Introduction to Odonata: Dragonflies & Damselflies Ornate Pennant (Celithemis ornata), C. Mazzacano What are odonates? “toothed” fossil record >400 million years Proto-fossils from Permian with 27 in. (68 cm) wingspan Protolindenia wittei fossil; 155 million y.o.; www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/uniramia/odonatoida.html What are odonates? Diverse; 5952 species globally 463 species in North America (Schorr & Paulson, 2013) Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis), C. Mazzacano Anisoptera (dragonflies) Zygoptera (damselflies) Sierra Madre Dancer (Argia lacrimans), C. Mazzacano What are odonates? Colorful Double-striped Bluet (Enallagma basidens), C. Mazzacano Ebony Jewelwing, (Calopteryx maculata) John Wallace What are odonates? Aquatic Alexa Carleton Celeste Mazzacano What are odonates? Hunters… Dennis Paulson …and prey Larry Rea What are odonates? Symbolic Gila National Forest; USFS Alexa Carleton Petroglyph National Monument What are odonates? American Rubyspot (Hetaerina cruentata), C. Mazzacano Variable Darner (Aeshna interrupta), C. Mazzacano Beautiful! Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera), John Abbott Carmine Skimmer (Orthemis discolor), C. Mazzacano Dragonfly or damselfly? Common Green Darner (Anax junius), Dennis Paulson Powdered Dancer (Argia moesta), C. Mazzacano Large body Smaller body Wider abdomen Slender abdomen Eyes touch or nearly so Eyes separated Hindwings broader than Equal-sized wings forewings stalked at base Wings held horizontal Wings folded above or along when perched body when perched Odonate habitats Bear Creek CA; C. Mazzacano Cache la Poudre River CO; C. Mazzacano Running water: rivers, streams, creeks, ditches Whychus Creek OR; C. Mazzacano Sandy River OR; C. Mazzacano Odonate habitats Deweys Mill Pond, Quechee VT; C. Mazzacano RAMSAR wetland, Xalapa Mexico; C. Mazzacano Still water: marsh, swamp, bog, seep, wet meadow, lake, pond Kristi Lake bog, Saskatchewan Canada; C. Mazzacano Ag pond,Sauvie Sauvie Island Island ag pond, OR; Celeste OR; C. Mazzacano 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 Wings move independently of each other Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata), John Abbott Can hover, shoot up, zigzag, or fly backwards for short span Common Green Darner (Anax junius), Dan Jackson Amazing Odes—Flight Some species have broadened hindwings for gliding Spot-Winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea), Carel de Haseth Flight speed rivals small songbirds (30 mph / 48 kph) Amazing Odes—Flight Dragonfly flight in slow motion Amazing Odes—Vision Almost 360o field of vision Detect color, movement, shape Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis), C. Mazzacano Amazing Odes—Vision Compound eyes with many lenses (ommatidia) One eye may have 30,000 ommatidia Blue-fronted Dancer, Michael Bok, EOL , Elusive Clubtail (Stylurus notatus), C. Mazzacano Cherry-faced Meadowhawk http://eol.org/data_objects/22336775(Sympetrum internum), C. Mazzacano Amazing Odes—Hunting Spiny legs directed forward like a basket to scoop up prey Meadowhawk eating mosquito; K. Redmond, UWI-Milwaukee Variable Darner (Aeshna interrupta) eats Pale Snaketail (Ophiogomphus severus), C. Mazzacano 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 Amazing Odes—Hunting Feed on invertebrates, tadpoles, small fish Common Green Darner (Anax junius), John Abbott Amazing Odes—Hunting Predators as nymphs... Amazing Odes—Hunting ...and as adults Amazing Odes—Obelisking Cooling mechanism; minimizes surface area exposed to sun Four-spotted Pennant (Brachymesia gravida), C. Mazzacano 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 Snaketail, C. Mazzacano Larval skin splits along thorax; new adult (teneral) pulls free Snaketail, C. Mazzacano Life History—Emergence Teneral has shiny wings, soft body, weak flight teneral Snaketail, C. Mazzacano Color development and sexual maturation occur Boreal Snaketail (Ophiogomphus colubrinus); C. Mazzacano Life History—Emergence Elisa Peresbarbosa Rojas Life History—Maturation Color development Male and female may continues with age look very different Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida) immature male, Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) Ron Hemberger male, C. Mazzacano Vivid Dancer mature male, Ron Hemberger Blue Dasher female, C. Mazzacano Life History—Maturation Eight-spotted Skimmer (Libellula forensis), C. Mazzacano Some develop powdery coating (pruinosity) on wings and/or body Wings often tattered in older specimens Eight-spotted Skimmer, Alexa Carleton Life History—Reproduction Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia), C. Mazzacano Males patrol around water to guard territory, find mates Females avoid water until ready to mate and lay eggs Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata), C. Mazzacano Life History—Reproduction Female abdomen broader, Male secondary genitalia ovipositor may be visible form bump on S2 Pin-tailed Pondhawk (Erythemis plebeja) Pin-tailed Pondhawk male, C. Mazzacano female, C. Mazzacano Autumn Meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum), Striped Meadowhawk (Sympetrum pallipes), female, Michele Blackburn Autumn Meadowhawkmale, (Sympetrum C. Mazzacano 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 Double-striped Bluets (Enallagma basidens), C. Mazzacano Tule Bluets, (Enallagma carunculatum) C. Mazzacano Some species lay eggs in seasonal wetlands that will flood later Life History—Oviposition Male may continue to hold female in tandem or guard her as she lays eggs Common Green Darners (Anax junius), Dennis Paulson Life History—Hatching Egg hatches into prolarva, immediately molts to 1st instar nymph "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 Lilypad Clubtail (Ariogomphus furcifer), C. Mazzacano Questions? Claret Pondhawk (Erythemis mithroides), C. Mazzacano .