Evolution and ecology of Calopterygidae (Zygoptera: Odonata): status of knowledge and research perspectives

Abstract

Evolução e Ecologia de Calopterygidae (Zygoptera: Odonata): Conhecimento Atual e Perspectivas de Pesquisa RESUMO -Neste artigo revisamos estudos sobre evolução e ecologia da família Calopterygidae. Os adultos são reconhecidos pelas asas pigmentadas e comportamento territorial. Três gêneros têm sido bem estudados: Hetaerina, Calopteryx e Mnais. As larvas desenvolvem-se em ambientes aquáticos e a seleção opera principalmente nesse período, resultando em indivíduos de grande massa muscular. Os adultos levam alguns dias para se tornarem sexualmente maduros e durante esse período alimentam-se extensivamente acumulando as reservas de gordura que consumirão para voar e produzir ovos. Entretanto, gregarinas parasitas podem consumir essas reservas. Os machos utilizam duas estratégias de acasalamento que podem ser determinadas geneticamente (Mnais) ou ambientalmente (Calopteryx e Hetaerina): territorialidade e não-territorialidade. No gênero Mnais as estratégias comportamentais parecem ser balanceadas de acordo com sua adaptabilidade ao longo do tempo. Os machos deCalopteryx, Mnais e Phaon realizam corte pré-cópula, comportamento ausente em Hetaerina. A pigmentação das asas dos machos parece sinalizar às fêmeas, durante a corte, algum nível de resistência imunológica a parasitas. Durante a cópula os machos retiram o esperma armazenado em cópulas anteriores pelas fêmeas. Há grande variação na habilidade e nos tipos de mecanismos para a retirada do esperma, assim como na morfologia genital de ambos sexos. Tal variação pode resultar de co-evolução entre os sexos direcionada a controlar o esperma armazenado. Após a cópula os machos defendem as fêmeas evitando que elas copulem com outros machos. Nessa revisão sugerimos aspectos a serem estudados nessa família. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Reserva de gordura, pigmentação alar, capacidade imune, coevolução de genitália ABSTRACT -We review the studies of evolution and ecology in the Calopterygidae. Adults are easily distinguished for their pigmented wings and territorial behaviour. Three genera have been well studied: Hetaerina, Calopteryx and Mnais. Larvae develop in riverine aquatic environments. Selection operates at this stage to produce large muscle mass for adults. The adult spends some days until sexually ready. During this time, it feeds extensively to produce muscle fat for egg production and fl ight. However, gregarine parasites may ingest the fat reserves. Males may use two mating tactics or strategies that may be genetically (Mnais) or environmentally (Calopteryx andHetaerina) determined: territoriality and nonterritoriality. In Mnais, these strategies appear balanced in fi tness terms. Males of Calopteryx, Mnais and Phaon show a precopulatory courtship that is not the case for Hetaerina. Male wing pigmentation seems to signal how good the male is to deal immunologically with parasites to females during the male courtship. During copulation, males displace the sperm the female has stored in the storage organs from previous matings. There is an enormous variation in male sperm disp...

Interspecific aggression and character displacement of competitor recognition in Hetaerina damselflies

“…These clearly are not feeding territories because foraging activity peaks in the hours before males arrive on their territories in the morning and again after they abandon defence in the late afternoon (Grether & Grey 1996). Mating is initiated by tandem formation, in which the male clasps the female's prothorax using his caudal abdominal appendage (Corbet 1999;Cordoba-Aguilar & Cordero-Rivera 2005). Tandem pairs typically fly through multiple territories and only rarely oviposit in the territory of the female's mate (Grether 1996).…”

Influência de fatores ambientais na distribuição de famílias de insetos aquáticos em rios no sul do Brasil

“…In this study, Elmidae was correlated with the water velocity and amount of pebble. Calopterygidae presented distribution in temperate and tropical environments and was present in 65% of sampling sites (CÓRDOBA-AGUILAR & CORDERO-RIVERA, 2005). Studies indicate that the adaptations of the larvae are related to biotic and abiotic factors (CORBET, 1999).…”

Female Choice in Damselflies and Dragonflies

“…Males of different families (e.g., Calopterygidae, Megapodagrionidae, Euphaeidae, Diphlebiidae, Pseudolestidae, Platystictidae, Libellulidae) exhibit species-specific patterns of wing pigmentation (reviewed by Corbet 1999;Córdoba-Aguilar and Cordero-Rivera 2005;Svensson and Walter 2013) (Fig. 9.1).…”

“…After mating, males use their pigmented wings to face females whenever these start flying (Waage 1973). It is unclear whether such male post-copulatory interaction is related to indicate females where to lay eggs or "convince" them to still remain within the male's defended territory and use his sperm (Córdoba-Aguilar and Cordero-Rivera 2005). In any case, wing pigmentation in these species is used for both male-male competition and female choice.…”