Cordulegastridae

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Cordulegastridae
Anotogaster sieboldii on wall.jpg
Anotogaster sieboldii
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Infraorder: Anisoptera
Family: Cordulegastridae
Genera [1]

The Cordulegastridae are a family of Odonata (dragonflies) from the suborder Anisoptera. They are commonly known as spiketails. [2] Some vernacular names for the species of this family are biddie and flying adder. [3] 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 (known as gleaning). [4]

Contents

Taxonomy

Within the family Cordulegastridae there are 51 species amongst three different genera. These genera include Anotogaster, Cordulegaster, and Neallogaster, which have 15, 30, and 6 species respectively [5]

The name Cordulegastridae comes from the Greek kordylinus, 'club-shaped' and gaster, belly. The common name spiketails refers to the females' prominent ovipositors. [2]

Description

Dragonflies within this family are typically large, between 2.5 to 3 inches long. They are characteristically black in color and have blue-green eyes. On their large black bodies they have paired yellow spots along the length of their abdomen. Females and males are generally similar but two key differences are the color of the forehead and the terminal segment of their abdomen. Males have yellow foreheads and slightly clubbed abdomen whereas females have brown foreheads and an ovipositor extending from the end of the abdomen. [6]

Natural History

Life cycle and behavior

A typical lifespan of Cordulegastridae dragonflies is 3–5 years. [7] Adults are usually active and flying between spring and early summer with a peak in June. [8]

The Cordulegastridae usually lay their eggs in the sand in shallow water, the female hovering just above the water with her body in a vertical position, and making repeated dips into the water with her abdomen. [9] The females trap air bubbles with hairs along their bodies to allow them to reach the bottom of the water and deposit eggs into the substrate. [10] Males are remarkably territorial and their territorial behavior varies based on the oviposition of the females. [8]

Cordulegastridae nymph buried in substrate Cordulegastridae Nymph buried in Substrate.jpg
Cordulegastridae nymph buried in substrate

Cordulegastridae nymphs will almost entirely conceal themselves in sand or silt, exposing only their eyes to see, antennae for sensing prey, and the tip of their abdomen to breathe dissolved oxygen. [11] Nymphs will consume any prey they can capture, going as far as eating smaller larvae of the same species. [12] This family captures their prey by extending their labium, categorizing them as ambush predators. [7]

Habitat

Since nymphs are aquatic and adults are terrestrial, their habitats are quite different. The preferred habitat of Cordulegastridae nymphs are small lotic or flowing streams with clean sand and silt substrates. [10] [7] Adults on the other hand fly above clear streams and small rivers in the woods, with females only entering the water to lay their eggs. [6]

Distribution

Map showing the frequency of Cordulegastridae dragonfly sightings around the globe. Map of Cordulegastridae sightings on gbif.png
Map showing the frequency of Cordulegastridae dragonfly sightings around the globe.

Their distribution includes North America, Central America, South America, Europe, and Asia with the most occurrences in North America and Europe. Exact species richness is not known but human observations occur significantly more frequently in Europe than North America. [13] The family is distributed worldwide; all eight species in North America belong to the genus Cordulegaster . [3]

Conservation

The endangered Cordulegaster helladica endemic to Greece Greek Goldenring imported from iNaturalist photo 87336415 on 11 October 2021.jpg
The endangered Cordulegaster helladica endemic to Greece

Although the conservation status of many if not most species of this family is unknown, there are multiple species that are of concern. From the Conservation Status Assessment of Odonata for the Northeastern United States, Cordulegaster erronea and Cordulegaster bilineata were identified as highly vulnerable, and Cordulegaster obliqua was identified as moderately vulnerable. [14] There are five species of concern according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), Cordulegaster bidentata, Cordulegaster heros, Cordulegaster trinacriae, Cordulegaster helladica and Cordulegaster sarracenia. C. bidentata,C. trinacriae and C. heros are identified as Near Threatened and found in Europe. Most threatened however are C. helladica and C. sarracenia which are Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to significant habitat loss. [15] [ failed verification ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Odonata</span> Order of insects that includes the dragonflies and damselflies

Odonata is an order of flying insects that includes the dragonflies and damselflies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dragonfly</span> Predatory winged insects

A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonflies are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threatens dragonfly populations around the world. Adult dragonflies are characterized by a pair of large, multifaceted, compound eyes, two pairs of strong, transparent wings, sometimes with coloured patches, and an elongated body. Many dragonflies have brilliant iridescent or metallic colours produced by structural coloration, making them conspicuous in flight. An adult dragonfly's compound eyes have nearly 24,000 ommatidia each.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damselfly</span> Suborder of insects

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. An ancient group, damselflies have existed since at least the Lower Permian beginning about 299 million years ago, and are found on every continent except Antarctica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green darner</span> Species of dragonfly

The green darner or common green darner, after its resemblance to a darning needle, is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. One of the most common and abundant species throughout North America, it also ranges south to Panama. It is well known for its great migration distance from the northern United States south into Texas and Mexico. It also occurs in the Caribbean, Tahiti, and Asia from Japan to mainland China. It is the official insect for the state of Washington in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flame skimmer</span> Species of dragonfly

The flame skimmer or firecracker skimmer is a common dragonfly of the family Libellulidae, native to western North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Widow skimmer</span> Species of dragonfly

The widow skimmer is one of the group of dragonflies known as king skimmers. The nymphs live in the water, molting and growing until they are ready to emerge from the water and then molting a final time to reveal their wings.

