemididae and placed in Megapodagrionidae. Species of Sinocnemis show a general resemblance to species of Mesopodagrion but it is not clear if the two genera are closely related. Adults of both Mesopodagrion and Sinocnemis rest with open wings, and show a preference for perching on horizontal surfaces, keeping their thorax and abdomen close to the surface of their perch. This behaviour may have a thermoregulatory function.

Keywords: Odonata, dragonfly, Megapodagrionidae, Mesopodagrion, Sinocnemis, taxonomy, habitat, thermoregulation

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