Abstract
Size, sex-ratio and mean abdomen length of an emergingSympetrum danae population showed significant yearly variations. It is argued that weather plays a major role. A consistent female-excess at emergence existed.
Longevity estimates in the field were highly biased by emigration, especially at an early age, and seemingly more so in females than males. The larger, early emerging individuals emigrated more readily immediately after emergence and lived longer if they stayed in the area, than the smaller, late-emerging ones. This relation was especially clear in males.
The shorter maturation in males found in the field was attributed to a sex-specific bias in the field. Maturation-time was found to be inversely related with emergence-data. No effects of abdomen length, weather or density could be demonstrated.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Banks, M. J. & D. J. Thompson, 1985a. Lifetime mating success in the damselfly,Coenagrion puella. Anim. Behav. 33: 1175–1183.
Banks, M. J. & D. J. Thompson, 1985b. Emergence, longevity and breeding area fidelity in Coenagrion puella (L.) (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae). Odonatologica 14(4): 279–286.
Benke, A. C. & S. S. Benke, 1975. Comparative dynamics and life histories of coexisting dragonfly populations. Ecology 56: 302–317.
Bick, G. H. & J. C. Bick, 1963. Behavior and population structure of the damselflyEnallagma civile (Hagen). Southw. Nat. 6: 57–84.
Cothran, M. L. & J. H. Thorp, 1982. Emergence patterns and size variation of Odonata in a thermal reservoir. Freshwat. Invertebr. Biol. 1(4): 30–39.
Corbet, P. S., 1957. The life-history of the Emperor DragonflyAnax imperator Leach (Odonata: Aeschnidae). J. Anim. Ecol. 26: 1–69.
Corbet, P. S., 1980. Biology of Odonata. Ann. Rev. Entomol. 25: 189–217.
Corbet, P. S., C. Longfield & N. W. Moore, 1985. Dragonflies. New Naturalist (2nd ed.) Collins, London.
Dreyer, W., 1978. Etho-ökologische Untersuchungen anLestes viridis (Vander Linden) (Zygoptera: Lestidae). Odonatologica 7(4): 309–322.
Fincke, O. M., 1982. Lifetime Mating Success in a Natural Population of the Damselfly,Enallagma hageni (Walsh) (Odonata: Coenagrionidae). Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 10: 293–302.
Fincke, O. M., 1986. Lifetime reproductive success and the opportunity for selection in a nonterritorial dragonfly (Odonata: Coenagrionidae). Evolution 40(4): 791–803.
Fincke, O. M., 1988. Sources of variation in lifetime reproductive success in a non-territorial damselfly (Odonata: Coenagrionidae). In T. Cutton-Brock (ed.), Reproductive success. Univ. of Chicago Press (in press).
Garrison, R. W.), 1978. A mark-recapture study of imaginalEnallagma cyathigerum (Charpentier) andArgia vivida Hagen (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae). Odonatologica 7(3): 223–236.
Goffart, P., 1983. Contribution à l'étude des Odonates des tourbières du plateau des Tailles. Mém. Licen. Sci. Zool. Louvain-la-Neuve: IV ± 172.
Harvey, I. F. & P. S. Corbet, 1985. Territorial behavior of larvae enhances mating success of male dragonflies. Anim. behav. 33: 561–565.
Hassan, A. T., 1977. Longevity of three libellulid dragonflies under semi-natural conditions (Anisoptera: Libellulidae). Odonatologica 6(1): 1–5.
Hinnekint, B. O. N., 1987. Population dynamics ofIschnura e. elegans (Vander Linden) (Insecta: Odonata) with special reference to morphological colour changes, female polymorphism, multiannual cycles and their influence on behaviour. Hydrobiologia 146: 3–31.
Jacobs, M. E., 1955. Studies on territorialism and sexual selection in dragonflies. Ecology 36: 566–586.
Johnson, C., 1964. Mating expectancies and sex-ratio in the damselfly,Enallagma praevarum (Odonata: Coenagrionidae). Southw. Nat. 9(4): 297–304.
Kormondy, E. J. & J. L. Gower, 1965. Life history variations in an association of Odonata. Ecology 46: 882–886.
Martens, A., 1983. Besiedlung von neugeschaffenen Kleingewässern durch Libellen (Insecta: Odonata). Braunschw. Naturk. Schr. 1(4): 591–601.
Michiels, N. M. & A. A. Dhondt, 1987. Coexistence of three congenericSympetrum-species (P. Odonata: Fam. Libellulidae) at Den Diel, Mol, Belgium. Odonatologica 16(4): 347–360.
Pajunen, V. I., 1962. Studies on the population ecology ofLeuchorrhinia dubia V. d. Lind. (Odon., Libellulidae). Ann. Zool. Soc. ‘Vanamo’ 24(4): 1–79.
Parr, M. J., 1965. A population study of a colony of imaginalIschnura elegans (Vander Linden) (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) at Dale, Pembrokeshire. Field Studies 2(2): 237–282.
Parr, M. J., 1973a. Ecological studies ofIschnura elegans (Vander Linden) (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae). I. Age groups, emergence patterns and numbers. Odonatologica 2(3): 139–157.
Parr, M. J., 1973b. Ecological studies ofIschnura elegans (Vander Linden) (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae). II. Survivorship, local movements and dispersal. Odonatologica 2(3): 159–174.
Parr., M. J. & M. Palmer, 1971. The sex-ratios, mating frequencies and mating expectancies of three coenagrionids (Odonata: Zygoptera) in northern England. Ent. scand. 2: 191–204.
Parr, M. J. a M. Parr, 1972. Survival rates, population density and predation in the damselfly,Ischnura elegans (Vander Linden) (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae). Odonatologica 1(3): 137–141.
Robert, P. A., 1958. Les Libellules. Delachaux & Niestle, Neuchâtel.
Southwood, T. R. E., 1978. Ecological Methods, with particular reference to the study of Insect Populations. Chapman and Hall, London & New York.
Ubukata, H., 1981. Survivorship curve and annual fluctuation in the size of emerging population ofCordulia aenea amurensis Selys (Odonata: Corduliidae). Jap. J. Ecol. 31: 335–346.
Van Buskirk, J., 1987. Density-dependent population dynamics in larvae ofthe dragonflyPachydiplax longipennis: a field experiment. Oecologia 72: 221–225.
Van Noordwijk, M., 1978. A mark-recapture study of coexisting zygopteran populations. Odonatologica 7(4): 353–374.
Waage, J. K.,1972. Longevity and mobility of adultCalopteryx maculata (Beauvois, 1805) (Zygoptera: Calopterygidae). Odonatologica 1(3): 155–162.
Waage, J. K., 1980. Adult sex-ratios and female reproductive potential inCalopteryx (Zygoptera: Calopterygidae). Odonatologica 9(3): 217–230.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Michiels, N.K., Dhondt, A.A. Effects of emergence characteristics on longevity and maturation in the dragonflySympetrum danae (Anisoptera : Libellulidae). Hydrobiologia 171, 149–158 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008175
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008175