Odonata surveys 2010–2016 in the United Arab Emirates and the Sultanate of Oman, with emphasis on some regional heritage species

Abstract

Six field trips were carried out in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Sultanate of Oman in autumn 2010, late winter 2013, spring 2014, autumn 2014, spring 2015 and spring 2016. We recorded 37 species at 87 localities, including new localities for some species of regional interest. Information on all observed Odonata species was recorded including their life stage, behaviour, habitat and water characteristics. Exuviae were also systematically collected. Urothemis thomasi was discovered at several new sites in the Hajar Mountains, the Dhofar and the Al Wusta regions, filling in the gap between the Dhofar and the Muscat area. In addition, new localities for two Arabian endemics: Arabicnemis caerulea and Arabineura khalidi were found, with their occurrence in the Dhofar region extending their known area and demonstrating that A. khalidi cannot be regarded as a strict Hajar endemic. Important differences were noticed in the species composition of formerly surveyed localities, which may be ascribed to habitat degradation through management directed towards human recreation. Lastly, the well-known and diverse zoogeographical influences of Omani and the Emirati odonatofauna are confirmed with a large set of species of African origin in the Dhofar and a smaller set of species of Indomalayan origin visiting both the P. Lambret, J.-P. Boudot, D. Chelmick, G. De Knijf, É. Durand, J. Judas & A. Stoquert 154 Odonatologica 46(3/4) 2017: 153-205 Dhofar and the northeast of the region during migrations and establishing, at least temporary, reproductive localities. Further key words. Dragonfly, damselfly, Anisoptera, Zygoptera, Arabian Peninsula, Hajar Mountains, Dhofar, Red List, Arabicnemis caerulea, Arabineura khalidi, Azuragrion somalicum, Azuragion nigridorsum, Agriocnemis pygmaea, Paragomphus sinaiticus, Orthetrum ransonnetii, Tholymis tillarga, Urothemis thomasi, Macrodiplax cora. Matutinal mating in Aeshna grandis and A. viridis 207 Odonatologica 46(3/4) 2017: 207-226 1st December 201 Odonatologica 46(3/4) 2017: 207-226 – DOI:10.5281/zenodo.1040303 Matutinal mating in Aeshna grandis and A. viridis – a behavioural pair of twins prefers early-morning sex (Odonata: Aeshnidae) Angelika Borkenstein1, Asmus Schröter2 & Reinhard Jödicke3 1 Lebensborner Weg 5, 26419 Schortens, Germany; 2 Rasenweg 10, 37130 Gleichen, Germany; ; ORCID ID: 0000-0002-3655-2304 3 Am Liebfrauenbusch 3, 26655 Westerstede, Germany; Received 10th July 2017; revised and accepted 17th September 2017 Abstract. We investigated the hitherto unknown matutinal mating behaviour of Aeshna grandis and found that matings basically occurred at dawn. With the first morning light males began performing a searching flight for females that roosted deep in terrestrial vegetation characterized by reed, rush and grass. Matutinal mating in the distinctive twistedwheel position is documented. Twisted wheels are unique as they are not formed in flight but while perching on vegetation and they show no readiness to escape. The twisted position, with the male hanging upside down and his appendages being obliquely slipped across the female’s head, is the result of the formation of mating wheels with the female perched. Later in the morning we observed feeding flight at suitable sites and resting in low vegetation of a wet meadow. During this resting phase some males inspected the vegetation on the wing, described here as ‘mid-morning searching flight’. In this situation and also when foraging individuals aggregated, we found untwisted, upright hanging couples, which we interpret as wheels formed in flight – an indication of alternative mating tactics. Aeshna viridis, also known to exhibit matutinal matings, occurred syntopically and behaved similarly. We interpret the energy-sapping searching flight at dawn as sexual selection: females select genetic quality by choosing only the fittest mates. Further key words. Dragonfly, Anisoptera, mating behaviour, diel activity pattern, searching flight, twisted-wheel position, mating tactics, sexual selection We investigated the hitherto unknown matutinal mating behaviour of Aeshna grandis and found that matings basically occurred at dawn. With the first morning light males began performing a searching flight for females that roosted deep in terrestrial vegetation characterized by reed, rush and grass. Matutinal mating in the distinctive twistedwheel position is documented. Twisted wheels are unique as they are not formed in flight but while perching on vegetation and they show no readiness to escape. The twisted position, with the male hanging upside down and his appendages being obliquely slipped across the female’s head, is the result of the formation of mating wheels with the female perched. Later in the morning we observed feeding flight at suitable sites and resting in low vegetation of a wet