Odonata Research Articles

Odonata Unveiled: A Differential Diagnosis of Recent Odonata Species Discovered in India

Odonata, commonly known as dragonflies and damselflies, represent a fascinating and diverse order of insects found throughout the world, with a rich evolutionary history dating back hundreds of millions of years. Odonates are diverse group of insects with around 6407 valid species throughout the world, out of which 498 species have been recorded in India. These insects are characterized by their striking, often vibrant, colors, large compound eyes, and elongated bodies. This review provides a concise overview of the various new Odonata species discovered in recent years in India. Odonata, like all living organisms, continue to evolve because evolution is a fundamental and ongoing process in the natural world. Several factors contribute to why Odonata, along with all species, are still evolving. In recent years different species have been discovered from both the suborders that is, Anisoptera and Zygoptera of the order Odonata. Different species have been mainly discovered from Kerala, and Maharashtra. The species are identified on the basis of their external features, markings and similarities and dissimilarities from the similar species. This also covers the importance of newly found species, their ecological value and their importance in the environment as a wetland marker.

Insect Species Diversity in Bangek River Area Lubuk Minturun Padang

The study employed the insect net method to sample insects from the Bangek River. Primary and secondary data were collected for analysis. The research was conducted at Bangek River, Lubuk Minturun District, Padang City, West Sumatra Province. Insect sampling involved a single event using an insect net within the administrative area of Lubuk Minturun. A total of 35 insects were captured from the Bangek River, comprising 5 species from the Lepidoptera order, 28 from the Odonata order, and 1 species each from the Hemiptera and Orthoptera orders.

Development of mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I primer sets to construct DNA barcoding library using next-generation sequencing.

Insects are one of the most diverse eukaryotic groups on the planet, with one million or more species present, including those yet undescribed. The DNA barcoding system has been developed, which has aided in the identification of cryptic species and undescribed species. The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I region (mtDNA COI) has been utilised for the barcoding analysis of insect taxa. Thereafter, next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has been developed, allowing for rapid acquisition of massive amounts of sequence data for genetic analyses. Although NGS-based PCR primers designed to amplify the mtDNA COI region have been developed, their target regions were only a part of COI region and/or there were taxonomic bias for PCR amplification. As the mtDNA COI region is a traditional DNA marker for the DNA barcoding system, modified primers for this region would greatly contribute to taxonomic studies. In this study, we redesigned previously developed PCR primer sets that targetted the mtDNA COI barcoding region to improve amplification efficiency and to enable us to conduct sequencing analysis on NGS. As a result, the redesigned primer sets achieved a high success rate (> 85%) for species examined in this study, covering four insect orders (Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera and Odonata). Thus, by combining the primers with developed primer sets for 12S or 16S rRNA regions, we can conduct more detailed taxonomic, phylogeographic and conservation genetic studies using NGS.

Species Richness and Diversity of Insects in an Argo-ecosystem in Bhabar Region of Uttarakhand

The aim of the presented study was to estimate the species richness and diversity of insects were investigated in an agro-ecosystem in Bhabar region of Uttarakhand. In total, 992 individuals were collected representing 7 orders (Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Orthoptera, Diptera and Odonata), 30 families and 91 species that included herbivores, predators, omnivores and saprophages. The most dominant order was Lepidoptera with a relative abundance of (46.15%) and, the least was Diptera (6.59%). The five most abundant families by numbers of individuals were Pieridae (14.8%), Nymphalidae (13.9%), Lycaenidae (6.1%), Papilionidae (5.9%), and Libellulidae (5.4%). The five most diverse families by species were Nymphalidae (13), Pieridae (9), Lycaenidae (8), Papilionidae (7), and Libellulidae (6). The diversity index showed significant Diversity (Hʹ=1.832), Evenness (E=0.9449) and Margalef species richness (d=2.076) of insect fauna. Diversity indices of insect orders showed that Lepidoptera was the most diverse (Hʹ=1.641), Dipterans had highest Evenness (E=0.9449), and Coleopterans had the maximum species richness as per Margalef’s Index (d=2.056). There were 720 individuals of insect pollinators visitors were observed, which belonged to 62 species in 4 orders (Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, and Hemiptera).

