Geographical variation in size of the three final stadia of Cordulegaster boltonii (Donovan, 1807) larvae in the Iberian Peninsula (Odonata: Cordulegastridae)

M. Ángeles Hernándeza , Patricia Casanuevab, Javier Oscoza, Luis Fernando Sánchez-Sastrec, Manuel Ferreras-Romerod, Francisco Campose

  1. Departamento de Biología Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Navarra, 31080 Pamplona, Spain
  2. Departamento de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad Europea Miguel de Cervantes, 47012 Valladolid, Spain
  3. Área de Ingeniería Cartográfica, Geodésica y Fotogrametría, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenierías Agrarias, Universidad de Valladolid, 34004 Palencia, Spain
  4. Calle Gerona 9, 41003 Seville, Spain
  5. Paseo de Zorrilla 100, 47006 Valladolid, Spain

International Journal of Odonatology, Volume 27, Pages 77-84, 2024
https://doi.org/10.48156/1388.2024.1917271
Published: 13 March 2024 (Received: 5 December 2023, Accepted: 1 March 2024)

Abstract

A two-variable analysis of male and female Cordulegaster boltonii larvae (head width and hindwing sheath length) in specimens from five Iberian populations was carried out with the objective of ascertaining whether these traits differ between populations. The results indicate that the southernmost population (Los Alcornocales, Andalusia) have larger sizes for both variables and a lower growth rate between the penultimate and final stadia. Winter water temperatures, which may cause a longer arrest of larval growth in northern populations, and possible differences in the number of larval stadia could be the origin of the size divergences.

Keywords: Anisoptera, dragonflies, growth rate, larval stadia, southern Europe

Issue section: Original Article