Two new species of the family Philogeniidae (Odonata: Zygoptera) from the Western Colombian Andes

The family Philogeniidae was recently proposed as a monophyletic clade grouping the genera Philogenia and Archaeopodagrion. Here, two new species found during recent expeditions to the Western Colombian Andes are described, Archaeopodagrion fernandoi sp. nov. and Philogenia martae sp. nov. Also, Philogenia zeteki is recorded for the first time in Colombia. Natural history notes, a…

Survival is predicted by territorial status but not wing pigmentation in males of a polythorid damselfly, Euthore fasciata (Odonata: Zygoptera: Polythoridae)

Robust male condition must be favored and should be signaled to conspecifics via enhanced aggression and more highly expressed ornamental traits. One way that such robust condition, and thereby the expression of aggression and ornamental traits, can be assessed is via survival. In odonate adults, condition (in the form of lipid reserves, muscle mass and…

Differential larval responses of two ecologically similar insects (Odonata) to temperature and resource variation

How species respond to shifting environmental conditions is a central question in ecology, especially because ecosystems are experiencing rapidly changing climatic conditions. However, predicting the responses of species interactions and community composition to changing conditions is often difficult. We examined the effects of rearing temperature and resource level on larval survival of two ecologically similar…

An examination of competitive gametic isolation mechanisms between the damselflies Ischnura graellsii and I. elegans

Recent findings suggest that postmating prezygotic isolation (i.e. gametic barriers) could be an important factor preventing hybrid formation. Competitive gametic barriers emerge when a female is inseminated by a conspecific and a heterospecific male. We examined whether sperm proportions after double matings and copulation duration impede hybrid formation. For this, we used females of Ischnura…

Description of the larva of Argia percellulata (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)

The larva of Argia percellulata is described and figured. It falls into the group of Argia larvae with a very prominent ligula and one palpal seta, but differs from its closest relatives by having tibiae usually with two well-defined dark rings, posterior margin of sternite 6 smooth, and posterior margin of sternite 7 smooth medially…

Critical species of Odonata in North America

Of the approximately 439 species of Odonata known from North America, north of Mexico, comments on 25 species (6%) of conservation concern are given. Species deemed to be under the most threat are Ischnura gemina, Gomphus sandrius, Ophiogompbus australis, Stylurus potulentus, and Libellula jesseana. Two other species not under threat, Neurocordulia micbaeli and Somatochlora brevicincta,…