meadow. During this resting phase some males inspected the vegetation on the wing, described here as ‘mid-morning searching flight’. In this situation and also when foraging individuals aggregated, we found untwisted, upright hanging couples, which we interpret as wheels formed in flight – an indication of alternative mating tactics. Aeshna viridis, also known to exhibit matutinal matings, occurred syntopically and behaved similarly. We interpret the energy-sapping searching flight at dawn as sexual selection: females select genetic quality by choosing only the fittest mates. Further key words. Dragonfly, Anisoptera, mating behaviour, diel activity pattern, searching flight, twisted-wheel position, mating tactics, sexual selection Altitudinal variation of wings in Libellula quadrimaculata 227 Odonatologica 46(3/4) 2017: 227-240 1st December 201 Odonatologica 46(3/4) 2017: 227-240 – DOI:10.5281/zenodo.1040305 Altitudinal variation of wing length and wing area in Libellula quadrimaculata (Odonata: Libellulidae) Patricia Casanueva1, José-Francisco Sanz Requena1, M. Angeles Hernández2, Silvia Ortega1, Luisa F. Nunes3 & Francisco Campos1 1 Departamento de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad Europea Miguel de Cervantes, Calle Padre Julio Chevalier 2, 47012 Valladolid, Spain; 2 Escola Superior Agrária de Castelo Branco (IPCB/CEABN), Qta. Sra. Mércules, 6000 Castelo Branco, Portugal 3 Departamento de Biología Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Navarra, 31080 Pamplona, Spain Received 8th March 2017; revised and accepted 10th October 2017 Abstract. The area and length of the right fore and hind wings and the abdomen length were analysed in specimens from two Iberian populations of Libellula quadrimaculata Linnaeus, 1758, one on a plateau (782 m a.s.l.) and another in the mountains (1 909 m a.s.l.), with a view to ascertaining whether their morphometric characteristics vary with altitude. Allo metric relationships in terms of length and area of the fore and hind wings of both populations were found. The wings are longer and have a greater area in plateau specimens whereas the length of the abdomen did not vary between populations. Between the populations there was an overlap in the wing length measurements. The significance of these parameters in aiding the dragonflies’ flight capacity and hence the effects on their lifestyle under different environmental conditions is discussed. Further key words. Dragonfly, Anisoptera, wing morphology, mountains, plateau, Iberian Peninsula The area and length of the right fore and hind wings and the abdomen length were analysed in specimens from two Iberian populations of Libellula quadrimaculata Linnaeus, 1758, one on a plateau (782 m a.s.l.) and another in the mountains (1 909 m a.s.l.), with a view to ascertaining whether their morphometric characteristics vary with altitude. Allo metric relationships in terms of length and area of the fore and hind wings of both populations were found. The wings are longer and have a greater area in plateau specimens whereas the length of the abdomen did not vary between populations. Between the populations there was an overlap in the wing length measurements. The significance of these parameters in aiding the dragonflies’ flight capacity and hence the effects on their lifestyle under different environmental conditions is discussed. Further key words. Dragonfly, Anisoptera, wing morphology, mountains, plateau, Iberian Peninsula Ultrastructure of spermatozoa of Anax guttatus 241 Odonatologica 46(3/4) 2017: 241-254 1st December 2017 Odonatologica 46(3/4) 2017: 241-254 – DOI:10.5281/zenodo.1040307 Ultrastructure of spermatozoa of Anax guttatus (Odonata: Aeshnidae) Suresh S. Bakare1, Payal R. Verma2 & Raymond J. Andrew2,3 1 Department of Zoology, Shri Dnyanesh Mahavidyalaya, Navargaon, Dist. Chandrapur, 441 223, (MS), India 2 P. G. Department of Zoology and Higher Learning, Hislop College, Civil Lines, Nagpur, 440 001, (MS), India 3 Corresponding author; Received 26th November 2015; revised and accepted 4th May 2017 Abstract. In Anax guttatus (Burmeister, 1839), the mitochondria accumulate at the base of the nucleus to form a single nebenkern during spermiogenesis. An electron dense matrix ‘centriole adjunct’ is formed at the base of the nucleus surrounding the nebenkern. The acrosomal vesicle migrates to the anterior end of the nucleus. The ultrastructure of the spermatozoa reveals that its elongated head lodges an apical inverted ‘T’ shaped, double-layered acrosome and a long, electron-dense nucleus, while the tail is composed of the axoneme, a pair of identical mitochondria derivatives, and the lateral/osmophilic bodies. The nucleus is displaced on one side by the axoneme. The axoneme consists of microtubules, and these are arranged into nine outer peripheral inter-singlets, nine peripheral doublets, and two central tubules (9+9+2 type). The mitochondrial derivatives and lateral bodies surround the axoneme at the tail region of the sperm