Post on 03-Apr-2018
Introduction to Odonata: Dragonflies & Damselflies
Ornate Pennant (Celithemis ornata), C. Mazzacano
What are odonates?
Protolindenia wittei fossil; 155 million y.o.; www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/uniramia/odonatoida.html
“toothed” fossil record >400 million years Proto-fossils from Permian with 27 in. (68 cm) wingspan
What are odonates?
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis), C. Mazzacano
Anisoptera (dragonflies)
Zygoptera (damselflies)
Diverse; 5952 species globally 463 species in North America (Schorr & Paulson, 2013)
Sierra Madre Dancer (Argia lacrimans), C. Mazzacano
What are odonates?
Colorful
Ebony Jewelwing, (Calopteryx maculata) John Wallace
Double-striped Bluet (Enallagma basidens), C. Mazzacano
What are odonates?
Aquatic
Alexa Carleton
Celeste Mazzacano
What are odonates?
Dennis Paulson
Hunters…
…and prey
Larry Rea
What are odonates?
Gila National Forest; USFS
Symbolic
Alexa Carleton Petroglyph National Monument
What are odonates? American Rubyspot (Hetaerina cruentata), C. Mazzacano
Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera), John Abbott
Beautiful!
Variable Darner (Aeshna interrupta), C. Mazzacano
Carmine Skimmer (Orthemis discolor), C. Mazzacano
Dragonfly or damselfly?
Large body
Wider abdomen
Eyes touch or nearly so
Hindwings broader than forewings
Wings held horizontal when perched
Smaller body
Slender abdomen
Eyes separated
Equal-sized wings stalked at base
Wings folded above or along body when perched
Powdered Dancer (Argia moesta), C. Mazzacano Common Green Darner (Anax junius), Dennis Paulson
Odonate habitats
Running water: rivers, streams, creeks, ditches
Bear Creek CA; C. Mazzacano Cache la Poudre River CO; C. Mazzacano
Whychus Creek OR; C. Mazzacano Sandy River OR; C. Mazzacano
Deweys Mill Pond, Quechee VT; C. Mazzacano
Odonate habitats
Ag pond, Sauvie Island OR; Celeste Mazzacano Kristi Lake bog, Saskatchewan Canada; C. Mazzacano
RAMSAR wetland, Xalapa Mexico; C. Mazzacano
Sauvie Island ag pond, OR; C. Mazzacano
Still water: marsh, swamp, bog, seep, wet meadow, lake, pond
Odonate habitats Need upland habitat to feed, mature, shelter, and roost
Tropical dashers, Veracruz Mexico; C. Mazzacano
Breathing & locomotion Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata), John Abbott
Jet-propelled dragonfly nymphs
Minnow-like damselfly nymphs
Pond damsel, C. Mazzacano
Breathing & locomotion
Jet-propelled dragonfly nymphs
Minnow-like damselfly nymphs
Amazing Odes—Flight
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata), John Abbott
Wings move independently of each other
Can hover, shoot up, zigzag, or fly backwards
for short span
Common Green Darner (Anax junius), Dan Jackson
Amazing Odes—Flight
Spot-Winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea), Carel de Haseth
Flight speed rivals small songbirds (30 mph / 48 kph)
Some species have broadened hindwings for gliding
Amazing Odes—Flight Dragonfly flight in slow motion
Amazing Odes—Vision
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis), C. Mazzacano
Almost 360o field of vision Detect color, movement, shape
Amazing Odes—Vision
Blue-fronted Dancer, Michael Bok, EOL , http://eol.org/data_objects/22336775
Compound eyes with many lenses (ommatidia)
One eye may have 30,000 ommatidia
Elusive Clubtail (Stylurus notatus), C. Mazzacano Cherry-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum internum), C. Mazzacano
Amazing Odes—Hunting
Variable Darner (Aeshna interrupta) eats Pale Snaketail (Ophiogomphus severus), C. Mazzacano
Spiny legs directed forward like a basket to scoop up prey
Meadowhawk eating mosquito; K. Redmond, UWI-Milwaukee
May eat prey on the wing or perched
Amazing Odes—Hunting
Techniques: Fly continuously, snatch prey mid-flight Sally forth from perch to catch flying prey Make slow flights gleaning prey from vegetation
Whiteface eats Bluet, C. Mazzacano
Amazing Odes—Hunting
Nymphs use hinged, toothed, extendable “lower lip” (labium) to catch prey
Jeff Adams/Xerces Society
Jeff Adams/Xerces Society
Feed on invertebrates, tadpoles, small fish
Amazing Odes—Hunting
Common Green Darner (Anax junius), John Abbott
Amazing Odes—Hunting Predators as nymphs...
