Odonata

Diverse abiotic and biotic factors drive the ecological variation of communities across spatial and temporal dimensions. Within the Amazonian landscape, various freshwater environments exhibit distinct physicochemical characteristics. Thus, our study delved into the fluctuations of Odonata assemblages amidst distinct water bodies within Amazonia, encompassing two distinct climatic seasons. Comparative analysis was conducted on Odonata species diversity and assemblage composition across a blackwater pond, a lake, and a stream, spanning the initiation and culmination of the dry season in the southwestern Amazon region in Peru...

The arthropod cuticle offers strength, protection, and lightweight. Due to its limit in expandability, arthropods have to moult periodically to grow. While moulting is beneficial in terms of parasite or toxin control, growth and adaptation to environmental conditions, it costs energy and leaves the soft animal's body vulnerable to injuries and desiccation directly after ecdysis. To investigate the temporal change in sclerotization and pigmentation during and after ecdysis, we combined macrophotography, confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and histological sectioning...

Scaling in insect wings is a complex phenomenon that seems pivotal in maintaining wing functionality. In this study, the relationship between wing size and the size, location, and shape of wing cells in dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) is investigated, aiming to address the question of how these factors are interconnected. To this end, WingGram, the recently developed computer-vision-based software, is used to extract the geometric features of wing cells of 389 dragonflies and damselfly wings from 197 species and 16 families...

Haiku are short poems, each composed of about 10 words, that typically describe moments in nature. People have written haiku since at least the 17th century, and the medium continues to be popular with poets, amateurs, educators, and students. Collectively, these poems represent an opportunity to understand which aspects of nature-e.g., which taxa and biological traits-resonate with humans and whether there are temporal trends in their representation or the emotions associated with these moments. We tested this potential using a mix of linguistic and biological methods, in analyses of nearly 4,000 haiku that reference arthropods...

Freshwaters are highly threatened ecosystems that are vulnerable to chemical pollution and climate change. Freshwater taxa vary in their sensitivity to chemicals and changes in species composition can potentially affect the sensitivity of assemblages to chemical exposure. Here we explore the potential consequences of future climate change on the composition and sensitivity of freshwater macroinvertebrate assemblages to chemical stressors using the UK as a case study. Macroinvertebrate assemblages under end of century (2080-2100) and baseline (1980-2000) climate conditions were predicted for 608 UK sites for four climate scenarios corresponding to mean temperature changes of 1...

As the human population in urban areas is continuously growing, urbanization is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. To mitigate the negative effects, the inclusion of blue zones (aquatic habitats) in modern urban development practices is strongly recommended, as they could be beneficial for the local biodiversity conservation. Odonata are a flagship group and are widely used in freshwater conservation as ecological indicators of habitat integrity and health. However, our understanding of their ecological requirements in urban landscapes is not yet complete...

The new species, Calesynthemis jeanlegrandi sp. nov., dedicated to the late Jean Legrand, is described and illustrated based on a single pair of specimens from Mont Pani, New Caledonia. The male of this large species has unusual strongly sinuous and distally down curved white cerci 7 mm long and exhibits on abdominal segment 10 a remarkable clump of strong setae mimicking a dorsal horn. The female wingspan slightly exceeds 100 mm. In addition, on the basis of adult and larval characters, Neocaledosynthemis gen...

Oxyagrion franciscoi Machado & Bede, 2016 is a critically endangered damselfly species endemic to the Serra da Canastra National Park, Brazil, a vital environmental reserve within the Cerrado hotspot for biodiversity conservation. Here we reared, illustrated, and described the last instar larva of O. franciscoi.

We provide updated synonymies for various genera and species of Neotropical Zygoptera based on examination of specimens and literature accompanied by justifications and supported by illustrations. The following generic synonyms are proposed: Austrotepuibasis Machado & Lencioni, 2011 and Pseudotepuibasis Stand-Prez & Prez-Gutirrez, 2020 are junior synonyms of Tepuibasis De Marmels, 2007; Fredyagrion Lencioni, 2022, Kiautagrion Lencioni, 2022, Nathaliagrion Lencioni, 2022, and Machadagrion Lencioni, 2022 are junior synonyms of Leptagrion Selys, 1876; Juenagrion Lencioni, 2023 is a junior synonym of Telebasis Selys, 1865...

The female of Leptagrion jeromei Lencioni, Vilela & Furieri, 2021 is described, illustrated, and diagnosed based on a specimen collected in epiphytic bromeliads at the Federal University of Sergipe ( (B0545), BRAZIL, Federal University of Sergipe, So Cristvo, -10.92707, -37.10100, 30 m asl, 6.x.2023, A.B.S. Farias & J.C. Santos leg.). Additionally, we provide information on its biology, ecology, and taxonomic notes, along with illustrations of the collected males.

