Volume 26, 2023
New records of Odonata (Insecta) for the extreme northwest of the Brazilian Amazon
Brazil hosts a wide range of Odonata species, including many hitherto unde¬scribed ones, especially in remote and unexplored regions where logistics are difficult. The northwestern Brazilian Amazon is an example of this situation, and many locations still need to be sampled there and have their taxonomic inventories compiled.
150th anniversary of Alberto Santos-Dumont’s birth, the father of aviation: the damselfly Cyanallagma demoiselle sp. nov. from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)
Cyanallagma demoiselle sp. nov. (holotype male deposited in DZUP: Brazil, São Paulo State, Cananéia, Ilha do Cardoso State Park), a new small greenish blue and black damselfly, is described, illustrated, and diagnosed based on males and females from the southeastern Atlantic Forest.
Changes in effective population size of Odonata in response to climate change revealed through genomics
The advent of third generation sequencing technologies has led to a boom of high-quality, chromosome level genome assemblies of Odonata, but to date, these have not been widely used to estimate the demographic history of the sequenced species through time.
Description of the final-instar larva of Psaironeura tenuissima (Odonata: Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae) from Amazonia
The final-instar larva of Psaironeura tenuissima is described based on reared specimens from Amazonas and Pará states in the Brazilian Amazon.
Development of Sympetrum striolatum and S. vulgatum (Odonata: Libellulidae) in brackish water
Sympetrum striolatum (Charpentier, 1840) and S. vulgatum (Linnaeus, 1758) are two closely related Libellulidae that are widespread and common in Central Europe. The idea for this research originates from normally using saltwater shrimps for rearing young larvae, the observations of Sympetrum species laying eggs in seawater and the suggested ability of S. striolatum to colonize brackish water habitats.
Taxonomic status of the Central Asian damselfly Calopteryx samarcandica Bartenev, 1912 (Odonata: Calopterygidae)
The taxonomic status of the Central Asian damselfly Calopteryx samarcandica was determined on the basis of molecular and phenotypic data from the Kugitang Mountains, SE Uzbekistan.
Double function of flight in Calopteryx splendens (Odonata: Calopterygidae) males
Different flight manoeuvres of males of Calopteryx splendens were analysed by means of slow-motion filming. The wingbeat frequencies of males flying in tandem were higher than those of single flying males.
Patterns of variation in wing venation of Iberian Cordulegaster boltonii (Donovan, 1807) (Odonata: Cordulegastridae)
Some structural characters, such as wing venation, have been used in odonates to differentiate taxa. In Cordulegaster boltonii, a species widely distributed throughout the western Palaearctic, the main characteristics of its wing venation have not been quantified until now.
Novel hatching cue in the neotropical damselfly Megaloprepus caerulatus: larval adaptation and maternal constraint
The evolution of sibling cannibalism as a maternal strategy is particularly challenging to explain when nurseries are shared among multiple females. Such is the case for the damselfly, Megaloprepus caerulatus, whose females lay eggs in bark above the water line in large, water-filled tree holes.
Differences in perch height and response to intruders for territorial and non-territorial Calopteryx maculata (Odonata: Calopterygidae)
In the damselfly Calopteryx maculata, territorial males court potential mates and guard ovipositing females near the surface of the water. We conducted a survey and an experiment to determine whether there was a relationship between territoriality (site fidelity and agonistic behavior) and perch height.
New records of Lestes nigriceps Fraser, 1924 (Odonata: Lestidae) from Maharashtra, India, with notes on L. patricia Fraser, 1924 and an updated key to Lestes of the Western Ghats, India
Damselflies of the genus Lestes Leach, 1815 are represented in India by 11 species. Using specimens collected over the last five years, we report on the rediscovery of Lestes nigriceps in India after 98 years, at two new localities in the Western Ghats.
Use of the Zygoptera/Anisoptera Ratio (Insecta: Odonata) for Habitat Alteration Assessment in Cerrado Streams
Natural landscapes of Latin America, such as the Cerrado biome, are increasingly changing due to conflicting development models between economic growth and biodiversity conservation. In cases of total or partial suppression of natural vegetation, more sunlight reaches the streams, leading to changes in Odonata assemblages.
Taxonomic notes on Davidioides martini Fraser, 1924 (Odonata: Gomphidae) and description of its female from Western Ghats, Peninsular India
A note on the rare dragonfly Davidioides martini Fraser, 1924, is provided with an update of its distribution range, status, ecology, and the description of its so far unknown female. This species is endemic to the Western Ghats of Peninsular India and seems to be a rare one.
