ODONATOLOGICA Journal of the Societas Internationalis Odonatologica

Contents Volume 32, Issue 1 2003

Moore, J. Norman Winfrid Moore. p.  9-18. A brief biography of Dr N.W. Moore (born 24 Feb. 1923; retired Chief Advisory Officer of the (British) Nature Conservancy Council, founder Chairman of the Odonata Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, Hon. Fellow of the Linnean Society and the British Dragonfly Society, Member of Honour of the Societas Internationalis Odonatologica, Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, etc. and founding chairman of the international group promoting Odon. conservation) is followed by his shortened bibliography (1939-2002; 135 titles, fairly complete for odonatological publications, but ca 45 papers on pesticides and environment are omitted). - N.W.M. is a naturalist biologist whose lifelong aim has been to conserve wildlife and to relate the conservation of wildlife to human activities and welfare. In addition to his very wideranging contribution to conservation, he always maintained his long term research on odon. After retiring (1983), he created a reserve beside his garden, and dragonflies again took centre stage. Most of his odonatological work is devoted to studies on adult territorial behaviour, distribution and community structure, and to various aspects of habitat and species conservation.

Ishizawa, N.; Arai, Y. The response to rotating objects by Anotogaster sieboldii (Selys) males (Anisoptera: Cordulegastridae). p. 19-28. During their patrolling flight male A. sieboldii responded to a rotating fan by hovering. The dragonflies did not respond to the playback sound of the fan. However, they did respond to the rotation of a mini desk fan which was observed through the window of a sound insulated box. The dragonflies responded to rotation of discs of various patterns, even when the ambient temperatures were low for summer; thus they did not respond due to thermoregulation. Only males responded, and they did not respond to rotation of low velocity. - males responded to a suspended male or female that was fluttering, but not when it was still. Therefore, it was concluded that the response to rotating objects by males might be regarded as behaviour to ascertain whether a rotating object is a female or not. The hovering rate (HVR) in relation to rotation velocity and colour patterns is discussed.

Purse, B. V.; Thompson, D. J. Reproductive morphology and behaviour in Coenagrion mercuriale (Charpentier) (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae). p. 29-37. The reproductive morphology and behaviour of male and female at the northern edge of the sp. range, in Britain are described. Copula duration was relatively short and occurred in tussocks around the stream and oviposition usually occurred in tandem. Although there was no significant relationship between body size and clutch size, large clutches were only found in the largest individuals and larger females produced larger, and thus better-provisioned eggs. Examination of the dimensions of the aedeagus and the female sperm storage organs revealed that males could remove rival sperm from both the bursa copulatrix and spermatheca consistent with the presence of extensive proximally oriented microspination with sperm masses on the surface of the aedeagi. femalefemale store sperm from previous matings and a few partition clutches between consecutive oviposition episodes. The fulfilment of these ecological and behavioural pre-requisites and the predominance of mate guarding during oviposition suggests that sperm competition by sperm displacement is prevalent in this sp. and constitutes a substantial selection pressure.

van Tol, J.; Muller, R. A. Forest damselflies of the Philippines, their evolution and present status, with the description of Drepanosticta moorei spec. nov. from Luzon (Zygoptera: Platystictidae). p. 39-45. D. moorei sp. n. (holotype male Philippines, Luzon, Nueva Viscaya, Sta Fe, Atbo River, 550-800 m, 10-VI-1991, in RMNH) is described, and illustrated. It is closely related to D. belyshevi Hamalainen from the Philippines. Some general remarks on the historical biogeography and the present status of the family are made. The current distribution of the family (SE Asia, Middle and northern South America) presumably dates back to the Upper Cretaceous.

Vick, G. S. Notes on the genus Notogomphus Selys, 1858 in Cameroon with the descriptions of two new species (Anisoptera: Gomphidae). p. 47-60. Twelve Notogomphus specimens from Cameroon were available for analysis. Previously only N. spinosus Karsch was known from the country; its holotype and allotype have been re-examined and comments are included. N. maryae sp. n (holotype male: SW Province, Mt Kupe, Nhiangse, 25-VII-1998 and N. moorei sp. n (holotype male: SW Province, Kodmin, 15-XII-1998 are described. The types are in the author's collection. A key to separate the 3 spp. is provided.

