Diversity and abundance of dragonflies and damselflies in Tampa Bay, Florida

Authors

  • Meredith A Krause University of South Florida, Department of Integrative biology, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA
  • Thomas Koster University of South Florida, Department of Integrative biology, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA
  • Bryan N MacNeill University of Alabama, Department of Biological Sciences, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 35487, USA
  • Daniel J Zydek University of South Florida, Department of Integrative biology, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA
  • Nicholas T Ogburn University of South Florida, Department of Integrative biology, Tampa, Florida 33620
  • Jonathan Sharpin University of South Florida, Department of Integrative biology, Tampa, Florida 33620
  • Robert Shell University of South Florida, Department of Integrative biology, Tampa, Florida 33620
  • Marc J Lajeunesse University of South Florida, Department of Integrative biology, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA

Abstract

Little is known about the community of dragonflies and damselflies in Tampa Bay, Florida, USA. To address this gap, we conducted 2 longitudinal surveys of adult odonates in a natural floodplain of the Hillsborough River in 2013 and 2017. Along with abundance and species diversity, we also measured intraspecific variation in body size, sexual dimorphism, wing-cell asymmetry, and water mite ectoparasitism. Our first weekly survey from Oct 2013 to Oct 2014 sampled 327 adults (230 female, 97 male) from 8 dragonfly species, with the eastern pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis Say; Odonata: Libellulidae) representing 79% of captures, followed by the second most abundant (14%), the Florida non-native and neotropical hyacinth glider (Miathyria marcella Selys; Odonata: Libellulidae). Our second weekly survey from Sept to Dec 2017, which focused on both damselflies and dragonflies and captured 205 adults from 8 species, with the fragile forktail (Ischnura posita Hagen; Odonata: Coenagrionidae) being the most abundant with 70% of captures. Female-biased sexual size dimorphism was found in both E. simplicicollis and I. posita; however, both sexes were equally variable in size and symmetric in a meristic trait. Female and male M. marcella were equally variable, monomorphic, and symmetric. Combing symmetry data from each sex, only I. posita damselflies were asymmetric overall. Finally, we did not observe any parasitism by larval water mites in either survey. We aim to continue surveys to track seasonal and climate-driven changes in dragonfly diversity and phenology in this region.

 

Resumen

Poco se sabe sobre la comunidad de libélulas (Odonata: Libellulidae) y caballitos del diablo (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) en Tampa Bay, Florida, EE. UU. Para abordar esta falta, realizamos 2 encuestas longitudinales de odonatos adultos en una llanura de inundación natural del Río Hillsborough en el 2013 y el 2017. Junto con la abundancia y la diversidad de especies, también medimos la variación intraespecífica en el tamaño del cuerpo, el dimorfismo sexual, la asimetría de las células del ala, y el ectoparasitismo de los ácaros acuáticos. Nuestro primer sondeo semanal de octubre del 2013 a octubre del 2014, muestreó 327 adultos (230 hembras, 97 machos) de 8 especies de libélulas, con Erythemis simplicicollis Say (Odonata: Libellulidae) presente en el 79% de las capturas, seguido por el segundo más abundante (14%), Miathyria marcella Selys (Odonata: Libellulidae), una especie no nativa de la Florida. Nuestro segundo sondeo semanal desde septiembre hasta diciembre del 2017, se enfocó sobre los caballitos del diablo y las libélulas y capturó 205 adultos de 8 especies, con Ischnura posita Hagen (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) la especie más abundante en el 70% de las capturas. Se encontró dimorfismo sexual de tamaño sesgado hacia las hembras tanto en E. simplicicollis como en I. posita; sin embargo, ambos sexos fueron igualmente variables en tamaño y simétricos en su rasgo merístico. Las hembras y los machos de M. marcella fueron igualmente variables, monomórficos y simétricos. Combinando datos de simetría de cada sexo, solo I. daita caballitos del diablo fueron asimétricos en general. Finalmente, no observamos ningún parasitismo por los ácaros acuáticos sobre las larvas en ninguna de los sondeos. Nuestro objetivo es continuar los sondeos para rastrear los cambios estacionales y climáticos en la diversidad y fenología de las libélulas en esta región.

Key Words: wing-cell asymmetry; fluctuating asymmetry; phenology; flight season; sexual size dimorphism; Odonata

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Published

2020-09-25

Issue

Vol. 103, No. 3 (September 2020)

Section

Research Papers

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