Volume 9, 2006
Erratum
Openwing perching in some Zygoptera (Odonata): a response to Klaus Reinhardt
Herein I respond to a critique of my paper on wing positions in Zygoptera. The author of that critique suggested that most of the hypotheses presented in that paper were flawed and questioned some of the facts brought to bear on them. In addition, he presented his own ideas in support of hypotheses I had…
Open questions in the evolution of openwing perching in the Zygoptera (Odonata): a comment on Dennis Paulson
In a recent paper D.R. Paulson (2004; IJO 7: 505-515) presented five hypotheses concerning the way wings are held in the Zygoptera during perching. A critical examination suggests that most of them have substantial flaws that prevent their testing. Based on Bechly’s phylogeny (1998; ) I suggest that the wing perching mode in the Odonata…
Comparison of two Odonata communities from a natural and a modified rainforest in Papua New Guinea
The Odonata fauna of Papua New Guinea is species-rich, but human population growth and resulting modification of primary rainforests may lead to a loss of valuable habitat and species diversity. In this study, I compared the odonate assemblages of a natural tropical rainforest and a modified forest in order to assess the loss that could…
Using distance sampling to quantify Odonata density in tropical rainforests
Quantitative data are essential for many aspects of ecological research. Several methods exist to quantify odonate abundance, but complications may arise when abundances in different habitats need to be compared. In this study, I explored a technique that can overcome the variable detectability of odonates in habitats with different visibility. Distance sampling is briefly introduced…
Effects of male harassment on females’ oviposition behaviour in Libellulidae (Odonata)
I investigated whether the level of male harassment affects females’ oviposition behaviour, such that females oviposit unguarded under suboptimal conditions and/or vary oviposition duration, dip number, dip frequency or number of oviposition site changes. The study species were the libellulids Crocothemis erythraea, Ortbetrum chrysostigma, Pantala flavescens, Sympetrum fonscolombii, Trithemis annulata and T. kirbyi ardens. Only…
Inflation by venation and the bankruptcy of traditional genera: the case of Neodythemis and Micromacromia, with keys to the continental African species and the description of two new Neodythemis species from the Albertine Rift (Odonata: Libellulidae)
The Afrotropical ‘neodythemistine’ genera are an example of venation-biased classification in Odonata. This example is used to argue the bankruptcy of some traditional classifications in the order, particularly in the Libellulidae, and the need to apply alternative characters to define genera. Two groups of Afrotropical ‘neodythemistines’ are identified by male and female genitalia, supported by…
Upright emergence in Petalura gigantea (Odonata: Petaluridae)
During the 2003/2004 summer flying season, upright emergence of a male Petalura gigantea was observed and photographed in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales during an extensive survey for the species. This observation differed from the only previous illustration of a hanging back emergence style, and is compared with observations of emergence style for…
Voltinism of Odonata: a review
We classified 542 records of voltinism for 275 species and subspecies of Odonata according to three variables: geographical latitude, systematic position and habitat type. We sorted records according to voltinism—categories being three or more generations per year, two generations per year, one generation per year, one generation in two years and one generation in three…
Editorial Board (2004–2006)
Volume 9, Issue 1
Volume 9, Issue 2
Coeliccia mingxiensis sp. nov. from Fujian, China (Odonata: Platycnemididae)
The new species Coeliccia mingxiensis sp. nov. (holotype ♂ 26 July 2004, Mingxi County, Fujian Province, China) is described and illustrated from a single male. The specimen is deposited at Zhangzhou Education College, Fujian, China.
Relationships between body size, wing morphology, and perch height selection in a guild of Libellulidae species (Odonata)
Ten common libellulid species perch along the shoreline of lakes and ponds in South Carolina, USA. We collected individuals at five ponds throughout summer 2005, weighed them in the field, and calculated wing loading (N·m2) and wing aspect ratios from digital photographs. We measured the perch-height preferences of these species in ‘low perch’ (10, 20,…
Reciprocal predation involving Odonata, Asilidae and Saltatoria
A singular observation of an adult Tettigonia viridissima (Tettigoniidae) that captured a female Eutolmus rufibarbis (Asilidae) sucking a male Lestes sponsa (Lestidae) is reported. The reciprocal predation of Odonata, Asilidae, and Saltatoria (Ensifera, Caelifera) hitherto recorded in Europe is compiled and augmented by unpublished data on asilids as predators of odonates. Heavy predation by robber-flies…
The genus Andinagrion, with description of A. garrisoni sp. nov. and its larva from Argentina (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)
This study includes the description of a new species of the genus Andinagrion, A. garrisoni (holotype: Argentina, Río Caldera, Salta prov., 11 xi 2005, deposited at MLP), both from its adult and larval stages, a diagnosis of all known species, including a key to adults, synonymic lists, illustrations of diagnostic characters, and distribution maps.
Underwater oviposition behavior in two species of Euphaea in Borneo and Hong Kong (Odonata: Euphaeidae)
Submerged oviposition behaviour by female Euphaea decorata and E. subcostalis is reported. E. decorata descended to within 10 cm of the stream bottom and oviposited endophytically for a total of 59 min. An E. subcostalis female descended 3 cm to dead leaves at the stream bottom and stayed submerged for 20-25 s. Non-contact guarding by…
Neurobasis awamena sp. nov. from New Guinea, with a discussion of the Sulawesi and Papuan species in the genus (Odonata: Calopterygidae)
Neurobasis awamena, a new calopterygid species from the southern highlands of New Guinea (holotype: Pimaga area, 6°30′S, 143°30′E, 27 vii 1994, deposited at Naturalis, Leiden) is described and figured. It is distinguished from the widespread N. australis by its longer legs, irregular teeth on the male cerci, and the sharp demarcation of the iridescent color…
Identification of Pyrrhosoma elisabethae with notes on its distribution and habitat (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)
Pyrrhosoma elisabethae is one of the rarest and least known odonate taxa in Europe and is often considered to be a subspecies of P. nymphula. The taxon is known from eight localities, four on the Peloponnisos, Greece, three on Kérkira (Corfu), Greece, and one in southern Albania. We describe structural differences between P. elisabethae and…
Influence of egg size on egg and larval development of Sympetrum striolatum at different prey availability (Odonata: Libellulidae)
Egg size differences might have an important influence on reproductive success because they may lead to different offspring conditions, hatching date or larval size. We presumed that egg size in odonates positively correlates with egg development time, and larger eggs lead to larger larvae. However, we assumed that the size benefit could only be maintained…
Reproductive behaviour of Neurobasis kaupi (Odonata: Calopterygidae)
The reproductive behaviour of Neurobasis kaupi was studied for the first time in Central and South Sulawesi. The species was recorded in a wide variety of clear and fast flowing creeks, streams and rivers, mostly in forested areas. The males were territorial and defended potential oviposition sites, a limited resource. Territory owners demonstrated their presence…
A critical checklist of the Odonata of Portugal
The Odonata checklist of continental Portugal, Madeira and the Azores includes 65 species. Besides Sympetrum nigrifemur, an endemic of Madeira and the Canary Islands, and the unique population of the Nearctic Ischnura hastata in the Azores, the species composition reflects a higher proportion of western Mediterranean and Ethiopian elements than any other European country. An…
African Diplacodes: the status of the small species and the genus Philonomon (Odonata: Libellulidae)
The small African species of Diplacodes have been confused for a long time, in part because the black mature males are difficult to separate. The holotype of D. deminuta belongs to the species commonly known as D. okavangoensis, the former name taking priority, while its paratypes belong to that known erroneously as D. deminuta, which…