As of August 2023, 220 species in 57 genera and 10 families of damselflies and dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata) are recorded for Canada. Since the publication of the first edition in 2005, 14 species have been added to the list; one,Neurocordulia obsoleta (Say) has been removed because of a misidentification and another, Sympetrum occidentale, has been to synonymy. Conservation ranks are given for species in all 13 provinces and territories. English and French names for all listed species are included. Literature sources are discussed and presented, as is information on species status and the addition and exclusion of species...

The cosmopolitan family Lestidae Calvert, 1901 has two widely distributed genera in the Americas: Archilestes Selys, 1862, and Lestes Leach, 1815. In Colombia, this family is represented by 11 species. In this study, we present a diagnosis of Lestidae species in Colombia based on a thorough review of the countrys main entomological collections. A total of 258 specimens representing ten species were examined. The species L. dichrostigma Calvert, 1909, is recorded for the first time. The presence of L. henshawi Calvert, 1907 is excluded, and the taxonomic status of L...

We describe the new genus and species Stolleagrion foghnielseni n. gen. et sp. from the Fur Formation in northwestern Denmark based on a single fossil wing. This is the first odonatan described from the earliest part of the PETM recovery phase of the early Eocene. A combination of nine wing character states are considered to be diagnostic of the Dysagrionidae Cockrell only together with the cephalozygopteran head; however, the combination of these nine plus the presence of Ax0 is also diagnostic without the head...

The final stadium larva of Anisopleura furcata Selys, 1891 is described and illustrated. The larva can be separated from all known Anisopleura Selys, 1853 larvae by the following characters: the profusion of elongated tubercles on the labrum and antefrons, the presence of a long bifid spur on the outer margin of the mandibles, presence of a row of claviform setae on dorsal apex of tarsus, and antennae 8-segmented. The inner lobe of the labial palps forms a tiny truncate tooth broadly similar to the condition in all other known members of the genus...

CONTEXT: The successful dispersal of an animal depends, partly, on landscape connectivity. Urbanization poses risks to dispersal activities by increasing hostile land cover types. OBJECTIVES: We investigated how connectivity of urban ponds impacted Odonata communities (dragonflies and damselflies), an order of semi-aquatic insects that actively disperse. METHODS: We sampled 41 constructed stormwater ponds and 8 natural ponds in a metropolitan area...

BACKGROUND: The patterns of richness, diversity, and abundance of an odonate assemblage from San Buenaventura, Jalisco are presented here. A total of 1087 specimens from seven families, 35 genera and 66 species were obtained through monthly samplings of five days each during a period of one year. Libellulidae was the most diverse family (28 species), followed by Coenagrionidae (21), Gomphidae (7), Aeshnidae (6), Calopterygidae (2), Lestidae (1) and Platystictidae (1). Argia was the most speciose genus...

This study, centered on the Asan Wetland in Uttarakhand, examines the ecological impact of heavy metals on aquatic insects biodiversity. It highlights the detrimental effects of metals like chromium, mercury, and lead, stemming from natural and anthropogenic sources, on aquatic insects diversity. Aquatic insects, particularly sensitive to water quality, are emphasized as key indicators of environmental health, illustrating the importance of understanding and managing the influences on wetland ecosystems. Wetland ecosystems are vulnerable to various environmental stressors, including pollution from heavy metals...

The demography and behaviour of Teinopodagrion oscillans was studied in a protected area in the Andean region of Colombia. Adult damselflies were individually marked, and using their recapture histories, we estimated survival, longevity, sex ratio, and population size using Cormack-Jolly-Seber models. Other aspects of their behaviour were recorded. Survival, recapture, and lifespan (14.1 ± 0.59 days) were similar for both sexes and all age groups. Mature males were larger, and the distance from the water was similar for all individuals...

The evaluation of environmental and spatial influence in freshwater systems is crucial for the conservation of aquatic diversity. So, we evaluated communities of Odonata in streams inside and outside sustainable use areas in the Brazilian western Amazon. We predicted that these streams would differ regarding habitat integrity and species α and β diversity. We also predict that environmental and spatial variables will be important for both suborders, but with more substantial effects on Zygoptera species, considering their nature of forest-specialist...

AbstractInterference competition can drive species apart in habitat use through competitive displacement in ecological time and agonistic character displacement (ACD) over evolutionary time. As predicted by ACD theory, sympatric species of rubyspot damselflies ( Hetaerina spp.) that respond more aggressively to each other in staged encounters differ more in microhabitat use. However, the same pattern could arise from competitive displacement if dominant species actively exclude subordinate species from preferred microhabitats...