The flights of male odonates encountering conspecifics at their reproduction sites were investigated by means of slow-motion films. We recorded large and generally consistent differences between species with clear wings (SCLW) and species with coloured wings (SCOW). SCLW mostly fought having physical contact and moved their wings without pauses in wing beats (hereafter designated wing…
Habitat segregation of sympatric Mnais damselflies (Odonata: Calopterygidae): microhabitat insolation preferences and competition for territorial space
Distribution and abundance of sympatric Mnais costalis and M. pruinosa damselflies were studied in a low mountain stream in Shiga, Japan, from 2008 through 2012. The reproductive seasons of the two species overlapped almost entirely: both species emerged in early May and disappeared in late June each year. Males of both species hold territories within…
Morphometric and molecular studies on the populations of the damselflies Chalcolestes viridis and C. parvidens (Odonata, Lestidae)
Morphometric and genetic differences were analysed for two closely related damselflies, Chalcolestes viridis and C. parvidens. A total of 305 male individuals were collected from six European countries (Austria, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary and Portugal). Measurements from a total of 28 populations of C. viridis and C. parvidens and several intermediate forms were collected to…
New fossil damselflies from Baltic Amber, with description of a new species, a redescription of Litheuphaea carpenteri Fraser, and a discussion on the phylogeny of Epallagidae (Zygotera: Caloptera)
Litheuphaea ludwigi sp. n. is described as first representative of Epallagidae from Baltic amber. The holotype of Litheuphaea carpenteri Fraser, 1955 is redescribed, the phylogenetic position of all fossil Epallagidae is discussed, and a new phylogenetic classification is proposed. The authorship of Selys (1853) for the family-group name Euphaeidae is rejected, since the “légion Euphaea”…
Parasitism of Enallagma civile Hagen in Selys, 1853 (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae) by Arrenurus water mites
We compared the prevalence and intensity of Arrenurus sensu stricto water mite parasites on Enallagma civile Hagen in Selys, 1853 (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae) from 10 freshwater wetlands (playas) in two different land-cover contexts in western Texas from 2006-2007.
Demographic Traits and Behavior of Hetaerina cruentata (Odonata: Calopterygidae) in Ecosystems of the Andean Region of Colombia
Demography and territorial behavior of Hetaerina cruentata was studied along three lowland streams located at Norte de Santander department in the Colombian Andean region. Adult damselflies (N: 278) were individually marked, and using their recapture histories we estimated survival, longevity, sex ratio, age groups and population size at each location.
The importance of tropical mountain forests for the conservation of dragonfly biodiversity: A case from the Colombian Western Andes
Forests have been widely recognized as key habitats for odonate (dragonflies and damselflies) biodiversity, but the importance of forests for holding odonate biodiversity remains understudied in tropical mountains, one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. Here we describe the odonate assemblage composition along the elevation gradient in the Tatamá Mountains (Colombian Cordillera Occidental).
Odonate ethodiversity as a bioindicator of anthropogenic impact
The increasing use of dragonflies and damselflies as models in studies on biodiversity in the last decades has unraveled several features of natural processes and mechanisms for species conservation. Nevertheless, biodiversity is a polysemic concept that resolves multiple dimensions that, together, enroll what we observe as species and lineages diversity. One of these dimensions is Ethodiversity, which may represent the individual diversity of behavioral traits and higher organization levels.
Community assembly of adult odonates in lacustrine systems of an understudied world heritage site of south-eastern Zimbabwe
Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) are efficacious for management and conservation efforts in freshwaters. In recent times, increased effort has gone into enhancing awareness, data and information on dragonflies among scientists and policymakers.
Guide to the Odonata of central Ñeembucú, Paraguay: indicator species of wetland habitats
The department of Ñeembucú, in south-western Paraguay, is home to the virtually unexplored Ñeembucú Wetlands, the second largest wetland system in the country, representing a major gap in biodiversity knowledge. As organisms ubiquitous with wetlands, the Odonata, or dragonflies (Anisoptera) and damselflies (Zygoptera), have the potential to be effective indicators of wetland habitats in the…