Large royal dragonfly
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Great royal dragonfly ( Anax imperator ), ♂ |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Anax imperator | ||||||||||||
| Leach , 1815 |
The Great Emperor Dragonfly ( Anax imperator ) is a dragonfly from the family of aeshnidae (Aeshnidae), which the subordination of dragonflies belong (Anisoptera). It is one of the largest dragonflies in Central Europe.
features
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The great royal dragonfly reaches wingspans of 9.5 to 11 centimeters. The chest section ( thorax ) of the animals is colored green, the abdomen ( abdomen ) of the males is light blue with a continuous black longitudinal band on the back, which has a tooth-like bulge on each segment. The abdomen of the females is blue-green, the longitudinal ligament on the back is brown and wide. In contrast, the slightly smaller dragonfly ( Anax parthenope ) has a brown chest and the abdomen is blue only in the front area.
Way of life
The dragonfly is common, especially near standing water. However, on its fighter flights it can also move very far from the water. The males form territories and also drive members of other species out of this area. It flies from June to August. The food spectrum of the adults mainly includes flies and mosquitoes, as well as other dragonflies (also relatively large species). Occasionally, other insects, such as butterflies, are also captured.
Reproduction
In order to reproduce, the male grabs a flying female in flight and immediately begins mating. If the female is not willing to mate, she lets her abdomen hang down and pretends to be an egg-laying female. The mating game is usually ended, however, sitting in the bank vegetation. Copulation occurs several times . After about ten minutes, the animals separate again, and the females lay their eggs alone. It sticks the eggs into water plants or floating parts of plants at submerged spots . It generates the necessary pressure by flapping its wings. During this process, the animals are often disturbed by other dragonflies.
Larval development
The larvae are very active and swim with their legs when disturbed and when they are kicked away. They get the power to recoil by expelling breath water from the rectal gills . The larvae reach a maximum length of 55 millimeters after one to two years of development. The duration of the development depends mainly on the time of oviposition and the water temperature. Royal dragonfly larvae feed on available small animals in their aquatic habitat, such as insect larvae, water bugs, and tadpoles . Occasionally they also prey on fry and spawn.
distribution
The distribution area of the Great Dragonfly extends over the whole of Africa and a large part of Europe, the Arabian Peninsula , Southwest and Central Asia . In India, the species occurs in the states of West Bengal , Uttarakhand , Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu . In Europe, it is currently expanding its range significantly to the north. In the British Isles , sightings from Scotland are already known, in the south of Sweden to about the latitude of Uppsala .
Hazardous and protective situation
The species Anax imperator is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List; in Germany it is regarded as a type of order of dragonflies as particularly protected, in Switzerland and Austria it is regarded as safe.
literature
- H. Bellmann: Observe dragonflies - determine. Naturbuch Verlag, Augsburg 1993, ISBN 3-89440-107-9 .
- G. Jurzitza: The Kosmos dragonfly guide . Franckh-Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-440-08402-7 .
- G. Peters: The noble dragonflies of Europe - Aeshnidae. (= Die Neue Brehm-Bücherei. Volume 585). Ziemsen, Wittenberg Lutherstadt 1987, ISBN 3-7403-0050-7 .
- G. Peters: Unknown acquaintances: the Anax species in Europe (Odonata: Aeshnidae). In: Libellula. Volume 19, No. 1/2, 2000, pp. 53-64.
- K. Sternberg: Anax imperator Leach, 1815 - Large royal dragonfly. In: K. Sternberg, Buchwald (Ed.): Die Libellen Baden-Württemberg. Volume 2: Dragonflies (Anisoptera). Ulmer, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-8001-3514-0 , pp. 125-139.
Web links
- Pictures at biologie.uni-ulm.de
- More pictures and information at natur-lexikon.com
- Anax imperator inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010.4. Posted by: Mitra, 2009.
- Anax imperator at Fauna Europaea