The Proventriculus of Immature Anisoptera (Odonata) with Reference to Its Use in Taxonomy
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1955 The rP oventriculus of Immature Anisoptera (Odonata) With Reference to Itsuse in Taxonomy. Alice Howard Ferguson Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Ferguson, Alice Howard, "The rP oventriculus of Immature Anisoptera (Odonata) With Reference to Itsuse in Taxonomy." (1955). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 103. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/103 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE PROTENTRICULUS OF IMMATURE ANISOPTERA (ODONATA) WITH REFERENCE TO ITS USE IN TAXONOMY A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Zoology, Physiology, and Entomology Alice Howard Ferguson B. S., Southern Methodist University, 193& M. S., Southern Methodist University, I9U0 June, 1955 EXAMINATION AND THESIS REPORT Candidate: Miss Alice Ferguson Major Field: Entomology Title of Thesis: The Proventriculus of Immature Anisoptera (Odonata) with Reference to its Use in Taxonomy Approved: Major Professor and Chairman Deanpf-tfio Graduate School EXAMINING COMMITTEE: m 1.1 ^ ----------------------------- jJ------- --- 7 ------ Date of Examination: May6 , 195$ PiKC t U R D C N ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I want to express ny appreciation to the members of ny committee, especially to J. H. Roberts, ny major professor who has guided the complete project, and to G. H. Bick and Mrs. Bick for their interest and advice concerning the Odonata. Gratitude is also due E. H. Behre, H. B. Boudreaux, J. G. Needham, Leonora K. Gloyd, Howard Spivey, Ottys and Ruth Sanders, E. P. Cheatum, EJrnest Couch, Charlene and Kirk Strawn, Clark Hubbs, George Mickey, and others who have given indirect assistance in the work leading to this report. I want to thank East Texas State Teachers College for the leave of absence which permitted me to complete this problem. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT i i LIST OF TABLES.............................................. iv LIST OF FIGURES............................................. v LIST OF PLATES.............................................. vi ABSTRACT.................................................... ix HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION...................................... 1 MATERIALS AND METHODS........................................ 6 GENERAL STRUCTURE............................................ 8 FAMILT GQMPHIDAE............................................ 13 FAMHY AESHNIDAE............................................ M FAMILY CGRDULEGASTERIDAE..................................... 73 FAMILY LIBELLULIDAE.......................................... 79 PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONS OF THE MAJOR GROUPS OF ANISOPTERA....... 119 GENERAL PHYLOGENETIC CONSIDERATIONS.......................... 120 KEY TO NYMPHS BASED ON THEPROVENTRICULAR ARMATURE.............. 126 SUMMARY..................................................... 130 BIBLIOGRAPHY................................. ............... 133 BIOGRAPHY................................................... 137 iii LIST OF TABLES I Comparison of the proventricular plates of Dromogomphus Bplnosus with D, spoliatus............ 22 II Diagnostic characteristics of genera and subgenera of the Gomphldae........................ 25 III Degrees of specialization of genera and subgenera of the Gomphidae........................ 27 IV Diagnostic characteristics of the Aeshnidae............ 55 V Degrees of specialization of the Aeshnidae............. 58 VI Comparison of the proventricular plates of Cordulegaster and ChlarogomphineB.................. 76 V H Characteristics of the genera of the Libellulidae...... 9^ iv LIST OF FIGURES 1. Phylogenetic relations of the genera of the Gomphidae 2 6 2. Phylogenetic relations of the Aeshnidae.............. 57 3. Phylogenetic relations of the major groups of Anisoptera.................. 119 v LIST OF PLATES I The proventriculus in position in the alimentary canal ........................................ 11 II General types of proventriculi...................... 12 III Progomphus obscurus................................ 32 IF Gompholdes stigmata.............. 33 V Aphylla willlamBoni......... 3^ VI Aphylla williamsonl.......... 35 VII Gomphus (Gomphus) descriptus........................ 36 VIII Gomphus (Stylurus) sp., Gomphus (Arigomphus) lentulus, and Gomphus (Arigomphus) maxwelll 37 IX Erpetogomphus deslgnatus............................ 38 X Ophlogomphus colubrinus. ..... 