| Cordulegaster bidentata | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male, Romania | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Infraorder: | Anisoptera |
| Family: | Cordulegastridae |
| Genus: | Cordulegaster |
| Species: | C. bidentata |
| Binomial name | |
| Cordulegaster bidentata Selys, 1843 | |
Cordulegaster bidentata, also known as sombre goldenring or two-toothed goldenring, is a species of dragonfly in the family Cordulegastridae. [2]
This species is identifiable by its black body and yellow rings. [3] Adults are approximately 8 centimetres (3.1 in) in body length with a 10 centimetres (3.9 in) wingspan, and have a similar appearance to the related species Cordulegaster boltonii . [4]
C. bidentata is primarily found in Central and Southern Europe, [5] spreading as far south as Sicily, where the subspecies C. bidentata sicilica is found. [2] It lives primarily around mountain springs. [6] This species is scattered throughout Central and Western Europe. The population rate is declining, the biggest threat to this species being droughts which are a result of global warming. [2]
C. bidentata breeds in mountain springs, and the larvae are benthic, living in the lowest reaches of the water. [7] As a result of this, larval sites are difficult to locate and study. Breeding takes place in May–June, with eggs being laid in the upper reaches of the streams. Larval development takes between three and five years, and can be slowed if cold weather causes the water to freeze. [4] The larvae may sometimes leave the water, hunting for small arthropods on the ground at night. [8]
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle.
Damselflies are flying insects of the suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies but are smaller and have slimmer bodies. Most species fold the wings along the body when at rest, unlike dragonflies which hold the wings flat and away from the body. Damselflies have existed since the Jurassic, and are found on every continent except Antarctica.
Enallagma cyathigerum is a species found mainly between latitudes 40°N and 72°N; It is widely distributed in the Palearctic, and the Nearctic species Enallagma annexum was at one time considered to be synonymous with it. The species can reach a length of 32 to 35 mm. It is common in many different countries including Russia, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the United States of America, and South Korea. Damselflies are an important link between the health of the aquatic ecosystem and its response to climate change.
The Calopterygidae are a family of damselflies, in the suborder Zygoptera. They are commonly known as the broad-winged damselflies, demoiselles, or jewelwings. These rather large damselflies have wingspans of 50–80 mm, are often metallic-coloured, and can be differentiated from other damselflies by the broader connection between the wings and the body, as opposed to the abrupt narrowing seen in other damselfly families. The family contains some 150 species.
The Cordulegastridae are a family of Odonata (dragonflies) from the suborder Anisoptera. They are commonly known as spiketails. Some vernacular names for the species of this family are biddie and flying adder. They have large, brown or black bodies with yellow markings, and narrow unpatterned wings. Their bright eyes touch at a single point, and they can be found along small, clear, woodland streams, flying slowly 30 to 70 cm above the water. When disturbed, however, they can fly very rapidly. They usually hunt high in forest vegetation, and prefer to capture prey resting on leaves or branches.
Marine larval ecology is the study of the factors influencing dispersing larvae, which many marine invertebrates and fishes have. Marine animals with a larva typically release many larvae into the water column, where the larvae develop before metamorphosing into adults.
The blue dasher is an insect of the skimmer family. It is the only species in the genus Pachydiplax. It is very common and widely distributed through North America and into the Bahamas.
The Near Eastern fire salamander, in Arabic arouss al-ayn, is a species of salamander in the family Salamandridae found in Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. Its natural habitats are subtropical dry shrubland and forests, often near rivers and freshwater springs. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The blackbelly salamander is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to the United States. Its natural habitats are rivers, intermittent rivers, and freshwater springs. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The red salamander is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae endemic to the eastern United States. Its skin is orange/red with random black spots. Its habitats are temperate forests, small creeks, ponds, forests, temperate shrubland, rivers, intermittent rivers, freshwater, trees springs. Overall this species is common and widespread, but locally it has declined because of habitat loss and it is considered threatened in Indiana. Red salamanders eat insects, earthworms, spiders, small crustaceans, snails, and smaller salamanders. To eat, they extend their tongue to capture prey on the tip of it and retract it back into their mouths. The red salamander, as a member of the family Plethodontidae, lacks lungs and respires through its skin.
Cordulegaster trinacriae is a species of dragonfly in the family Cordulegastridae. It is endemic to central-southern Italy, from Abruzzo south to Calabria and Sicily, from where it was first described. Its natural habitats are humid forests, rivers, and freshwater springs. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Lyriothemis tricolor is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It is found in Bangladesh, China, India, Japan, Myanmar, and Taiwan.
The spotted-tail salamander, also known as a "cave salamander", is a species of brook salamander.
The white-faced darter or small whiteface is a dragonfly belonging to the genus Leucorrhinia in the family Libellulidae, characterised by red and black markings and a distinctive white patch on the head. It is found in wetlands and peat bogs from northern Europe eastwards to Siberia, and the adults are active from around April till September, which is known as the "flight period". It breeds in acidic bodies of water, laying its eggs in clumps of sphagnum moss that provide a safe habitat for larval development. The larvae are particularly vulnerable to predation by fish, and so are usually found in lakes where fish are not present. L. dubia is listed as a species of least concern (LC) by the IUCN Red List, however, it is potentially threatened by habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change.
Acilius sulcatus is a species of water beetle in the family Dytiscidae. It is fairly large, with color variation shown throughout its range. Typically it is yellow and black.
Hydrachnidia, also known as "water mites", Hydrachnidiae, Hydracarina or Hydrachnellae, are among the most abundant and diverse groups of benthic arthropods, composed of 6,000 described species from 57 families. As water mites of Africa, Asia, and South America have not been well-studied, the numbers are likely to be far greater. Other taxa of parasitengone mites include species with semi-aquatic habits, but only the Hydracarina are properly subaquatic. Water mites follow the general Parasitengona life cycle: active larva, inactive (calyptostasic) protonymph, active deutonymph, inactive tritonymph and active adult. Usually, larvae are parasites, while deutonymphs and adults are predators.
Lestes sponsa is a damselfly with a wide Palaearctic distribution. It is known commonly as the emerald damselfly or common spreadwing. Both males and females have a metallic green colour and brown wing spots. It resides near pools with aquatic plants. When resting its wings are usually half opened.
Xanthocnemis zealandica, commonly known as common redcoat damselfly, red damselfly, or red coat damselfly, is one of the most common native New Zealand damselflies. Adult damselflies are often seen flying around vegetation close to streams.
