Courtship display in Trithemis arteriosa (Burm.) (Anisoptera: Libellulidae)

Courtship display, although abundantly documented in a number of zygopteran species, is very rare in Anisoptera (P.S. CORBET, 1980, A. Rev. Enl. 25: 189-217). It was thus far described in three libellulid species only; Perithemis tenera Say (M.E. JACOBS, 1955, Ecology 36; 566-586), Belonia croceipennis (Sel.) (C.E. WILLIAMS, 1977, Odonatologica 6: 283-287), and in Brachythemis lacustris Kirby (P.L. MILLER, 1982, Enl. mon. Mag. 119: 177- -188). Although T. arteriosa is a very common African species, little is known about its behaviour. During a recent visit to Israel (February-March, 1984), some observations on this species were made, mainly on pools in Nahal Arugot. This is the southern river of Ein Cedi, a Dead Sea Oasis. The aquatic entomofauna of this area was described by D.G. FURTH (1983, Hydrobiologia 102: 3-25) and T arteriosa was also reported from Nahal Arugot by that author.