The most remarkable migrants-systematic analysis of the Western European insect flyway at a Pyrenean mountain pass.

In autumn 1950 David and Elizabeth Lack chanced upon a huge migration of insects and birds flying through the Pyrenean Pass of Bujaruelo, from France into Spain, later describing the spectacle as combining both grandeur and novelty. The intervening years have seen many changes to land use and climate, posing the question as to the current status of this migratory phenomenon. In addition, a lack of quantitative data has prevented insights into the ecological impact of this mass insect migration and the factors that may influence it. To address this, we revisited the site in autumn over a 4 year period and systematically monitored abundance and species composition of diurnal insect migrants. We estimate an annual mean of 17.1 million day-flying insect migrants from five orders (Diptera, Hymenoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera and Odonata) moving south, with observations of southward 'mass migration' events associated with warmer temperatures, the presence of a headwind, sunlight, low windspeed and low rainfall. Diptera dominated the migratory assemblage, and annual numbers varied by more than fourfold. Numbers at this single site hint at the likely billions of insects crossing the entire Pyrenean mountain range each year, and we highlight the importance of this route for seasonal insect migrants.

Prospects for the future study of the order Odonata order: a review of published articles from the Scopus database 2019-2023

Prospects for the future study of the order Odonata order: a review of published articles from the Scopus database 2019-2023

Reproductive behavior of Erythrodiplax abjecta (Rambur, 1842) from Andean Mountains

Research about the behavior of Neotropical species is crucial to understand how the rapid environmental changes in the Neotropics affect the reproduction of various organisms. The reproductive behavior of insects in tropical ecosystems, such as those belonging to the order Odonata, is as yet scarcely known. In this article, the reproductive behavior of Erythrodiplax abjecta is described from several localities in the Colombian Andean Mountains. Playing out between 10:00 and 14:30 h, male individuals of this species may exhibit either territorial or satellite behavior. Sexually mature males and females engage in tandem and copulation behaviors, which are brief and may occur either perched or in flight. Females of E. abjecta oviposit directly in the water at various times, alternating with periods of rest. During oviposition, males stand guard over females, perched or hovering, in a quest to protect them against other males. Conspecific males have been observed to engage in sieges of perching or ovipositing females, as well as mating pairs. Following a siege, either the female or the original pair flees, or the besieging male will succeed in outcompeting the original male, take the female in tandem, copulate with her, and then guard her while she oviposits. If the female flees, she may perch elsewhere, continue ovipositing, or may be taken by another male. The intense male guarding behavior during oviposition could represent an adaptation to temporarily high male densities at oviposition sites and a high level of competition during the short period in which active copulation takes place.

Design of an e-encyclopedia of the order of odonata from sumatra as student teaching material

This research discusses the design of the E-Encyclopedia of the Order of Odonata as teaching material for junior high school students. This research aims to introduce how to design an E-encyclopedia of the Order of Odonata from Sumatra which can be used as teaching material for junior high school students, especially children aged (13-15 years) in the Sumatra region. The urgency is that junior high school children become familiar with the various types of the Odonata Order from Sumatra so that the identity of the Odonata Order is maintained and maintained. This research is design research consisting of three phases, namely Preliminary research, Prototyping phase, and assessment phase. The design of the E-Encyclopedia of the Odonata Order from Sumatra is an effort to develop media in studying various types of the Odonata Order from Sumatra whose development is viewed from language, material, and media. Through the development activities carried out, an E-Encyclopedia Product of the Order of Odonata from Sumatra was obtained as suitable teaching material.