Wildermuth, H. Reproductive behaviour in Somatochlora arctica (Zetter-Stedt) (Anisoptera: Corduliidae). p. 61-77. The reproductive behaviour in relation to structural habitat resources was studied at mountain bogs of the Central Alps (Tyrol, Austria). The malemale searched for mates at small clearings in coniferous forests where numerous scattered oviposition sites were hidden in dense vegetation, using 3 tactics: (1) they scanned the oviposition sites by slow flights at low height over large vegetated areas (scan flight), (2) they patrolled restricted areas with frequent hover stops while chasing any intruder (patrol flight), (3) they dived repeatedly into gaps of emergent vegetation, searching for females close to the water (dive flights). 62% of the females remained undiscovered by males, 11% fled successfully and 27% accepted copulation (n = 139). The copulation was always initiated in the air or on the ground when both partners plunged into the vegetation following a clash. Immediately after the take off - and possibly after intramale sperm translocation - the tandem assumed the wheel position. The pairs often circled over the clearings for several minutes and perched on sunlit branches of spruce or pine trees, 0.8-12 m above ground (mean 2.75 m, n = 20). During copulation that lasted 31-150 min (mean 85 min, n = 14) rhythmic pumping movements of the male basal abdominal segments with frequencies from 0.14 to 0.36 Hz were observed. Copulation terminated by disengagement of the genitalia, then the partners separated immediately or after a short tandem flight. Oviposition never followed directly upon copulation and always occurred unguarded. The oviposition sites were selected carefully at shallow puddles among emergent vegetation. Eggs were laid by touching soaked moss or turf mud with the tip of the abdomen during rhythmic dipping flight movements with mean frequency of 0.61 Hz. One oviposition bout lasted 1-3 min and featured an egg flow of 1.7-4.5 eggs per s. Ovipositing females were sometimes successfully attacked by frogs (Rana temporaria), and males were occasionally found in orb-webs of spiders (Araneus sp.); however, predation risk was low at rendez-vous sites. Sperm competition is discussed with respect to behaviour during copulation and to the morphology of male and female genitalia.

Butler, S. G. The larva of Isomma hieroglyphicum Selys, 1892 (Anisoptera: Gomphidae). p. 79-84. A male final instar larva from the N of Madagascar is described and illustrated. The taxonomic position of the sp. is discussed on the basis of a morphological comparison, using 3 specimens of the closely related genus Phyllogomphus, and the description of the adult Malgassogomphus robinsoni.

Clausnitzer, V. The synonymy of the East African Notogomphus cataractae Consiglio, 1978 and N. immisericors Campion, 1923 with N. lecythus Campion, 1923 (Anisoptera: Gomphidae). p. 85-87. Based on the examination of the holotypes of the 3 taxa and on fresh material from Kenya, these appear conspecific. Consequently, N. cataractae and N. immisericors are placed in synonymy of N. lecythus.

Machado, A. B. M. Neoneura moorei spec. nov. from the Amazonian region of Brazil (Zygoptera: Protoneuridae). p. 89-93. The new sp. is described and illustrated from 3 males and 3 females collected in the state of Rondonia, Brazil (holotype male, allotype female: Ji-Parana, II-1961, deposited in the author's collection). By the arrangement of the decumbent process of the dorsal branch of the superior appendages it belongs to the N. maria-group whose spp. had never been found in Brazil. It differs from the other spp. of this group by its color pattern, by the structure of the male superior appendages and shape of the female posterior prothoracic lobe.

von Ellenrieder, N.; Muzon, J. Description of the last larval instar of Aeshna (Marmaraeschna) pallipes Fraser, 1947 (Anisoptera: Aeshnidae). p. 95-98. The last larval instar is described and illustrated, based on reared specimens from Argentina (Salta and La Rioja provinces). It differs from the only other Marmaraeschna larva known, A. (M.) brevicercia, by the antennae surpassing anterior margin of labrum, lateral spine of abdominal segment IX as long as segment X, and male basal lamina of epiproct with rounded tip and half as long as epiproct. Both pallipes and brevicercia larvae differ from other Aeshna larvae by the U-shaped apical excision of epiproct and the marginal tubercles on sides of ligula medial cleft.

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