Morphological and chromatic changes in the last instars of Erythemis simplicicollis (odonata)

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Mary Joan Sharp (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Paul Lutz

Abstract: Many aspects of the adult life history of the dragonfly Erythemis simplicicollis are well-known resulting from an excellent paper by Williamson (1923). This species (Family Libellulinae) is the "green jacket" dragonfly one finds almost everywhere around ponds and lakes. Very little information, however, has been recorded about its aquatic larval stage. The best of the papers in this area is that of Bick (1941) in which he discusses the developmental stages of this species. Using only a small number of eggs, he reared the insects in laboratory conditions and studied morphological changes beginning with the first instar. All but one died before maturing; the surviving one reached adulthood in a larval period of 113 days which included thirteen instars. Other studies carried out on this species by Wilson (1917) and Needham (1901) focused either on the early or on the final instar larvae. Thus, one is struck by the void of information on this abundant species for most of its developmental history from egg to larva through successive instars to the adult.

Additional Information

Publication
Honors Project
Language: English
Date: 1966

Email this document to