<i>Cordulegaster</i> Genus of dragonflies

Cordulegaster is a genus of dragonfly in the family Cordulegastridae. It contains the following species:

<i>Cordulegaster trinacriae</i> Species of dragonfly

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.

<i>Thaumatoneura inopinata</i> Species of damselfly

Thaumatoneura inopinata is a species of damselfly, sometimes called the cascade damselfly or giant waterfall damsel, and the only member of the genus Thaumatoneura. It is unusual in flying among the falling water and spray from waterfalls in moist tropical or subtropical forests in Costa Rica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rambur's forktail</span> Species of damselfly

Rambur's forktail is a member of the damselfly family Coenagrionidae. Males are green with blue on abdominal segments 8 and 9. Females are orange-red, olive green, or similar to males in coloration. This is the most widespread New World Ischnura, occurring throughout the Americas from the United States to Chile, as well as Hawaii and the Antilles.

<i>Cordulegaster bidentata</i> Species of dragonfly

Cordulegaster bidentata, also known as sombre goldenring or two-toothed goldenring, is a species of dragonfly in the family Cordulegastridae.

<i>Cordulegaster maculata</i> Species of dragonfly

Cordulegaster maculata, also known as the twin-spotted spiketail, is a dragonfly of the family Cordulegastridae. Its body length varies in size from 2.5 to 3.0 inches. It was described by Edmond de Sélys Longchamps in 1854.

Odonata are insects with an incomplete metamorphosis (hemimetabolous). The aquatic larva or nymph hatches from an egg, and develops through eight to seventeen instars before leaving the water and emerging as the winged adult or imago.

<i>Oristicta filicicola</i> Species of damselfly

Oristicta filicicola is a species of damselfly belonging to the family Isostictidae. Until 2017 it was the only species of the genus Oristicta. Commonly known as a slender wiretail, it is a slender and dull-coloured damselfly of medium-size. It is endemic to north-eastern Australia, where it inhabits streams in rainforests.

<i>Cordulegaster erronea</i> Species of dragonfly

Cordulegaster erronea, the tiger spiketail, is a species of spiketail in the family Cordulegastridae. It is found in North America.

<i>Cordulegaster obliqua</i> Species of dragonfly

Cordulegaster obliqua, the arrowhead spiketail, is a species of spiketail in the dragonfly family Cordulegastridae. It is found in North America, often in clearings near small rivers and streams. The larvae can be found surviving in streams designated as intermittent, and may live up to 5 years before emerging as an adult in early summer.

<i>Cordulegaster bilineata</i> Species of dragonfly

Cordulegaster bilineata, the brown spiketail, is a species of spiketail in the dragonfly family Cordulegastridae. It is found in North America.

<i>Cordulegaster diastatops</i> Species of dragonfly

Cordulegaster diastatops, the delta-spotted spiketail, is a species of spiketail in the family of dragonflies known as Cordulegastridae. It is found in North America.

References

  1. Martin Schorr; Martin Lindeboom; Dennis Paulson. "World Odonata List". University of Puget Sound . Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  2. 1 2 Berger, Cynthia (2004). Dragonflies: Wild Guide . Stackpole Books. ISBN   0-8117-2971-0.
  3. 1 2 Tim Manolis; Timothy D. Manolis (April 2003), Dragonflies and Damselflies of California (California Natural History Guides (Paperback)) (in German), University of California Press, p. 40, ISBN   0-520-23567-3
  4. Munroe, Kevin (2012). "Spiketail family – Cordulegastridae" (PDF). Dragonflies of North Virginia. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  5. "Families & Genera of Odonata | University of Puget Sound". www.pugetsound.edu. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  6. 1 2 "WOS: Cordulegaster maculata". wiatri.net. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  7. 1 2 3 Thorp, James H.; Covich, Alan P. (2001). Ecology and classification of North American freshwater invertebrates (2nd ed.). San Diego: Academic Press. ISBN   978-0-12-690647-9.
  8. 1 2 Joachim Poethke, Hans; Kaiser, Heinrich (1987-01-01). "The territoriality threshold: a model for mutual avoidance in dragonfly mating systems". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 20 (1): 11–19. doi:10.1007/BF00292162. ISSN   1432-0762.
  9. Donald Joyce Borror; Dwight Moore DeLong. An introduction to the study of insects . ISBN   978-0-03-082861-4.
  10. 1 2 Cummins, R. W.; Merritt, K. W. (1966). An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing. ISBN   0-8403-7588-3.
  11. Tennessen, Kenneth (2019), Tennessen, Kenneth J. (ed.), "Cordulegastridae", Dragonfly Nymphs of North America: An Identification Guide, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 307–328, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-97776-8_9, ISBN   978-3-319-97776-8
  12. Burcher, Chris L.; Smock, Leonard A. (July 2002). "Habitat Distribution, Dietary Composition and Life History Characteristics of Odonate Nymphs in a Blackwater Coastal Plain Stream". The American Midland Naturalist. 148 (1): 75–89. doi:10.1674/0003-0031(2002)148[0075:HDDCAL]2.0.CO;2. ISSN   0003-0031.
  13. "Cordulegastridae". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  14. "Conservation Assessment of Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies) in the Northeastern Region - NY Natural Heritage Program". www.nynhp.org. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  15. "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". November 13, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2023.