Dragonflies belong to the class Insecta, order Odonata and have suborders of Anisoptera, also known as dragonfly, and Zygoptera, also known as damselfly (Tillyard, 1881). Odonata is one of the most ancient insect orders. People are often confused between a dragonfly and a damselfly due to their various similarities.
Characteristics of an adult odonate are mainly:
I. Large multifaceted eyes which makes up the majority of their heads
II. A thorax
III. A long and slender abdomen
IV. Two pairs of large membranous wings
V. They breathe through the holes in their abdomen
(Worldwide Dragonfly Association, 2002)
Dragonflies inhabit areas like marshes, lakes, ponds and wetlands (Tillyard, 1881). Why is that so? This is because they need areas with water for the survival of their larva. The larva of dragonflies is known as nymph. The nymphs are aquatic and they breathe through their posterior tracheal gills in Anisoptera, and caudal gills in Zygoptera (Sabet-Peyman, 2000).
Odonates do not perform courtship unlike other insects. Copulation in Anisoptera lasts from a few seconds to one or two minutes and it happens while flying, with the male lifting the female in the air. Zygoptera, on the other hand, copulates for five to ten minutes while they are perched. In some of the species, competition amongst males for mating is fierce. Males in these species have a structure at the tip of their abdomen to remove sperm of rival males from a female’s body, before allowing his sperms to be transferred into the female (Sabet-Peyman, 2000).
The duration of development of an odonate is dependent on the part of the world that they inhabit. In temperate zones, the larval developmental stage can last up to several years whilst their adult phase is only one to two months long. In contrast, odonates living in tropic and sub-tropic zones take a few months for the development of larva and their adult phase can last up to one year.
The life expectancy of odonates in temperate zones is determined by their survival of the vulnerable period between commencement of emergence and successful maiden flight. In Anisoptera, they have an average lifespan of 4 – 6 weeks, and in Zygoptera, 1 - 2 weeks (Corbet, 1962).
Characteristics of an adult odonate are mainly:
I. Large multifaceted eyes which makes up the majority of their heads
II. A thorax
III. A long and slender abdomen
IV. Two pairs of large membranous wings
V. They breathe through the holes in their abdomen
(Worldwide Dragonfly Association, 2002)
Dragonflies inhabit areas like marshes, lakes, ponds and wetlands (Tillyard, 1881). Why is that so? This is because they need areas with water for the survival of their larva. The larva of dragonflies is known as nymph. The nymphs are aquatic and they breathe through their posterior tracheal gills in Anisoptera, and caudal gills in Zygoptera (Sabet-Peyman, 2000).
Odonates do not perform courtship unlike other insects. Copulation in Anisoptera lasts from a few seconds to one or two minutes and it happens while flying, with the male lifting the female in the air. Zygoptera, on the other hand, copulates for five to ten minutes while they are perched. In some of the species, competition amongst males for mating is fierce. Males in these species have a structure at the tip of their abdomen to remove sperm of rival males from a female’s body, before allowing his sperms to be transferred into the female (Sabet-Peyman, 2000).
The duration of development of an odonate is dependent on the part of the world that they inhabit. In temperate zones, the larval developmental stage can last up to several years whilst their adult phase is only one to two months long. In contrast, odonates living in tropic and sub-tropic zones take a few months for the development of larva and their adult phase can last up to one year.
The life expectancy of odonates in temperate zones is determined by their survival of the vulnerable period between commencement of emergence and successful maiden flight. In Anisoptera, they have an average lifespan of 4 – 6 weeks, and in Zygoptera, 1 - 2 weeks (Corbet, 1962).