Does the Desert Skimmer Orthetrum ransonnetii (Odonata: Libellulidae) avoid perching on vegetation?

Authors

Keywords:

Behavior, ecology, dragonflies, Israel, Middle East, Dead Sea

Abstract

The perching substrate choice of the Desert Skimmer Orthetrum ransonnetii (Brauer, 1865) was recorded during a long-term (2013–2021) Odonata survey in the Dead Sea area, Israel. The data were collected at two streams in the Dead Sea oases, Nahal Bokek and Nahal Arugot, by walking monthly along the permanent watercourses (fixed transects). Among 872 observations on O. ransonnetii, there were records of neither males nor females using vegetation (live plants) for perching. The Desert Skimmer clearly prefers perching on stones or bare ground. The stone preference of O. ransonnetii for perching has been noted in the literature on Odonata for a long time, but the presented data demonstrate this phenomenon as a total preference.

To cite: Blecher, M. 2023. Does the Desert Skimmer Orthetrum ransonnetii (Odonata: Libellulidae) avoid perching on vegetation? Israel Journal of Entomology 52: 97–103. 
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10694111

Orthetrum ransonnetii

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Published

2023-12-31

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Section

Short communications