Odonata (insecta) of Kerala

2007·7.7 MB·English

by  Emiliyamma, K. G

.'G. EMI YAMMA
I
c.
RAD AKRIS NAN
~
U D A E PALOT
OCCASIONAL PAPER No. 269
RECORDS
OF THE
ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
Odonata (Insecta) of Kerala
K.G. EMILIYAMMA
c.
RADHAKRISHNAN
MUHAMED JAFER PALOT
Zoological Survey of India
Western Ghats Field Research Station, Calicltt 673 002
Edited by the Director, Zoological Survey of India, Ko/kata
~7Q1f
Zoological Survey of India
Kolkata
CITATION
Emiliyamma, K.G., Radhakrishnan, C. and Iafer PaJot, Muhamed. 2007. Odonata
(Insecta) of Kerala. Rec. zool. Surv. India, Dec. Paper No., 269 : 1-195 + 8 Plates.
(Published by the Director, Zool. Surv. India, Kolkata)
Published : July, 2007
ISBN 978~81-817l-159·5
© Govt. of India, 2007
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PREFACE
Dragonflies (Odonata : Insecta) are one among the most fascinating and elegant groups of
insects usua]]y found near water bodies. However, many of them can be seen in our gardens, even
in urban areas, a few even reaching our homes in the late evenings attracted to the light or
following prey insects that get attracted to the light. Economically, odonates are most significant
because they are predators of mosquitoes and other insects including agricultural pests and vectors
of diseases that cause serious agricultural loss and health problems to the human beings. Besides,
the odonate nymphs are biological indicators of aquatic pollution. Clearing up of forested areas,
filling up of lowlands, particularly of water bodies in the name of development and polluting the
water bodies lead to the elimination of these beautiful insects.
Odonate fauna of Kerala exhibits notable diversity and richness. The state is, currently, known
to have an odonate diversity of 137 species (including subspecies) as detailed in the prescnt
account.
AUTHORS
Records of the
Zoological Survey of India
Occasional Paper
No. 269 2007 Page 1-195
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 1
BIOLOGY ........................................................................................................................................ 2
STRUCTURE OF AN ADULT ODONATE (IMAGO) ............................................................. 6
SYSTEMATIC LIST OF ODONATA KNOWN FROM KERALA ....................................... 11
SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT .......................................................................................................... 18
Suborder ZYGOPTERA .......................................................................................................... 18
Key to the suborders of ODONATA .................................................................................. 18
Key to the superfamilies of ZYGOPTERA ....................................................................... 18
Superfamily COENAGRIONOIDEA ...................................................................................... 18
•
Key to the families of Superfamily COENAGRIONOIDEA .......................................... 19
Family COENAGRIONIDAE .................................................................................................. 19
Key to the genera of Family COENAGRIONIDAE ........................................................ 19
Subfamily PSEUDAGRIONINAE .......................................................................................... 20
Key to the species of Ceriagrion Selys ................................................................................ 22
Key to the species of genus Pseudagrion Selys ................................................................. 26
Subfamily COENAGRIONINAE ............................................................................................ 3 I
Subfamily ISCHNURINAE ..................................................................................................... 33
Key to the species of genus Aciagrioll Selys ...................................................................... 33
Key to the species of genus lschllura Charpentier .......................................................... 36
Subfamily AGRIOCNEMIDINAE ........................................................................................... 39
Key to the species of genus Agriocnelnis Selys ................................................................. 39
Subfamily ARGIINAE ............................................................................................................. 45
Family PLATYCNEMIDIDAE ................................................................................................ 46
(vi)
Subfamily PLATYCNEMINAE ............................................................................................... 46
Key to the species of genus Copera Kirby .......................................................... · ... ·. ... ·· .. ·· 47
Family PLATYSTICTIDAE .................................................................................................... 49
Subfamily PLATYSTICTINAE ............................................................................................... 49
Key to the genera of Family Platystictidae ....................................................................... 50
Key to the species of genus Protosticta Selys .................................................................... 51
Family PROTONEURIDAE .................................................................................................... 57
Subfamily CACONEURINAE ................................................................................................. 57
Key to the genera of Family Protoneuridae ...................................................................... 58
Key to the species of genus Caconeura Kirby .................................................................. 59
Key to the species of Genus Esme Fraser .......................................................................... 61
Subfamily DISPARONEURINAE ........................................................................ '" ................ 65
Key to the species of genus Elattoneura Cowley .............................................................. 65
Superfamily LESTOIDEA ....................................................................................................... 69
Family LESTIDAE ................................................................................................................... 69
Key to the genera of Family LESTIDAE ........................................................................... 69
Key to the species of Genus Lestes Leach ......................................................................... 70
Subfamily SYMPECMATINAE .............................................................................................. 73
Superfamily CALOPTERYGOIDEA ...................................................................................... 74
Family CALOPTERYGIDAE .................................................................................................. 74
Subfamily CALOPTERYGINAE ............................................................................................ 74
Key to the Families of Superfamily CALOPTERYGOIDEA ......................................... 75
Key to the Genera of Family CALOPTERYGIDAE ....................................................... 75
Key to the species of Genus Vestatis Selys ......................................................................... 77
Family CHLOROCYPHIDAE ................................................................................................. 80
Key to the genera of Family CHLOROCYPHIDAE ....................................................... 80
Family EUPHAEIDAE ............................................................................................................. 85
Key to the Genera of Family EUPHAEIDAE ...... 85
to ...........................................................
