The dragonfly genus Ischnura has been the subject of numerous studies and is well studied in Europe and the Middle East. Nevertheless, information on the ecology, habitat preferences and phylogenetic relationships of some species is deficient. One species lacking such data is Ischnura intermedia, a near endemic species of the Middle East, found for the…
Epiophlebia is the only known taxon of Odonata that is neither part of the damselflies (Zygoptera) nor dragonflies (Anisoptera). Previously, two species of Epiophlebia were recognized, restricted to areas in Japan (Epiophlebia superstes) and the Himalayas (Epiophlebia laidlawi). Recently, the group gained attention with the description of new species from China – Epiophlebia sinensis and Epiophlebia…
In a field study carried out in 2011 and 2014 adult dragonflies were identified as a rapid and easy-to-use means of assessing habitat quality and biological integrity of Mediterranean streams and rivers in the province of Barcelona (Region Catalonia, Iberian Peninsula). The study included sampling sites from five different river catchments: Besòs, Foix, Llobregat, Ter…
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…
A survey of the Gomphidae of Algeria and the Maghreb was carried out during the period 2013–2014. Sampling of eight main wadis across northern Algeria was undertaken and adults and exuviae were recorded. The survey yielded six species of Gomphidae. Among these, we report on the rediscovery of the Critically Endangered Lindenia tetraphylla in Algeria,…
Our goal was to investigate whether the loss of riparian forests alters the structure of assemblages and populations of dragonflies and damselflies. We tested the hypothesis that the composition of the odonate assemblages found upstream from dams are significantly different from those found downstream of these barriers. To test the hypothesis, we investigated stream sectors…
Large numbers of migrating imagos of Anax ephippiger were observed from the end of January to March 2012 at Dakhla Bay, Southern Morocco, in an area where long-lasting fresh and brackish waters are lacking, and thus which is unfavourable for the reproduction of Odonata. This supports well the classical scheme of northward mass migration of…
Among insects, perhaps the most appreciated are those that are esthetically pleasing: few capture the interest of the public as much as vibrantly colored dragonflies and damselflies (Insecta: Odonata). These remarkable insects are also extensively studied. Here, we review the history of odonate systematics, with an emphasis on discrepancies among studies. Over the past century,…
The post-copulatory behaviour of Calopteryx splendens females was studied under field and laboratory conditions. After termination of copulation females usually perch and bend the abdomen so that its apex touches the ground (post-copulatory posture). The post-copulatory posture is a consequence of sperm removal by males. Male and female microstructures (spines and scales) interact to move…
Information (published and unpublished) on ecology, phenology, and geographical distribution of Lindenia tetraphylla is reviewed. It reaches from Sardinia (Italy; in the past also Spain) in the West, along the northern coasts of the Mediterranean, the Caspian region and the Middle East, to Kazakhstan, Kirgizia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in the East. The southernmost record is…