Aquatic Insects Diversity and Water Quality of a Tropical Freshwater in Federal University of Education, Ondo, Nigeria

Aquatic insects are regarded as one of the very important components of the freshwater ecosystem because of the various ecological purposes which they serve. The insects are also the most impacted when surface waters are disturbed. As such, analyzing the structure of assemblage has become a veritable yardstick in the assessment of biodiversity and water quality. This research effort applied the combination of aquatic insect composition and physico-chemical characteristics in assessing the ecological status of Oju Awo stream. Aquatic insects and water samples were collected once in every two months covering a period between December, 2021 and October, 2022 using sweep nets and1L sterilized bottle respectively. The results obtained for the physical and chemical parameters of the water as well as the aquatic insect assemblage showed that the investigated reaches of the stream did not differ widely except for water temperature which showed significant variations (p < 0.05) along the reaches of the waterbody. A total of 242 aquatic insect specimens represented by three (3) orders (Hemiptera, Odonata and Coleoptera) and sixteen (16) taxa were recorded. Hemiptera was the dominant and most abundant taxa as it accounted for about 90.91% of the total insect collection. The dominance of pollution tolerant species, the absence of sensitive insects’ species and poor water quality as revealed by the physico-chemical parameters indicated deteriorating water quality conditions in the stream.

Insect diversity and abundance in three forest areas of Lagos State

Mangrove forest ecosystem preserves diversity of species, which includes insects. Insects serve as bioindicators, pollinators and nutrient recyclers in the forest. However, the number of insects decline as the forest fades. We conducted this field survey to assess the diversity and abundance of insect species in three selected mangrove swamp forests located in Lagos State, Nigeria. Samples were collected fortnightly using different techniques, for a period of three months. Insects collected were preserved in 70% alcohol, but butterflies and moths were preserved dry. Representative samples were identified with picture insect mobile application V1.0.8 and confirmed using standard identification keys. Vegetation cover was quite similar in all the areas sampled comprising of Alchornea cordifolia, Eragrosis racemose, Paspalum dilatatum and Avicennia germania. A total of 182 insects were collected belonging to seven Orders, 18 Families and 38 species. The most dominant Order was Coleoptera with relative abundance of 66.48% and the least was Hemiptera (0.59%). The Order Odonata was the most diverse (HꞋ=1.09), and the most dominant species were Pantala flavescens and Sympetrum fonscolombii, having relative abundance of 8.24% each, followed by Palpopleura lucia (7.69%), Ceriagrion glabrum (7.14%) and Lestinogomphus africanus (6.04%). Psedagrion kersteni was rare with relative abundance < 0.5%. Iba site had the highest species diversity (HꞋ=1.24) but lowest number of individuals. This study documents the diversity and abundance of insects in the fast-disappearing mangrove forest of Lagos State, Nigeria.

Edible dragonflies and damselflies (order Odonata) as human food – A comprehensive review

Abstract The rapid growth of the human population leads to a big concern about the food y and demand worldwide. However, due to the reduction in global arable land area, humans need to find alternative food sources to fulfil their needs. Consequently, edible insects have been identified as a promising solution to ameliorate food security and increase global nutrition. Among more than 2,100 identified edible insect species, dragonflies and damselflies (order Odonata) are considered as one of nutritious food resources. Nevertheless, detailed information on the frequency and distribution of consumption of odonatans around the world is scattered and poorly documented. Based on this review, at least 61 out of 1,964 species of odonatans were reported consumed by people worldwide. The most consumed dragonflies (suborder Epiprocta; infraorder Anisoptera) are from the family of Libellulidae, followed by Aeshnidae and Gomphidae, whereas the most consumed edible damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) are from the Coenagrionidae family. Many nutrients, including proteins, lipids, energy, fibre, vitamins, and minerals are abundant in edible odonatans. Moreover, studies reported that humans employed these insects as therapeutic agents to remedy various ailments. Challenges associated with the consumption of edible odonatans include safety concerns, legal frameworks, and limited information on their bioecology which become barrier for their successful mass-rearing. However, because entomophagy is gradually gaining recognition, new and more improved methods of rearing are now being developed including for edible odonatans, encouraging sustainable insect farming. As the world strives to achieve the sustainable development goals, insect farming will pave a way for resources to be utilised for sustainable economic development.