Description of last instar larva of Cordulegaster kalkmani (Odonata: Cordulegastridae)
The final instar larva of Cordulegaster kalkmani Schneider, Vierstraete, Müller, van Pelt, Caspers, Ikemeyer, Snegovaya & Dumont 2021 is described and illustrated based on one female exuvia collected in Alakabük, Bitlis province, Turkey, in July 2022.
Diaphlebia richteri Bota-Sierra, 2015 is a junior synonym of Zonophora nobilis Belle, 1983 (Gomphidae: Odonata)
Diaphlebia richteri is shown to be a junior synonym of Zonophora nobilis. The confusion started by a generic misplacement due to the failure to observe the subalar carina spine which is present in Zonophora but not in Diaphlebia.
Description of Protosticta armageddonia sp. nov. (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae) from the Western Ghats of India
A new species of Protosticta Selys, 1885 is described based on specimens collected from Kerala, northeast of Thiruvananthapuram, in the southern parts of the southern Western Ghats of India.
A new species of bannerwing damselfly, Polythore albistriata sp. nov. (Odonata: Polythoridae)
The traditional method of classifying the twenty-one species within the South American genus Polythore has been relying on wing color patterns and male genital ligula shape. However, recent molecular research has shown that wing color patterns can vary significantly within some species, making it an insufficient means of species diagnosis by itself in some cases.
Philogenia realpei sp. nov. (Zygoptera: Philogeniidae), a new damselfly species from Colombia
A new damselfly species, Philogenia realpei sp. nov., is described here from 5 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ collected at Cauca and Putumayo departments in southern Colombia. This species is included in the P. helena group and can be differentiated from other species by the unique morphology of its paraprocts.
Molecular phylogenetic analysis and its impact on the conservation of Ischnura rubilio Selys, 1876 (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) in Taiwan
Although Ischnura aurora (Brauer, 1865) was traditionally considered to be widely distributed in Asia, the populations west of continental China have recently been identified as equivalent to Ischnura rubilio Selys, 1876.
Tukanobasis huamantincoae, a new species of damselfly from Peru (Odonata: Coenagrionidae), with updated generic characterization
Tukanobasis huamantincoae sp. n. (holotype ♂: Peru, Loreto Región [MUSM]) is described and illustrated. Males of T. huamantincoae can be distinguished from T. corbeti by the presence of postocular spots and antehumeral stripes, the absence of apical brown wingspots, smaller number of postnodals, shorter CuA…
Morphological and molecular evidence supports the species status of the Italian endemic Coenagrion castellani Roberts, 1948 (Coenagrionidae)
Coenagrion castellani Roberts, 1948 was described from Italy as a distinct species almost 75 years ago but has generally not been recognised or was treated as a subspecies of C. mercuriale (Charpentier, 1840). Populations south of the Alps were recently shown to be completely isolated genetically from those in North Africa and elsewhere in Europe.
Factors influencing predation on Odonata by Argiope trifasciata (Forsskål, 1775)
Despite a high number of incidental online records of spiders predating upon dragonflies/damselflies, studies on these interactions are scarce. Here, we describe the predatory behavior of Argiope trifasciata on the two most common odonate species in the study area.
Effect of forest fires on a Mediterranean Odonata assemblage
Large-scale forest fires have shaped the Mediterranean landscape for millennia, causing a recurrent disturbance that constitutes a serious environmental issue. Following a devastating forest fire, changes in the Odonata larvae assemblage of a headwater stream were analysed during six consecutive years.
COI diversity supports subspecific division in Western European Lestes virens (Charpentier, 1825) (Zygoptera: Lestidae), but hints at further Mediterranean complexity
We analyse COI sequences of 48 specimens of European Lestes virens (Charpentier) to explore patterns in genetic diversity including subspecific boundaries and potential glacial refugia. Our haplotype network and phylogenetic analyses reveal three distinct groups in Western and Northern Europe.
A collecting trip to San José del Guaviare, Colombia, with the description of a new species of Perissolestes (Zygoptera: Perilestidae)
This study aims to preliminary assess the taxonomic diversity of dragonflies and damselflies from San José del Guaviare, Guaviare Department, Colombia. A total of 47 species were collected at five localities in different freshwater ecosystems during a field trip.
Territorial males have larger wing spots than non-territorial males in the damselfly Calopteryx splendens (Zygo ptera: Calopterygidae)
Males of Calopteryx splendens use two alternative mating tactics, territoriality, and non-territoriality. These different mating tactics are shown to vary between males within the same population and previous studies have shown that territorial males have considerably higher fitness than non-territorial males.