39 XI Hagenlus brevlstylus............................... 40 XII Dromogomphus spollatus....................... 4l XIII Dromogomphus spoliatus.............................. 42 XIV Dromogomphus spinosus....................... 43 XV Aeshna umbrosa................................. 62 XVI Boyer ia vinosa..................................... 63 XVII Anax Junius........................................ 64 X V m Anax Junius........................................ 65 XIX Anax amazill ................................ 66 XX Anax amazili and Anax valzinghami................... 67 XXI Coryphaeschna ingens................................ 68 XXII Nasiaeschna pentacantha. ........................ 69 vi XX H I Naslaeschna pentacantha........ ..................... JO XXIV Baslaeschna Janata............................. J1 XXV Epiaeschna her os..................................... J2 XXVI Cordulegaster maculatus............................... 77 XXVII CordulegaBter maculatus............................... 78 XXVIII Macromla caderita.................................... 96 XXIX Dldymops transversa.................................. 97 XXX Tetragoneurla sp. and Neurocordulia molesta............. 98 XXXI Eplcordulla prlnceps......................... 99 XXXII Eplcordulla prlnceps................................. 100 XXXIII Somatochlora linearis.......... .. ................... 101 XXXIV Erythemls slmpllclcoHls.............................. 102 XXXV Erythemls slmpllclcollls........ 103 XXXVI Erythemls slmpllclcollls.............................. 104 XXXVTI Llbellula aurlpennls................................. 105 XXXVTH Plathemls lydla...................................... 106 XXXIX Plathemls lydla...................................... 107 XL Orthemls ferruglnea.................................. 108 XLI Pachydiplax longlpennls............................... 109 XLII Brechmorhoga mendax.................................. 110 XLIII Brechmorhoga mend ax. ...... Ill XLIV Perlthemls tenera.................................... 112 XLV Paltothemls llneatlpes................................ 113 XLVI Pantala hymenea....................................... 114 XLVTI Right ventral proventricular plates to show differences in size of spines............ ........... ........ 115 XLVHI Left ventral proventricular plates to show differences in direction in which the spines point.............. 116 vii XLIX Profile view of lateral surfaces of the elevated areas of the left dorsal plates to show dif ferences in the apex .......... 117 L Profile view of the terminal spines of the right ventral plates to show differences in the shape of these spines........................... 118 viil ABSTRACT The morphology of the proventriculue of forty-one species of thirty-five genera of immature Anisoptera was investigated. It was found that in some genera the proventriculue is useful in taxonony but among other genera there is too much uniformity. The genera Progomphus, Gompholdes. Aphylla. Hagenlus, and Dromogomphus of the Gomphidae may be recognized by the structure of their proventricular plates. Of the Aeshnidae Bqyeria, Aeshna, and Baslaeschna can be characterized by their proventricular plates. Eplaeschna and Coryphaeschna have plates that are approximately alike, but differ from those of other genera studied. There is a greater dif ference between the plates of Anax Junius and Anax amazili than among the several other genera of Aeshnidae studied. Anax Junius and Anax amazili can be distinguished from other Aeshnidae by the structure of their proventricular plates. The Macromiinae are unique among the Libellulidae studied. The genera Dldymops and Macromla cannot be distinguished from each other by the structure of their armature. The proventricular plates of the genera of Corduliinae and Libellulinae are much alike; thus, are of limited use in taxonony. The phylogenetic relations of the families of the Anisoptera and of the genera studied based chiefly on the structure of the proventricu lar armature are discussed, and phylogenetic trees of the Gomphid and ix Aeshnid genera are presented. A key to the nymphs studied "based on the structure of the proventricular plates is included. No correlation was observed between the number of either spines or teeth and the size of the nymph. x HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION Although advances have been made in the past in the study of the Odonata, very little has been done concerning the significance of the proventricular armature of the nymph in taxonony and phylogeny of the Anisoptera. Dufour (1852), in his paper on the anatomy and