Key to the species of genus Euphaea (Selys) ..................................................................... 87
Suborder ANISOPTERA ......................................................................................................... 91
Key to the super families of suborder Anisoptera ........................................................... 91
(vii)
Superfamily AESHNOIDEA ................................................................................................... 92
Key to the families of Superfamily Aeshnoidea ................................................................ 92
Family GOMPHIDAE .............................................................................................................. 92
Key to the genera of family GOMPHIDAE ................................................ ~ ..................... 92
Key to the species of genus Merogolnphus Martin ........................................................... 98
Subfamily ONYCHOGOMPHINAE ..................................................................................... 101
Key to the species of Genus Megalogomphus Campion ................................................ 104
Key to the species of Onychogomphus Selys ................................................................... 107
Subfamily GOMPHOIDINAE ............................................................................................... 112
Subfamily LINDENINAE ...................................................................................................... 113
Family AESHNIDAE ............................................................................................................. 115
Subfamily AESHNINAE ........................................................................................................ 115
Key to the genera of family Aeshnidae ............................................................................ 115
Key to the species of genus Anax Leach .......................................................... , ............... 116
Superfamily CORDULEGASTEROIDEA ............................................................................ 121
Family CORDLEGASTERIDAE .......................................................................................... 121
Subfamily CHLOROGOMPHINAE ...................................................................................... 121
Key to the species of Genus Chlorogomphus Selys ........................................................ 122
Superfamily LIBELLULOIDEA ........................................................................................... 124
Key to the Families of Superfamily Libelluloidea .......................................................... 124
Family CORDULIIDAE ......................................................................................................... 124
Key to the genera of Family CORDULIIDAE ................................................................ 124
Subfamily CORDULIINAE ................................................................................................... 125
Subfamily IDIONYCHINAE ................................................................................................. 126
Key to the species of Genus Idionyx Hagen (Male) ....................................................... 126
Key to the species of Genus Idionyx Selys (Female) ...................................................... 126
Subfamily MACROMIINAE ................................................................................................. 131
Key to the species of Epophthalmia Burmeister ............................................................. 132
Key to the species of Macromia Rambur ......................................................................... 134
Family LIBELLULIDAE ....................................................................................................... 137
Key to the genera of Family Libellulidae ........................................................................ 137
(vi ii)
Subfamily TETRATHEMISTINAE ...................................................................................... 141
Subfamily BRACHYDIPLACTINAE ................................................................................... 143
Key to the species of Genus Brachydiplax Brauer ......................................................... 143
Subfamily LIBELLULINAE .................................................................................................. 145
Key to the species of Genus Orthetrum Newman ........................................................... 148
Subfamily SYMPETRINAE .................................................................................................. 156
Key to the species of Genus Diplacodes Kirby ............................................................... 161
Key to the species of Genus Neurothelnis Brauer .......................................................... 164
Subfamily TRITHEMISTINAE ............................................................................................. 171
Key to the species of Genus Trithelnis Brauer ................................................................ 171
Subfamily ONYCHOTHEMISTINAE .................................................................................. ] 76
Subfamily PALPOPLEURINAE ........................................................................................... ] 77
Subfamily TRMAEINAE .............................................................................................. 178
Key to the species of Genus Rhyotlzemis Hagen ..................................................... 178
Key to the species of Genus Tramea Hagen ............................................................ 183
Subfamily UROTHEMISTINAE .................................................................................. 187
Subfamily ZYGONYCHINAE ..................................................................................... 191
Key to the species of Genus Zygonyx Selys ............................................................. 191
DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................................... 193
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................... 194
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 194
INTRODUCTION
Odonates (Odonata : Insecta) have inhabited the world for about 245 million years
along with Cockroaches and Mayflies. They are believed to be the descendants of the
Protodonata that existed 300+ million years back. Among the Protodonates were
members of the family Meganeuridae that included giant forms, which had a wingspan of
60 cm. to 1 meter, making them the largest hexapods ever to have existed. Fossil
evidences indicate that dragonflies closely related to the modern ones have appeared in
the Mesozoic Era.
The Odonates are distributed in all geographical realms, but their greatest numbers
and diversity occur in the tropics. About 7000 species of Odonata belonging to 630
genera and 28 families are reported from the world over (Silsby, 2001).
