Although considered one of the most widespread dragonflies in the world, Pantala flavescens is rarely recorded in Europe and only irregularly observed in the eastern Mediterranean. The first published records of P. flavescens from Cyprus date back to 1957. There are no further published records from Cyprus until 2010 when a single individual and a copula were observed. The latter is also the first record of reproductive activity of the species in the eastern Mediterranean. Since the systematic monitoring of Odonata in Cyprus began in 2013, P. flavescens has been recorded on the island every year with one to 13 records each year from 2013 to 2017, 45 in 2018, and with a significant increase to 146 records in 2019, giving a total of 237 records. Reproductive behaviour of P. flavescens has been observed 19 times on Cyprus and in 2018 we found a larva and a teneral male. Oviposition mode showed high plasticity and was observed in five cases in non-contact guarding behaviour; five times females were ovipositing alone (unguarded oviposition) and oviposition in tandem was seen only once. Our observations are the first proof of successful reproduction of P. flavescens in the eastern Mediterranean.
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1 December 2020
The circumtropical Pantala flavescens is a regular visitor to Cyprus and reproducing on the island (Odonata: Libellulidae)
David J. Sparrow,
Geert De Knijf,
Matt S. Smith,
Rosalyn Sparrow,
Mary Michaelides,
Dinos Konis,
Klaus Siedle
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Odonatologica
Vol. 49 • No. 3-4
December 2020
Vol. 49 • No. 3-4
December 2020
Anisoptera
dragonfly
guarded
larva
Mediterranean
range expansion
unguarded oviposition