Behaviour of male coenagrionid damselflies towards conspecific females at the water’s edge (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae)

The behaviour of <J Coenagrion puella and Xanthocnemis zealandica towards conspecific andromorph and gynomorph 9 9 was studied at breeding ponds in the U.K. and in New Zealand respectively. As expected, <J attention directed towards copulation wheels (C. puella) did not depend on whether the wheel contained an andromorph or a gynomorph. Similarly, 6 attention directed towards tandem pairs (C. puella and X. zealandica) did not depend on whether the tandem contained an andromorph or a gynomorph. When individual andromorph and gynomorph 9 $ (C puella and X. zealandica) were released at the water’s edge they experienced similar levels of attention from 3 3. By contrast, 3 3 (. X. zealandica) formed significantly more tandems with gynomorphs tethered at the water’s edge than with tethered andromorphs. The observations suggest that 3 3 readily identify and intercept conspecific 9 5 at the water’s edge, particularly when in motion, and that andromorphs and gynomorphs are equally susceptible to 3 attention. Behaviour of 3 6 towards tethered $ $ may be atypical compared to that recorded under more natural conditions.