Adolfo Cordero-Rivera

University of Vigo | UVIGO · Department of Ecology and Animal Biology

In some species males use weapons to harm females, increasing their short-term fitness. Here we show that females can use genital adaptations against males. Females of the damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum have a conspicuous vulvar spine on the 8 th abdominal segment, which contacts with the male during copulation. We tested three hypotheses for its...

Males of Platycnemis latipes (Platycnemididae, Odonata) have enlarged tibiae (fans) and patrol using a special longitudinal zigzag flight. By means of focal observations and experimental manipulations of the colour of abdomen and fans of mature males, we suggest that the zigzag flight is used to avoid unnecessary harassment from other males and has...

Approaches to Biosemiotics is the first issue in the Biosocial World collection, and contains a series of articles on what biosemiotics does, how it does it and what its long-term objectives may be. As a more specialized discipline in the boundaries of linguistics, the biosociology, the philosophy of biology and the sciences, we hope to offer a poi...

Sexual selection favours the evolution and maintenance of polygamy, which is the dominant reproductive strategy in insects. Monogamy can evolve in very short‐lived species due to time constraints. Here we study adult activity and mating behaviour of a population of the damselfly Ischnura hastata , a species rarely seen mating, and which has been su...

This research-level text documents the latest advances in odonate biology and relates these to a broader ecological and evolutionary research agenda. Despite being one of the smallest insect orders, dragonflies offer a number of advantages for both laboratory and field studies. In fact, they continue to make a crucial contribution to the advancemen...

Biological invasions constitute an opportunity to study the evolutionary processes behind species' adaptations. The invasive potential of some species, like the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile), has likely been increasing because they show low intraspecific competition. However, multiple introductions over time or genetic divergence could increas...

Introducción. Las libélulas son insectos depredadores y hemimetábolos, que conforman el orden Odonata con aproximadamente 6000 especies, agrupadas en 2 subórdenes. El presente estudio tuvo como objetivos caracterizar y actualizar la sistemática del orden Odonata, la distribución geográfica y temporal; caracterizar además, la diversidad genética, ec...

Despite the great technological progress that has aided taxonomical identification, taxonomical issues remain for certain species found in remote and/or understudied geographical areas. The damselfly species Ischnura aurora has been the subject of a long-standing taxonomical debate, focused mainly on the existence of morphological and behavioural d...

Population structure determines individuals’ interactions and trade-offs with evolutionary consequences. Male biased populations increase intrasexual competition and intersexual harassment, reducing female resource acquisition and thus, resources availability for the following generation. We analysed direct and cross-generational effects of male ha...

Molecular tools have revolutionized assessments of blood parasites in freshwater turtles. In the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa, two native species of terrapins occur, Emys orbicularis (Linnaeus) and Mauremys leprosa (Schweigger). Both have been identified as hosts for the blood parasite Haemogregarina stepanowi Danilewsky, 1885, which has also...

To assess the suitability of a habitat for breeding by odonates, the best strategy is to search for exuviae or final instar larvae. However, due to their low detectability and the difficulty of sampling these stages, most studies in applied ecological research have targeted adult odonates, even though adults may be found in places unsuitable for su...

The freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) is one of the longest-lived invertebrate species in the world and one of the most threatened freshwater animals in Europe. Its southernmost populations, located in northwestern Spain, are in a critical conservation situation and are still understudied. Here we calibrate a non-invasive method...

Among the oldest winged insects, odonates are a monophyletic order that have become important models for ecologicalstudies because of their highly diverse reproductive behaviors and their role as top predators and bioindicators. However,knowledge on evolutionary relationships within the order is still scarce compared to other taxa, and this situati...

Basic information on life histories, ecology, and behaviour for aquatic stages in many species of insects is difficult to obtain in the field. Here, a method to breed and monitor Odonata individual larvae in captivity is proposed. In total, 3788 individuals of six Odonata species – Rhionaeschna marchali (Rambur), Erythrodiplax abjecta (Rambur), Sym...

Ischnura praematura sp. nov. (Holotype ♂, China, Yunnan, Lijiang, 26º31´03.54"N, 100º13'38.89"E, 2396 m, 04 xii 2015, I. Sanmartín-Villar & H. Zhang leg.) is morphologically described, illustrated and compared with close species of the genus. Ischnura praematura can be mainly distinguished from its congeners I. aurora, I. rubilio and I. asiatica by...

Nesobasis rito sp. nov. (Holotype ♂, Fiji, Vanua Levu, Drawa, 31 v 2018, A. Rivas-Torres leg.) from the comosa group is here described, illustrated, diagnosed, and compared with morphologically close species of the genus. Nesobasis rito can be distinguished from its related congeners by the shape of the caudal appendages and the ligula. The most si...

The study of the basic biology of panchronic species could help understand their persistence through geological time. One of the least studied panchronic species is Baronia brevicornis Salvin (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae), the oldest known butterfly species endemic to Mexico. Here we report on our findings from studying a population of B. brevicornis...

Forests have been widely recognized as key habitats for odonate (dragonflies and damselflies) biodiversity, but the importance of forests for holding odonate biodiversity remains understudied in tropical mountains, one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. Here we describe the odonate assemblage composition along the elevation gradient in t...

Demography and territorial behavior of Hetaerina cruentata was studied along three lowland streams located at Norte de Santander department in the Colombian Andean region. Adult damselflies (N: 278) were individually marked, and using their recapture histories we estimated survival, longevity, sex ratio, age groups and population size at each locat...

