Protosticta binhi sp. n. is described from the Central Highlands of Vietnam (holotype male: Vietnam, Gia Lai Province, K’Bang District, Dak Roong Commune, Dak Hro village, 14.36611° N, 108.4103° E, 1130 m asl, 22 May 2018, T.odo. 22051810, Zoological Collection of Duy Tan University). The new species can be easily distinguished from all other Protosticta…
We investigated the odonates of Wadi Cherf, a tributary of Wadi Seybouse, and explored the main environmental factors that may be important drivers of the abundance and diversity of Odonata assemblages. PCA analyses demonstrated a significant altitudinal gradient associated with water flow, temperature, vegetation cover, substrate and adjacent land use. Notably, pollution was a dominant…
Predator escape behaviour is a critical component of dragonfly life history. Flight initiation distance is the distance at which escape commences, and is well studied in vertebrates, barely studied in invertebrates, and entirely unstudied in dragonflies. Here we test four principles regarding flight initiation distance as derived from studies of vertebrates to examine if they…
We address six issues raised by Nel, Garrouste and Schubnel (2019) concerning the scheme of wing vein homology and nomenclature proposed by Trueman and Rowe (2019); showing in particular how evidence presented in a tomographical study of a dragonfly wing by Jacquelin et al. (2018) fits into this scheme.
Coeliccia cyanomelas is studied based on a large series of specimens from its whole distribution range. Intraspecies variations of color patterns on the thorax are discussed. Coeliccia sexmaculata Wang, 1994, Coeliccia mingxiensis Xu, 2006, and Coeliccia wilsoni Zhang & Huo, 2011 are all assigned as junior synonyms of Coeliccia cyanomelas. One ‘variety’ from Guizhou is…
The final stadium larva of Anisagrion allopterum is described for the first time for Middle America, based upon specimens reared and emerging in the field, from Cartago, Province, Costa Rica. Detailed illustrations are also provided. The larva of this species is characterized by a slender yellow body, premental setae 4+1, five palpal setae, male cerci…
Tachopteryx thoreyi is one of only two species of petalurid dragonflies with a non-fossorial larval stage. In the context of questions related to the phylogenetics, historical biogeography and current distribution of the Petaluridae, the evolution of a burrowing larval stage in petalurids, which is unique in the Odonata, is of considerable interest. This paper reports…
Dragonflies (Odonata: Anisoptera) are often used as indicators of habitat type and quality due to their varied use of aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Species differ in their preferences for lotic and lentic waters, but community changes across ecotones, or transitional zones between distinct habitats (e.g. lotic and lentic), are not well understood. We quantified dragonfly…
Trueman and Rowe (2019) claimed that they have finally solved the wing venation homologies for the Odonatoptera, refuting the previous models, and especially that of Riek and Kukalová-Peck (1984). Nevertheless, their proposal has several failures, viz. nature of the distal part of their “anal vein”, nature of the “MA”, and incongruence with recent results obtained…
This study investigated the biological water quality and Odonata assemblages in three waterbodies in Ilara-Mokin, with the aim of determining the ecological integrity of the ecosystems. Sampling of Odonata specimens was carried out over April–August, 2017 between 9.00am and 4.00pm under favourable conditions. Some physico-chemical parameters of the water such as dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity,…