Adult dragonflies are powerful fliers and have been recorded flying distances of
several hundred kilometers. Some species of odonates, especially Pantala flavescens, are
migratory in behaviour and can fly several hundred kilometers over land and sea. In
many species, the mature males exhibit territorial behaviour establishing themselves along
the stretches of water, which they defend from other males. Odonates exhibit an
incomplete metamorphosis. The general life expectancy of species in the tropics may last
a full year in the adult stage, and a few months in the larval stage.
The insect order Odonata is subdivided into three suborders viz. Zygoptera,
Anisozygoptera and Anisoptera. The Zygoptera and Anisoptera are well-established
groups and are represented in Kerala. The Anisozygoptera superficially resembles the
Anisoptera, but several characters are intermediate between the Zygoptera and
Anisoptera. Anisozygoptera is represented only by one species (Epiophlebia laidlawi
Tillyard) in India, which is also endangered in nature. Our knowledge on the Indian
odonata is mainly based upon the works of Fraser (1933, 1934 and 1936) who provided
taxonomic descriptions of all the 536 species and subspecies known till then from
"British India including Burma and Ceylon" Incorporating subsequent studies, Prasad
and Varshney (1995) published a checklist of Odonata, which comprised of 499 species
and subspecies of odonata known from India alone and in that study, only 20 species
figured from Kerala. A scrutiny of Fraser's work (op. cit.) revealed 84 species recorded
from Kerala mostly from the Malabar, Travancore and Wynad areas of the state. A perusal
of literature (Fraser, 1931 and 1933-1936; Peters, 1981; Rao and Lahiri, 1982; Mathavan
and Miller, 1989; Radhakrishnan, 1997; Emiliyamma and Radhakrishnan, 2000 and 2002;
Emiliyamma et ai., 2005; Emiliyamma, 2005, lafer et ai., 2002; lafer and Soniya, 2004,
lafer et ai., 2005; Mitra, T.R, 2002, 2003 and 2006) revealed that 500 taxa of odonates
occur in India, of which 137 species and subspecies are from Kerala.
2 Rec. zool. Surv. India, Dcc. Paper No. 269
In the present document, 137 species and subspecies of Odonata spread over 79
genera, 12 families and 31 subfamilies known till date from Kerala are dealt with. The
taxonomic treatment followed here is after Prasad and Varshney (1995). In many of the
scientific literature on Odonata published prior to India's independence, the distributional
areas of several species found in Kerala are mentioned as Malabar, Cochin and
Travancore, the formerly known princely states/provinces falling partly in the present
day limits of the Kerala State. The Malabar area represents currently the northern
districts of Kerala, falling north of the Palghat gap. Similarly, Cochin represents the
present day districts of Trichur and Ernakulam, and Travancore, the districts south of
Ernakulam district. Such distribution data being significant and unavoidable have also
been incorporated in the present account, along with the corresponding data available in
recent literature and those based on our own studies. Of these 137 species of Odonata,
7 species, Agriocnemis keralensis Peters, Protosticta antelopoides Fraser, Caconeura risi
(Fraser), Merogomphus longistigma tamaracherriensis Fraser, Davidioides martini
Fraser, Onychogomphus malabarensis (Fraser) and Idionyx rhinoceroides Fraser are
endemic to Kerala.
BIOLOGY
Odonates are always found in the vicinity of waterbodies; (Fig. 9) the adults lead an
aerial life while their nymphs are aquatic. All species of odonates are predaceous, both
in their nymphal and adult stages.
Usually, copulation takes place during flight. The male curls its abdomen downwards
to transfer the sperms from the genital pore to the accessory genitalia present on the
ventral side of abdominal segments 2 and 3. During this process, the male zygopterans
clasps the front of the female prothorax, while the male anisopteran clasps the female
head. The pair then flies together in a 'tandem position' (Fig. 1). In the next stage, the·
female bends its abdomen round and forwards to bring its genitalia in contact with male
genitalia, thus forming 'the wheel position' (Fig. 2). The copulation may last from a few
seconds to many hours. Oviposition occurs soon after copulation. In most cases, the
male remains associated with the female in tandem position while ovipositing. This
behaviour ensures that the guarding male fertilizes the eggs laid.
The number of eggs laid by an ovipositing female varies from a few hundreds to
several thousands, laid usually in batches in rows, or in a zigzag pattern or scattered at
random. Eggs of endophytic species are, elongate, and it is the characteristic of the
Zygoptera and a few anisopteran families. In this method, the eggs are inserted into slits
made by the ovipositor in the stems and leaves of plants or other objects near or under
the water. In some cases, the female alone or with male descends below the water
surface for egg laying. In exophytic species, the eggs are broad and elliptical, either
dropped into the water or attached superficially to aquatic plants or laid in gelatinous
strings attached to submerged twigs. This method is characteristic of the Anisoptera.