Pyrrhosoma and its relatives: a phylogenetic study (Odonata: Zygoptera)

The placement and relationships of the red-and-black zygopteran Pyrrhosoma, currently considered to be part of the Teinobasinae, has long been uncertain. DNA fragments (COI and ITS) reveal that Pyrrhosoma s.s. is restricted to the West Palaearctic, with two morphologically distinct name-bearing clades (nymphula, elisabethae), and with a morphologically indistinct third clade in the Middle Atlas,…

Descriptions of two new Cephalaeschna species from Yunnan, China (Odonata: Aeshnidae)

Two new species, Cephalaeschna cornifrons sp. nov. and C. ordopapiliones sp. nov. from Yunnan Province, China, are described, illustrated in color and compared with known Chinese Cephalaeschna. All the holotypes are deposited in the Collection of Aquatic Animals, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. Brief notes on biology of…

An emergence study of Petalura gigantea (Odonata: Petaluridae)

Emergence studies in Odonata provide information on the behaviour, ecology and fundamental demographic parameters in population studies. This paper reports on a study of sex ratio at emergence, pattern and duration of the emergence season, and potential cohort splitting in Petalura gigantea. Sex ratio at emergence varied among years, habitat patches and swamp types. Across

The “African” genus Argiagrion is a Brazilian Leptagrion species and the “Philippine” Moroagrion a European Pyrrhosoma (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)

Argiagrion leoninum, known only from the female holotype alleged to be West African, is shown to be a junior synonym of the Brazilian species Leptagrion macrurum. Moroagrion danielli, known only from the male holotype thought to be from the Philippines, is a junior synonym of the European Pyrrhosoma nymphula. Argiagrion and Moroagrion were both monotypic…

Three new Cephalaeschna species from central China with descriptions of the hitherto unknown sex of related species (Odonata: Aeshnidae)

Three new Cephalaeschna species, C. discolor sp. nov. (holotype male; Shennongjia National Nature Reserve, Shennongjia City, Hubei province, China, 16 August 2012), C. mattii sp. nov. (holotype male; Lujiahe River, Zigui County, Hubei province, China, 18 September 2012) and C. solitaria sp. nov. (holotype male; Dalongtan in Shennongjia National Nature Reserve, Shennongjia City, Hubei province,…