Taxonomy, behaviour, and habitat of Mesopodagrion and Sinocnemis. Notes on Old World Megapodagrionidae 3 (Odonata)

Published records of Mesopodagrion are reviewed and the distributions of M. tibetanum and M. yachowensis are given. Sinocnemis henanese is considered a junior synonym of S. yangbingi. Based on morphological and behavioural characters Sinocnemis is removed from Platycnemididae and placed in Megapodagrionidae. Species of Sinocnemis show a general resemblance to species of Mesopodagrion but it…

Blues for the red Oxyagrion: a redefinition of the genera Acanthagrion and Oxyagrion (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)

Examination of diagnostic features for all known species of Acanthagrion and Oxyagrion shows color pattern alone not to be a reliable diagnostic character. Both genera are redefined based on morphological characters, and some color pattern characters which further aid in their diagnoses. A preliminary phylogenetic analysis indicates both genera are monophyletic. They are distinguished from…

European Odonata as hosts of Forcipomyia paludis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

The biting midge Forcipomyia (Pterobosca) paludis is the only ceratopogonid species known to parasitise Odonata imagines in Europe. In this study, based mainly on the analysis of about 200 photographically documented cases, data on host species, parasite load and undisturbed position on the odonate body were analysed. The list of hitherto known hosts is extended…

The larva of Leucorrhinia patricia Walker (Odonata: Libellulidae)

The final-stadium larva of Leucorrhinia patricia Walker is described from six exuviae with associated teneral adults collected in northern British Columbia. L. patricia belongs to the group of nearctic Leucorrhinia that has larvae with three ventral stripes. The larvae are very similar to those L. hudsonica (Sélys) larvae that are small and lack dorsal spines….

Post-copulatory behaviour in Calopteryx females (Insecta, Odonata, Calopterygidae)

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…