Volume 12, 2009
Information for Authors
Morphological differences in the ovary of Libellulidae (Odonata)
All female Odonata have been assumed to produce oocytes continuously during their mature life span. However, a recent study of ovariole orientation and development led to the suggestion that Libellulidae are divided into two groups of species, one with continuous, the other with stepwise oocyte production. To find more evidence of this division, we compared…
Trithemis morrisoni sp. nov. and T. palustris sp. nov. from the Okavango and Upper Zambezi Floodplains previously hidden under T. stictica (Odonata: Libellulidae)
During the course of a population genetic study of Trithemis stictica that included sites in Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Botswana and Zambia, two undescribed libellulid species were discovered in the Okavango and Upper Zambezi Floodplains. These were both previously identified as T. stictica. We describe the two species, T. morrisoni sp. nov. (holotype ♂: Namibia,…
Location and seasonal differences in adult dragonfly size and mass in northern Mississippi, USA (Odonata: Libellulidae)
Size and mass are often uniformly related within individuals and populations, but the relationship may vary in time or space. I asked whether isolated adult dragonfly populations within the same environmental context (climate, physiography, ecoregion) differ in both size and mature mass, and whether earlier emerging dragonflies are both larger and heavier on average. Differences…
A synopsis of the genus Telebasis (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)
In this synopsis all 50 species of the primarily neotropical genus Telebasis are keyed, diagnosed, and illustrated. Helveciagrion is considered a junior subjective synonym of Telebasis, T. coccinata a junior subjective synonym of T. coccinea, and T. limoncocha a junior subjective synonym of T. griffinii. Six new species from South America are described: T. carvalhoi…
Editorial Board (2007–2009)
Volume 12, Issue 1
Volume 12, Issue 2 - Philip S Corbet memorial issue
Information for Authors
Implications of anthropogenic disturbance factors on the Odonata assemblage in a Mediterranean fluvial system
During a period of nine years, from 2000 to 2008, two consecutive studies—one focusing on observations of adult Odonata, the other on collection of larvae—were carried out in the basin of the Guadiamar River in the southwestern Iberian Peninsula. In addition to monitoring Odonata, several environmental variables were assessed, including an index based on macroinvertebrate…
Parthenogenetic Ischnura hastata revisited: present status and notes on population ecology and behaviour (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)
Populations of Ischnura hastata found in the Azores archipelago represent the only known example of parthenogenesis in the order Odonata. In this paper, we present results from fieldwork done on the islands of São Miguel, Pico, Santa Maria, and Graciosa, aimed at characterizing population ecology and habitat preferences of this species. Sampling of several ponds…
Seasonal ecology of Algerian Lestidae (Odonata)
When comparing the phenology of species within the family Lestidae in Numidia, northeastern Algeria, we found that: (1) four of five species—Lestes barbarus, L. numidicus, L. viridis, and Sympecma fusca—feature a prolonged pre-reproductive period approaching five (Lestes spp.) or eight months (S. fusca); (2) adults of L. numidicus, and probably of S. fusca, move to…
Five new species of Orthemis from South America (Odonata: Libellulidae)
Five new species of the levis-group of Orthemis, O. cinnamomea (holotype ♂ in USNM: Peru, Madre de Dios Department, Explorer’s Inn on Río Tambopata, 12°50′S, 69°17′W, 300 m, 23 vii 2002, leg. D. Paulson & N. Smith), O. coracina (holotype ♂ in USNM: Ecuador, Sucumbios Province, Limoncocha, 00°24′S, 76°36′W, 300 m, 23 vii 1977, leg.