Benthic community ecology for Algerian river Seybouse

Abstract The Seybouse is the second largest river basin in Algeria, hosting an important biodiversity and providing various ecosystem services. This watershed is highly influenced by agricultural and industrial activities, which threaten its biodiversity and ecosystem integrity. The use of benthic macroinvertebrates as biological indicators has a long tradition in developed countries and integrated into all assessments of the ecological quality of river systems. However, the macroinvertebrates of many North African regions are still not well studied, including those of the Seybouse river. The aim of this study is to assess the inventory and ecological role of benthic macroinvertebrates in inland waters of the Seybouse River and determine the impact of pollution on their spatial distributions. We sampled the benthic macrofauna of Wadi Seybouse and its affluents using regular surveys in three sites, of which one was in the upper Seybouse Bouhamdane in Medjez Amar and two in the middle Seybouse. Between December 2019 and May 2020, 10 physico-chemical parameters (pH, EC, OD, water speed, NO3, Salinity, NO2, MES, turbidity, depth) were measured in order to establish a health state diagnosis of these aquatic ecosystems. The complementary biological approach by the analysis of populations of macroinvertebrates identified 7482 individuals and 40 taxa divided into five classes: Crustaceans which were the most dominant, insects with the main orders (Ephemeroptera, Diptera, Trichoptera, Heteroptera and Odonata), Molluscs, Nematodes and Annelids. The physico-chemical analyzes and the application of the organic pollution indices indicated a strong to excessive pollution for all sites, especially in Seybouse upstream

Odonata (Insecta) en campos de gran altitud y ecosistemas asociados en la meseta de Poços de Caldas, Brasil

The High Altitude Fields (HAF) are unique phytosociological features that occur only in certain regions of the Atlantic Forest. It is composed of herbaceous and shrubby vegetation and shallow soils that promote local water infiltration and recharge. Occurring on top of hills, the HAF are isolated units in the landscape, connecting with the matrix through associated ecosystems (springs with riparian forests and “capões de mata”, which are natural islands of arboreal vegetation, commonly associated with rural vegetation, such as high-altitude fields, located above 1,200 m in phytogeographic domains of the Atlantic Forest, Cerrado or Caatinga). These areas have great species endemism, and studies concerning the order Odonata are still scarce. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the ecological responses (richness, diversity, specificity) of adult odonates in these ecosystems. The study was conducted from November 2020 to March 2021 in three areas in the Poços de Caldas Plateau, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. A total of 45 species (247 specimens) were collected, with the highest total richness being recorded for Anisoptera. Among the sampled areas, there was no difference in Anisoptera communities, but there was a difference in Zygoptera species composition. In general, the most preserved remnant of HAF, the greater it presents greater richness of Odonata and harbors a regional pool of species.

Жоңғар Алатау МҰТП насекомдары (Insecta)

The article presents the results of field research in 2023 on the territory of the Zhongar Alatau SNNP. Field research was carried out on the territory of the Alakol branch, Uygentas forestry, Kipeli gorge, Segizbai Asura, Attapkan, Lepsinsky branch, Zhalagash forestry, uchele Zhalanash, Agynykatta gorge, Lepsinsky branch, Chernovsky forestry, Chernaya Rechka gorge, Lepsinsky branch, Lepsinsky forestry, Steep gorge, Alakol branch, Kokzhar forestry, Kok Zhar gorge, The Sarkand branch, the Topolevsky forestry, the Osynovaja gorge and the Kokzhota gorge. When collecting the material, standard entomological techniques were used – bedbugs were collected from herbaceous plants, shrubs and tree branches with a net; species living on the soil surface, at the roots of plants, in the forest litter, under the bark of trees and various shelters were caught with an exhauster or tweezers. As a result of field research in 2023, 66 insect species of 36 families from 9 orders were identified on the territory of the Zhongar-Alatau GNPP: from the order Heteroptera 6 families of 10 species, from the order Lepidoptera 6 families of 20 species, from the order Raphidioptera 1 family of 1 species, from the order Hymenoptera 7 families of 9 species, from the order Neuroptera 1 family 1 species, from the order Coleoptera 10 families 21 species, from the order Orthoptera 2 families 3 species, from the order Odonata 2 families 2 species, from the order Diptera 1 family 1 species. Among them, the order Lepidoptera (20 species), Coleoptera (19 species), Heteroptera (10 species), Hymenoptera (9 species) are predominant in species composition, only 1-3 species have been identified from the other orders.

