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The article details a study which focused on the morphometric and genetic differentiation of two sibling gossamer-wing damselflies Euphaea formosa from Taiwan and Euphaea yayeyamana from Japan. The study investigated the adaptive significance of trait divergence and species status in such Euphaea damselflies. Geometric morphometrics showed that the Euphea damselflies are different morphological species characterized by their distinctive wing shapes.

A survey of methyl chloride (CH3Cl)-emitting plants was performed at a subtropical island in Japan (Iriomote Island). Among the 187 species of tropical/subtropical plants investigated, 33 species from a variety of families were identified as CH3Cl-emitting plants. The strongest emitters were Osmunda banksiifolia, Cibotium balometz, Angiopteris palmiformis, Vitex rotundifolia, Vitex trifolia, and Excoecaria agalloch, each with CH3Cl emission rates exceeding 1μg (gdrywt)−1 h−1. The first three species are ferns, and the last three are halophilous plants. Based on our results, the character of CH3Cl emission is likely to be shared at the genus level but not always at the family level. The atmospheric CH3Cl distribution measured on Iriomote Island showed significant enhancement in forested sites (up to 2750ppt) and a higher concentration on the downwind shore than on the upwind shore. As previously reported, our findings provide strong evidence for the high emission of CH3Cl from tropical/subtropical forests. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]