Castoraeschna corbeti sp. nov. from Floresta Nacional de Carajés, Paré state, Brazil (Odonata: Aeshnidae)
Castoraeschna corbeti sp. nov. is described and diagnosed based on four males (holo- type: Brazil, Para State, Floresta Nacional de Carajás [6°06′13.9″S, 50°08′13.1″W, ca 600 m a.s.l.], 28 ix 2007 to be deposited in Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro). This species is similar to C. longfieldae and C. coronata…
Tukanobasis gen. nov. with the description of T. corbeti sp. nov. from the Amazonian region of Brazil (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)
A new coenagrionid genus, Tukanobasis, is described for T. corbeti sp. nov. found in a flooded forest in the Amazonian region of Brazil (holotype: Brazil, Amazonas State, Taraquá [3°27′15″S, 62°51′05″W, 35 m], viii 1964, in ABMM). The new genus is characterized by the presence of an apical brown spot on Hw of mature males, a…
Cyanallagma corbeti sp. nov. from Brazil (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)
The new species Cyanallagma corbeti (holotype ♂: Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul State, Rio do Pinto river, km 93 of road RS-453 between São Francisco de Paula and Rio Tainha, 29°30′70″S, 50°51′70″W, 900 m, 09 xi 1967, leg. N.D. Santos); deposited in the Museu Nacional (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is described, illustrated, and compared…
Aeolagrion philipi sp. nov. from Bolivia, and a review of the genus Aeolagrion (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)
Aeolagrion philipi sp. nov. is described and illustrated (holotype ♂: Bolivia, Santa Cruz department, Ñuflo de Chávez province, pooled tributary of Río San Julián, 5 km SE of San Ramón, 14 xi 1998, leg. KJT, in FSCA). The new species is closely related to A. inca but is distinct in shape of hind margin of…
How to enter a desert—patterns of Odonata colonisation of arid Namibia
With a total of 75 species the odonate diversity in the Namibian desert is surprisingly high. Based on their distribution characteristics, invasion patterns, and breeding success, there are six well-defined categories of Odonata: widespread species – (1) permanently living in the desert, and desert biased, (2) permanently living in the desert, but not desert-biased; (3)…
Characteristics of microsatellite loci in Odonata
Microsatellite loci have become the genetic markers of choice for population-level molecular ecological studies. However, microsatellite loci had been isolated for comparatively few species of odonate until the past five years. This review summarises the main characteristics – expected heterozygosity and microsatellite length – of 116 microsatellite loci that have been isolated from the genomes…
Oviposition site selection by Coenagrion mercuriale (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)
The aim of the study was to determine oviposition site selection in the endangered damselfly Coenagrion mercuriale in its UK stronghold and to determine hatching success of eggs. This was achieved by watching the behaviour of marked pairs from the onset of copulation to the end of oviposition and recording the number and duration of…
Kindred spirits: “Brachythemis leucosticta”, Africa’s most familiar dragonfly, consists of two species (Odonata: Libellulidae)
Brachythemis leucosticta was found to include two morphotypes, which we consider to represent separate species. Males are separable by the ventral structure of S8 and often differ in the colour of the venation and genital lobe. Females are as yet not reliably distinguishable. Examination of 1,154 males demonstrated that both species are widespread: the true…
Two new Risiocnemis species from Northern Sierra Madre, Luzon, Philippines (Odonata: Platycnemididae)
Risiocnemis corbeti sp. nov. and R. hamaiaineni sp. nov. (for both species: holotype ♂, Dipinantahikan area [16°53′39″N, 122°20′47″E], Dipagsangaan, Palanan, Isabela, Luzon, Philippines, 12-20 ix 2008, in RMNH) are described, illustrated, and diagnosed.
Libellago corbeti sp. nov. from Sri Lanka (Odonata: Chlorocyphidae)
Libellago corbeti sp. nov. (holotype ♂: Sri Lanka, Ratnapura District, near Kudawe, 6.26°N, 80.25°E, 03 vii 2007, to be deposited in the Sri Lanka National Museum, Colombo) is described and figured. Its phenotype does not resemble that of any other Libellago species. Habitat characteristics and species behaviour are briefly outlined. Keys to males and females…
Crystalline wax coverage of the imaginal cuticle in Calopteryx splendens (Odonata: Calopterygidae)
In this study we use high resolution SEM to describe the diversity of wax crystals and their distribution on different morphological structures in male individuals of Calopteryx splendens. The entire cuticle surface of this damselfly, with the exception of ommatidia and ocelli, is covered with crystalline wax in dimensions from submicron to micron range. It…
Males do not catch up with females in pursuing flight in Calopteryx splendens (Odonata: Calopterygidae)
In high densities males of Calopteryx splendens showed alternative reproductive behaviour at the river Oker in northern Germany. One of several tactics was to pursue females. Pursuing flight was filmed in summer 2006 in slow motion. Frame by frame analysis showed that males fly in irregular flight patterns: they showed different lengths of wing beat…
Season and temperature dependent location of mating territories in Somatochlora flavomaculata in a heterogeneous environment (Odonata: Corduliidae)
In a heterogeneous environment, males of Somatochlora flavomaculata regularly occupy site-fixed locations away from water, adjacent to vertical landscape elements, and to a lesser extent, also at water, i.e. at oviposition sites. Territories both over land and over water are typically patrolled by continuous site-fixed flights. These places serve as rendezvous sites where copulation is…
Reproductive behaviour of Libellago semiopaca on a Bornean rainforest stream (Odonata: Chlorocyphidae)
The reproductive behaviour of Libellago semiopaca was studied on a swift-flowing shallow forest stream in Brunei. Females oviposited just below the water-line, commonly in groups, only on large, firm-textured, semi-submerged logs, usually guarded by males. Both sexes were very sedentary. Suitable sites, with good illumination and deep deposits of fine gravel and leaf mulch in…