Exploration of The Species Richness of Butterfly (Hexapoda: Odonata) in The Rice Field Ecosystem of Perian village, Montong Gading, East Lombok

Several Odonata studies on Lombok Island still focus on forest and river habitat types. This causes the diversity of this insect group to be unknown in other habitats such as rice fields. This research aims to explore the richness of dragonfly species in the rice field ecosystem of Perian village, Montong Gading subdistrict, East Lombok district. Sample collection was carried out in May – June 2022. Dragonfly searches were carried out in the morning from 08.00 – 12.00, and in the afternoon from 14.00 – 18.00 on two transects determined purposively. The odonata found were documented using a digital camera, and captured using insect nets. Samples that were successfully collected were identified to the species taxon. The total odonata we found were 2 suborders, 5 families and 11 species. The suborder Zygoptera is the group with the highest species richness. For families, Libellulidae and Coenagrionida are the families with the highest species richness compared to other families. Of the 11 species that we found, 1 species is endemic, namely Euphaea lara lombokensis. Compared with the results of previous research conducted in Suranadi and Batu Bolong River, there are 5 species which are new records. The five species are Copera ciliata, Rhinocypha bisignata, Ischnura senegalensis, Ischnura heterosticta, and Brachythemis contaminata. The results of this study indicate that there are more species from the Odonata order on Lombok Island compared to previous reports.

The impact of selenium on insects.

Selenium, a naturally occurring metalloid, is an essential trace element for many higher organisms, including humans. Humans primarily become exposed to selenium by ingesting food products containing trace amounts of selenium compounds. Although essential in these small amounts, selenium exhibits toxic effects at higher doses. Previous studies investigating the effects on insects of order Blattodea, Coleoptera, Diptera, Ephemeroptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Odonata, and Orthoptera revealed impacts on mortality, growth, development, and behavior. Nearly every study examining selenium toxicity has shown that insects are negatively affected by exposure to selenium in their food. However, there were no clear patterns of toxicity between insect orders or similarities between insect species within families. At this time, the potential for control will need to be determined on a species-by-species basis. We suspect that the multiple modes of action, including mutation-inducing modification of important amino acids as well as impacts on microbiome composition, influence this variability. There are relatively few studies that have examined the potential effects of selenium on beneficial insects, and the results have ranged from increased predation (a strong positive effect) to toxicity resulting in reduced population growth or even the effective elimination of the natural enemies (more common negative effects). As a result, in those pest systems where selenium use is contemplated, additional research may be necessary to ascertain if selenium use is compatible with key biological control agents. This review explores selenium as a potential insecticide and possible future directions for research.

A broader flight season for Norway's Odonata across a century and a half

As global climate continues to change, so too will phenology of a wide range of insects. Changes in flight season usually are characterised as shifts to earlier dates or means, with attention less often paid to flight season breadth or whether seasons are now skewed. We amassed flight season data for the insect order Odonata, the dragonflies and damselflies, for Norway over the past century‐and‐a‐half to examine the form of flight season change. By means of Bayesian analyses that incorporated uncertainty relative to annual variability in survey effort, we estimated shifts in flight season mean, breadth, and skew. We focussed on flight season breadth, positing that it will track documented growing season expansion. A specific mechanism explored was shifts in voltinism, the number of generations per year, which tends to increase with warming. We found strong evidence for an increase in flight season breadth but much less for a shift in mean, with any shift of the latter tending toward a later mean. Skew has become rightward for suborder Zygoptera, the damselflies, but not for Anisoptera, the dragonflies, or for the Odonata as a whole. We found weak support for voltinism as a predictor of broader flight season; instead, voltinism acted interactively with use of human‐modified habitats, including decrease in shading (e.g. from timber extraction). Other potential mechanisms that link warming with broadening of flight season include protracted emergence and cohort splitting, both of which have been documented in the Odonata. It is likely that warming‐induced broadening of flight seasons of these widespread insect predators will have wide‐ranging consequences for freshwater ecosystems.