Amazing Odes—Hunting ...and as adults
Amazing Odes—Obelisking
Four-spotted Pennant (Brachymesia gravida), C. Mazzacano
Cooling mechanism; minimizes surface area exposed to sun
Life History—Development Use hinged, toothed lower lip (labium) to catch prey
Nymph molts through multiple stages (instars) Wing pads develop as nymph grows Develop months to years, depending on species Adult emerges from “skin” of final instar nymph
Damselfly nymph; North American Benthological Society
Life History—Emergence
Final instar nymph stops feeding, leaves water, climbs onto perch
Larval skin splits along thorax; new adult (teneral) pulls free
Snaketail, C. Mazzacano
Snaketail, C. Mazzacano
Life History—Emergence
Teneral has shiny wings, soft body, weak flight
Color development and sexual maturation occur
teneral Snaketail, C. Mazzacano
Boreal Snaketail (Ophiogomphus colubrinus); C. Mazzacano
Life History—Emergence
Elisa Peresbarbosa Rojas
Life History—Maturation Color development continues with age
Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida) immature male, Ron Hemberger
Vivid Dancer mature male, Ron Hemberger
Male and female may look very different
Blue Dasher female, C. Mazzacano
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) male, C. Mazzacano
Life History—Maturation
Some develop powdery coating (pruinosity) on
wings and/or body
Wings often tattered in older specimens
Eight-spotted Skimmer (Libellula forensis), C. Mazzacano
Eight-spotted Skimmer, Alexa Carleton
Life History—Reproduction
Males patrol around water to guard territory, find mates
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia), C. Mazzacano
Females avoid water until ready to mate and lay eggs
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata), C. Mazzacano
Life History—Reproduction Female abdomen broader, ovipositor may be visible Pin-tailed Pondhawk (Erythemis plebeja) female, C. Mazzacano
Autumn Meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum), female, Michele Blackburn
Pin-tailed Pondhawk male, C. Mazzacano
Striped Meadowhawk (Sympetrum pallipes), male, C. Mazzacano
Male secondary genitalia form bump on S2
Autumn Meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum), female, Michele Blackburn
Life History—Mating Male transfers sperm to secondary genitalia on S2 Claspers grab female behind eyes Female swings abdomen up to lock genitalia with male Male genitalia can scoop out sperm from female’s previous mating
American Emeralds (Cordulia shurtleffii), C. Mazzacano
Life History—Oviposition
Eggs inserted in vegetation or sediment, or dropped or
tapped onto water
Some species lay eggs in seasonal
wetlands that will flood later
Double-striped Bluets (Enallagma basidens), C. Mazzacano
Tule Bluets, (Enallagma carunculatum) C. Mazzacano
Life History—Oviposition
Common Green Darners (Anax junius), Dennis Paulson
Male may continue to hold female in tandem or guard her as she lays eggs
Life History—Hatching Egg hatches into prolarva, immediately molts to 1st instar nymph
Lilypad Clubtail (Ariogomphus furcifer), C. Mazzacano
"Today I saw the dragonfly
Come from the wells where he did lie. An inner impulse
rent the veil Of his old husk:
from head to tail Came out clear plates
of sapphire mail. He dried his wings:
like gauze they grew; Thro' crofts and pastures
wet with dew A living flash
of light he flew.“ Alfred Lord Tennyson
Questions?
Claret Pondhawk (Erythemis mithroides), C. Mazzacano