Most species of petalurid dragonflies have a fossorial larval stage, which is unique in the Odonata. Larvae typically excavate burrows in soft peaty soils in mires, seepages or along stream margins, which are occupied by a single larva throughout the long larval stage. This paper reports on a study of burrow morphology in Petalura gigantea,…
The present study provides the first odonate survey for the Brazilian Caatinga, including species habitat information. Specimens were collected during five days in both dry and rainy seasons of 2011 in the municipality of Itatira, state of Ceará, located in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil. Adult individuals of 37 species were documented, the highest…
Assessment of conservation status is a necessary step before management plans can be formulated. Historically such assessments have a strong bias toward vertebrates, particularly endothermic terrestrial vertebrates (i.e. birds and mammals). Invertebrates, by contrast, tend to be ignored, and many insect groups, despite being species rich and reasonably well studied, such as the Odonata (damselflies…
Rhinocypha taiwana Wang & Chang, sp. nov. is described and illustrated for both sexes. The genetic distance of the cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene in R. taiwana and related species ranges from 4.2% to 10.4%. R. taiwana is shown to be a good species based on morphological and genetic criteria. It also is clearly…
Phenes raptor is one of only two petalurid dragonflies with a documented non-fossorial larval lifestyle. There have been few reported observations of larvae and their habitat, and the behaviour and ecology of this unique South American species remain largely unknown. This paper provides a review of previously published and unpublished information, and new observations on…
Fluctuating asymmetry (FA), measured as random deviations from bilateral symmetry, likely results from developmental disturbances by internal or environmental stresses. However, comparisons of FA in single damselfly species (Odonata: suborder Zygoptera) from stressed environments have often been inconclusive. We measured levels of FA among multiple species of damselflies from the same environment to determine the…
The calopterygines Archineura incarnata and Atrocalopteryx melli are subtropical habitat specialists, endemic to China, and sensitive to environmental change. We identified several sites with environmental deterioration from which the species seem to have disappeared; these species can be used as indicators of human disturbance. In this paper their distribution in China is mapped and information…
Interpretations of behavioural visual cues, based on human perception of colour, may mislead because of the difference in our visual range compared to other animals. Investigations into ultraviolet (UV) reflectance have shown that this can be an important mode of communication in many animals. The present study focused on 10 species of British Odonata. Digital
It is expected that climate change will have a great impact on many species and habitats. This will be greater if populations are found at the edge of their range or are isolated, and could lead to regional extinction. Here we investigate the possible impact on two boreo-alpine dragonfly species, Somatochlora alpestris and S. arctica,…
Anisoptera emergence in the seasonal tropics was monitored at a 35-ha managed wetland site in Hong Kong from February 2004 to November 2007. Exuviae records of 18 species from multiple emergence screens, exuviae traps and transect surveys were combined. The presence of adults during this period was also monitored. The study site comprised a mosaic…