Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Behavior And Ecological Interactions Of Larval Odonata, Clay L. Pierce, Philip H. Crowley, Dan M. Johnson

Clay L. Pierce

Enallagma aspersum and E. traviatum (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) are the most abundant larval odonates in Bays Mountain Park (Sullivan County, Tennessee, USA), although their spatial distributions are essentially nonoverlapping. E. traviatum coexists with insectivorous fish in a small lake, whereas E. aspersum is restricted to a small fishless pond nearby. Behavioral observations revealed that E. aspersum larvae were more active than E. traviatum, and tended to occupy more conspicuous positions. E. aspersum also engaged in more confrontations than E. traviatum, especially at higher density. In laboratorye xperimentsw ith juvenile bluegills( Lepomism acrochirusa) s predators,E . aspersum larvae were more vulnerable to …