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All known species of the genus Rhinocypha Rambur (Odonata: Chlorocyphidae) from Sulawesi and adjacent islands are revised, with descriptions of both sexes, illustrations of key characters, distribution maps and a key to the species. This revision is mainly based on material held in Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden. These specimens were collected from localities in many parts of Sulawesi by the authors during the 1980s and 1990s. Eight species are distinguished, of which five are new to science, namely, Rhinocypha flavipoda sp. nov. (Central Sulawesi), Rhinocypha pelengensis sp. nov. (Peleng Islands), Rhinocypha sangihensis sp. nov. (Sangihe Islands), R. togeanensis sp. nov. (Togian Islands) and Rhino cypha virgulata sp. nov. (Central Sulawesi); and one new subspecies, R. frontalis sulselensis ssp. nov. (south-western Sulawesi). We also discuss the status, morphological variation and distribution of the previously described species and present a concise analysis of the phylo genetic relationships of the Sulawesi clade within the so-called Rhinocypha tincta-complex based partly on molecular characters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indocypha cyanicauda Zhang & Hämäläinen, spec. nov. (holotype ♂ from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China; deposited at the Kunming Natural History Museum of Zoology) is described and illustrated from both sexes and compared with its congener I. vittata. Brief notes on the ecology and behaviour of the new species are provided. http://zoobank.org:pub:B4899606-6D5C-4BFE-B80C-9EFCA46E92C0 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two mutually-excluding hypotheses explain the intensity of aggression between neighbors and their non-neighbors in territorial animals. On one hand, the 'dear enemy' hypothesis predicts that territorial animals should be more tolerant towards their neighbors than towards non-neighbors. Conversely, the 'nasty neighbor' hypothesis predicts increased aggression towards neighbors than non-neighbors. These different situations depend on who is more likely to be a real competitor, either a neighbor or a non-neighbor, and the intensity of resource competition. Male damselfly of Hetaerina vulnerata defend riverine, mating territories that is the main way to have access to females. These territories are not fixed and so males continuously defend them especially against neighbors. Given this, we tested whether the nasty neighbor principle operates in this species. We monitored a population during an entire mating season, and recorded duration of aggressive behaviors. As a key prediction of the nasty neighbor hypothesis, we expected that such behaviors last for longer when encountering a conspecific neighbor than a conspecific non-neighbor. We also predicted that such duration should be date-dependent as territorial competition could increase in the middle of the season when male density is at its highest. Our results corroborated that aggressive behaviors lasted longer against a neighbor male than a non-neighbor male but there was not effect of date. Thus, neighbors may pose a greater risk and may be a strong selective force than non-neighbors in terms of resource competition. Since neighbor males are continuously trying to widen their territory boundaries (a situation that has been also found in other study systems), an owner male may not even need to recognize his neighbors to fight back. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We undertook a comprehensive morphological and molecular phylogenetic analysis of dragonfly phylogeny, examining both extant and fossil lineages in simultaneous analyses. The legitimacy of higher-level family groups and the phylogenetic relationship between families were tested. Thirteen families were supported as monophyletic (Aeshnidae, Calopterygidae, Chlorocyphidae, Euphaeidae, Gomphidae, Isostictidae, Lestidae, Libellulidae, Petaluridae, Platystictidae, Polythoridae, Pseudostigmatidae and Synthemistidae) and eight as non-monophyletic (Amphipterygidae, Coenagrionidae, Corduliidae, Megapodagrionidae, Protoneuridae and Synlestidae), although Perilestidae and Platycnemididae were recovered as monophyletic under Bayesian analyses. Nine families were represented by one species, thus monophyly was not tested (Epiophlebiidae, Austropetaliidae, Chlorogomphidae, Cordulegastridae, Macromiidae, Chorismagrionidae, Diphlebiidae, Lestoideidae and Pseudolestidae). Epiprocta and Zygoptera were recovered as monophyletic. Ditaxinerua is supported as the sister lineage to Odonata, Epiophlebiidae and the lestid-like damselflies are sister to the Epiprocta and Zygoptera, respectively. Austropetaliidae + Aeshnidae is the sister lineage to the remaining Anisoptera. Tarsophlebia's placement as sister to Epiprocta or as sister to Epiprocta + Zygoptera was not resolved. Refinements are made to the current classification. Fossil taxa did not seem to provide signals crucial to recovering a robust phylogeny, but were critical to understanding the evolution of key morphological features associated with flight. Characters associated with wing structure were optimized revealing two wing character complexes: the pterostigma–nodal brace complex and the costal wing base & costal–ScP junction complex. In turn, these two complexes appear to be associated; the pterostigma–nodal brace complex allowing for further modification of the wing characters comprised within the costal wing base & costal–ScP junction complex leading the modern odonate wing. © The Willi Hennig Society 2008. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]