Dragonflies and damselflies are hosts to a variety of parasites and pathogens. However, very few studies have investigated which viruses infect dragonflies and damselflies. Here, based on next generation RNA sequencing of RNA from Leucorrhinia dubia (Libellulidae, Anisoptera) and Coenagrion puella (Coenagrionidae, Zygoptera) larvae, data on putative viruses present in odonates are reported. In both…
Zygonyx torridus inhabits waterfalls, rapids and riffle sections. Males patrol over these sites. After copulation the partners perform an extensive search while flying in tandem over a wide range. Behavioural studies in Mauritius 1997 and 2014 showed that there is considerable plasticity in oviposition behaviour. Three main modes could be distinguished: (A) egg-laying in tandem…
Odonates in (slow) motion: a tribute to Georg Rüppell Dagmar Hilfert-Rüppella , Andreas Martensb , Frank Suhlingc Institut für Fachdidaktik der Naturwissenschaften, Abteilung Biologie und Biologiedidaktik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany University of Education Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Germany Institut für Geoökologie, Division Landscape Ecology and Environmental System Analysis, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany International Journal of (more…)
Second and third stadium larvae of Gomphus flavipes have dorsolateral cuticular outgrowths in the form of small basal tubercles bearing fan-shaped setae. These sensilla are aligned in two rows on each side of the thorax and abdomen. European species of Gomphus, Onychogomphus and Ophiogomphus that we examined lack these structures, having instead, at most, short…
A hitherto unknown flight pattern of female Calopteryx splendens is described. On a day with heavy winds, when no damselfly could fly in open space of the river, I observed and filmed four to six females foraging in a small bay sheltered by bank vegetation. Females fought for perches and showed a threatening flight with…
Phenotypic plasticity represents an adaptive tool in organisms including odonates to cope with heterogeneous environmental conditions. However, while some odonate species can occupy various changing habitats, other species are adapted to a narrow range of environmental conditions. Commonly, behavioural modifications are applied to avoid detection and encounters with predators. But reduced behavioural activity results in…
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…
We review the knowledge about the thermal reaction norms of larval growth in Odonata with a focus on the temperature response function. We re-analyze literature data and present our own results on growth rates of larvae of 14 species of Libellulidae reared at different temperatures. Temperature response curves (TRC) were fitted in order to estimate…
Genetically determined color polymorphisms have a long history in the study of evolutionary change acting on populations. The Odonata exhibit relatively high levels of sex-specific color polymorphisms in mature adults. In Ischnura and Coenagrion, female-specific polymorphisms are known to be controlled by Mendelian genes. Nearly half of Enallagma species have polymorphic females, but the inheritance…