Studies on the diversity of macroinvertebrates in suburban and rural aquatic bodies of West Bengal: Implications of vector control

Biological assessment of the freshwater habitats aims to characterize and monitor the conditions of the aquatic resources. Assessment of species assemblage in these habitats will indicate the possible variations in the resource exploitation and trophic interactions. Macroinvertebrates are the best indicators of aquatic ecosystem and play an important role in freshwater ecosystem functioning through nutrient cycling, primary production, decomposition and biological control of mosquitoes.Observations revealed that the prey individuals of order Diptera were found to be highest (51.16%), however the cumulative predatory taxa including Coleoptera, Odonata, Hemiptera and Orthoptera accounted to 67.02% The values of diversity indices varied significantly across different sampling spots justifying the usage of those wetlands and potentiality of them towards conservation biological control. Based on the biotic index, rice fields at Panskura ranked ‘Good’ to ‘Fair’ while all others ranked ‘Fair’ or ‘Poor’.Irrespective of the classes and orders, the representative individuals were observed in high numbers during the post monsoon and the winter months which may be attributed to the fact that with the volume of water, the space available for the insects increases, thereby promoting population expansion and releasing the crowding effect. The result of three way factorial ANOVA on the number of macroinvertebrates considering the spots, sites and sampling months as explanatory variables, revealed significant differences across all the interactions. A correspondence of the taxonomic diversity with the functional role of the aquatic predatory insects of the order Coleoptera, Hemiptera and Odonata is well established, through their links with multiple prey species including mosquito and chironomid larvae. In an assorted species assemblage of both predator and prey species, conservation biological control may require habitat extension and modification to allow increment of niche width to sustain diverse species in the habitats. Therefore to comment on the chances of the potentials of conservation biological control, monitoring of the macroinvertebrate community becomes imperative.

Phylogeny and classification of Nesobasis Selys, 1891 and Vanuatubasis Ober & Staniczek, 2009 (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)

Abstract Island archipelagos in the South Pacific have relatively high species endemism within the insect order Odonata, specifically damselflies. Nesobasis Selys, 1891, an endemic damselfly genus from Fiji, includes over 20 species, but a clear understanding of its evolutionary relationship to other damselflies in the region is lacking. Scientists have questioned the monophyly of Nesobasis due to variations within the genus leading to the establishment of three divisions provisionally named as: comosa-, erythrops- and longistyla- groups. However, Nesobasis has shown to be monophyletic in previous phylogenetic analyses. Using additional species in this study, we investigate the phylogenetic relationships between Nesobasis and other damselflies from the region, specifically the endemic Vanuatubasis Ober & Staniczek, 2009 from the neighboring island archipelagos of Vanuatu. The relationship between these taxa has not yet been examined with molecular data. Five genes were used in a maximum likelihood phylogenetic reconstruction and examined morphological data to determine the relationship between these genera. Our results recover three distinct clades overall with Vanuatubasis nested within Nesobasis (i.e., non-monophyletic). Vanuatubasis is sister to the longistyla and erythrops groups. The third group, comosa, was found sister to the clade of Vanuatubasis (longistyla + erythrops). As a result of these findings, we propose the new genus, Nikoulabasis gen. nov.

A comparison of four sampling techniques for assessing species richness of adult odonates at riverbanks

Members of the insect order Odonata are known as good ecological indicators. Many are sensitive to habitat modifications and are easily monitored for use in environmental assessment studies. Rapid assessments rely on efficient sampling techniques. However, there is limited information available on sampling techniques for adult odonates, and protocols require evaluation. To do this, we standardized counting methods during sampling of odonates from August to November 2016 at the Mula River, Pune, India. We used four counting techniques; full-width belt transect (FWBT), full-circle point count (FCPC), half-width belt transect (HWBT), and half-circle point count (HCPC). For HWBT and HCPC areas facing the river were sampled, and for each technique we took multiple temporal replicates. We compared species detected per unit time, species detected per unit area, new species detected per unit time, and new species detected per unit area. Additionally, we compared species estimates. With HCPC we detected the maximum number of species and new species per unit area, whereas FWBT returned maximum coverage of recorded species. We recommend our proposed techniques be considered in the future across various habitats to decide the most suitable sampling strategy for the different habitats or situations.