Two new species of the genus Devadatta Kirby, 1890, D. kompieri sp. nov. from northern Vietnam (holotype: male, Mu Cang Chai district, Yen Bai Province) and D. yokoii sp. nov. from central Laos (holotype: male, Vang Vieng, Vientiane Province) are described. These new species are allied to D. ducatrix Lieftinck, 1969, but are distinguished by specific characteristics of their wings and anal appe...

The study of a new specimen of Petrolestes hendersoni from the Eocene Green Formation allows a more precise description of the enigmatic damselfly and the diagnosis of the Petrolestini. Petrolestes messelensis sp. nov. is described from the Eocene Messel Formation in Germany, extending the distribution of the Petrolestini to the European Eocene. The new damsel-dragonfly family Pseudostenolestid...

The neotropical genus Acanthagrion Selys (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) is composed of 44 species, of which the females of 31 species are currently known. In this contribution the females of A. aepiolum Tennessen and A. minutum Leonard are described and that of A. ascendens Calvert is redescribed. Distribution maps and new records are provided for all three species. Finally, a key to females of the ...

We developed a molecular assay to detect predation on Anopheles gambiae sensu lato (s.l.) mosquitoes. This intergenic spacer ribosomal DNA polymerase chain reaction assay and restriction enzyme analysis uses An. gambiae-specific primers to detect mosquito DNA in the DNA extracts from whole invertebrate predators, which enables identification of species (An. gambiae s.s. versus An. arabiensis) a...

The dorsal surfaces of the hindwings of the dragonfly Rhyothemis resplendens (Odonata: Libellulidae) reflect a deep blue from the multilayer structure in its wing membrane. The layers within this structure are not flat, but distinctly 'wrinkled', with a thickness of several hundred nanometres and interwrinkle crest distances of 5 µm and greater. A comparison between the backscattered light from...

The order Odonata comprises many predaceous species that inhabit aquatic systems, and a few that are restricted to flowing waters. Cordulegaster boltoni is a widespread Odonata in Europe, which usually inhabits small lotic systems. In this study we analysed the gut contents of C. boltoni immature stages, collected in the Rocchetta Tanaro Natural Park (Italy, Piemonte). Two hundred and eleven in...

Among the winged insects (Pterygota) the Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) are unique for several reasons. Behaviourally they are aerial predators that hunt and catch their prey in flight, only. Morphologically the flight apparatus of Odonata is significantly different from what is found in the remaining Pterygota. However, to understand the phylogenetic relationships of winged insects and ...

Based on comparison of specimens and descriptions, Mitragomphus ganzanus Needham, 1944, described from Braganza [Bragança], Pará State, Brazil, and known only from the holotype, is found to be a junior synonym of Gomphidia kirschii Selys, 1878, a species from the Philippines. The monotypic genus Mitragomphus Needham, 1944, is synonymized with the genus Gomphidia Selys, 1854.