Survival and longevity in neotropical damselflies (Odonata, Polythoridae)
- Cordero-Rivera, A.
- Sanmartín-Villar, I.
- Sánchez Herrera, M
- Rivas-Torres, A.
- Encalada, A. C.
ISSN: 1578-665X
Year of publication: 2019
Volume: 42
Issue: 2
Pages: 293-300
Type: Article
More publications in: Animal Biodiversity and Conservation
Abstract
Longevity among insect orders va-ries greatly, and has mainly been studied in insects in temperate biomes, where seasonality determines high synchronization of reproductive activities and limits lifespan. Most forest damselflies in tropical regions have low population densities and are almost never observed in copula. We hypothesized that selection will favour a high survival rate and hence high lifespan, allowing the animals to be ready for the occasional events that favour reproduction. We studied two neotropical damselflies, Polythore mutata and P. derivata,in Ecuador, using mark–recapture methods. We found that sex affected the rate of recapture, but daily survival rate was affected by sex only in one population. We found evidence that suggests stabilizing or directional selection on body size. The maximum lifespan was 54–63 days. We conclude that the survival rate of Polythore damselflies in tropical forests is comparable to that of similar damselflies in temperate zones.
Funding information
Funding was provided by a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, including FEDER funds (CGL2014–53140–P). ISV and ART were supported by FPI grants (BES–2012–052005 and BES–2015–071965).Funders
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Family Process Institute
United States
- BES–2012–052005
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European Regional Development Fund
European Union
- CGL2014–53140–P