damesflies

Post by **MWP admin** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 7:07 pm

I was amazed noticing a Damesfly couple hovering over a water pond. It seems that the male (red) has his abdomen attached to the head of the partner female (greyish blue) The female seems to lower her abdomen to the water surface every now and then, probably depositing eggs.

What I cannot understand is why the two are conjugated this way (abdomen to head). What is the role f the male here, is he fertilising the egss of the female?? If so, where is the sperm released at the head of the female??? If there is no fertilization, then why this strange copulated flught?

Will check this out more.

Not an easy photos to take with a non-SLR camera!

Conchiolin · Post by **Conchiolin** » Wed May 30, 2007 5:03 pm

Ok i searched a bit on the internet. Dragonflies are very complicated creatures when it comes to copulation and they perform a number of different position. Now that position you caught right there is called the tandem position. Where the male grasps the female's head with some specialised parts.

This position is an important one so that the male dragon fly assures that the female is of the same species. If the parts used to grasp the female's head fit exactly then the other one is of the same species. After this effective verification technique the tandem position may be performed again after copulation so that the male makes sure that the female does not copulate with another male again.

Fascinating ain't it!!

Here's some more pics that show that behaviour and more info about these positions

:

http://www.geocities.com/brisbane_dragons/Mating.htm

Conchiolin · Post by **Conchiolin** » Wed May 30, 2007 5:05 pm

Forgot to say that this is a very interesting topic. We should investigate these particular behaviours in animals because they are interesting and we learn a lot about nature and all.....

Insomma proset.

IL-PINE · Post by **IL-PINE** » Wed May 30, 2007 6:02 pm

very very interesting.....

Post by **MWP admin** » Wed May 30, 2007 6:54 pm

Well done Conchiolin for the reseacrh! I like you here! I'll soon give you moderator status for this category.

I read parts of the link and I agree => astonishing facts from mother Nature! It is as if these creatures where pre-planned on a PC before being created. I am always surprised of how much far can instinct go since these lads do not follow ta' Kana courses for their complex courtship behaviour.

Conchiolin · Post by **Conchiolin** » Wed May 30, 2007 8:10 pm

Right you are. God seems to use a mac when programing these insects.

And dude, congrats for the photos! damesflies are no joke for capturing with a camera.