Behavioral ecology of Libellula luctuosa (Burmeister) (Anisoptera: Libellulidae). 2. Proposed functions for territorial behaviors

A common North American pond dragonfly was studied in order to quantify the behavior of territorial individuals. This sp. has 5 distinct territorial behaviors: perching, patrolling, interspecific chasing, chasing adjacent territorial conspecifics, and chasing nonterritorial conspecifics. Associations between different territorial behaviors were established using sequential analysis of two-act sequences. After leaving a perch, males showed no significant tendency to engage preferentially in any of the other behaviors. However, after chasing other individuals, males preferentially patrolled; after patrolling, males typically perched. These results are interpreted in light of the proposed functions for territorial behaviors in L. luctuosa.