A comprehensive understanding of human sociality needs to embrace the coevolution of genes and culture. Recent advances in biological research about niche construction by organisms, and the development of the concepts of social niche and ethodiversity, can be integrated into a common approach to understand this coevolution, which implies the intera...

The ‘functional allometry’ hypothesis proposes that the variation in allometric patterns of sexually selected traits is related to their function. We hypothesize that the allometric patterns for genitalia of aggressively territorial organisms are different from those in non-territorial organisms and predict that in aggressively territorial species,...

Can scientific laws be discussed on philosophical grounds? a reply to naïve arguments on 'predators' proposed by Bramble (2021). A recent paper by Bramble (2021) argues that given that predators inflict pain and fear on their prey we have the moral right to act to minimize these effects. The author proposes two alternatives. The first is to transfo...

• The tiger beetle Cephalota deserticoloides is a species found in a few localised sites in south-eastern Iberia, where it is a highly specialised inhabitant of the arid saline steppe habitat. Although regarded as vulnerable, very little is known about the actual population dynamics and degree of endangerment of this taxon, which may be worse than...

The odonates are insects that have a wide range of reproductive, ritualized territorial, and aggressive behaviors. Changes in behavior are the first response of most odonate species to environmental alterations. In this context, the primary objective of the present study was to assess the effects of environmental alterations resulting from shifts i...

Human activities have facilitated the introduction of invasive plants worldwide, altering habitat structure and leading to substantial effects on biodiversity. However, the effects of plant invasions on herbivore communities are understudied. Here, we examine factors influencing the occurrence of herbi-vores in ten coastal sites invaded by Carpobro...

Dragonflies and damselflies are a charismatic, medium-sized insect order (∼6300 species) with a unique potential to approach comparative research questions. Their taxonomy and many ecological traits for a large fraction of extant species are relatively well understood. However, until now, the lack of a large-scale phylogeny based on high throughput...

The status of the Tramea species present in the Galapagos Islands (Odonata, Libellulidae) has been the subject of a long-standing debate among odonatologists. Here, we use molecular and morphological data to analyze a series of specimens from this genus collected in 2018 from the Islands of San Cristobal, Isabela, and Santa Cruz, with the aim of de...

A major challenge in evolutionary biology concerns how genetic and phenotypic variation is created and maintained. In this study, we investigated the origin(s) and evolutionary patterns of the female-limited colour polymorphism in Ischnura. This involves the presence of one to three colour morphs: one androchrome morph with coloration that resemble...

A major challenge in evolutionary biology concerns how genetic and phenotypic variation is created and maintained. In this study, we investigated the origin(s) and evolutionary patterns of the female-limited colour polymorphism in Ischnura. This involves the presence of one to three colour morphs: one androchrome morph with coloration that resemble...

Resumen: La fauna de las cavernas graníticas está poco estudiada, en buena parte porque las cavidades suelen ser de pequeño tamaño y por lo tanto poco atractivas para la bioespeleología. Una excepción es el conjunto de cavidades de O Folón, en Coruxo (Vigo, Pontevedra), que cuenta con más de 900 m de galerías y alcanza una cota de -34 m. En este ar...

Dragonflies and damselflies have become model organisms in ecological and evolutionary studies, mainly because they are considered flagship taxa for the conservation of water resources. Hence, how to standardize collection of odonates for the assessment of their diversity is an issue most researchers working with the group or the ecology of freshwa...

Dispersal is an essential process in population and community dynamics, but is difficult to measure in the field. In freshwater ecosystems, information on biological traits related to organisms' morphology, life history and behaviour provides useful dispersal proxies, but information remains scattered or unpublished for many taxa. We compiled infor...

Insects are reportedly experiencing widespread declines, but we generally have sparse data on their abundance. Correcting this shortfall will take more effort than professional entomologists alone can manage. Volunteer nature enthusiasts can greatly help to monitor the abundance of dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata), iconic freshwater sentinels...

La socialidad es uno de los conceptos esenciales para entender la relación existente entre las investigaciones biológicas y sociológicas presentes en el ámbito científico denominado biosociología. En este trabajo se exponen brevemente las características de esta disciplina y se muestra la importancia del comportamiento en la estructuración de la so...

Understanding the life cycle of Neotropical odonate species is essential given our scant knowledge of this region. In this paper, we examine growth ratio between instars, development patterns, and active/passive feeding behavior of the Andean dragonfly Erythrodiplax abjecta (Rambur, 1842). Larvae were obtained from eggs laid by two females in the l...

Plant invasions can modify the composition of native communities through altering diversity and ecosystem functioning. For example, arthropod communities can be influenced by the introduction of invasive plant species, but the impacts of plant invasions on arthropod communities have received little attention. Here, we investigated the diversity and...

Endemic to Brazil, the genus Minagrion Santos, 1965 is revised for the first time. The genus contains five species, and here we establish diagnostic characters, keys and drawings for both sexes. Furthermore, we propose the synonymy of M. franciscoi Machado & Bedê, 2015 new syn. with M. caldense Santos, 1965.

This study describes the fauna of odonates of nine localities in the Zapata peninsula in the Southwest of Cuba,. We failed to find Enallagma truncatum, an endemic species of the area, even though we visited the type locality, Zarabanda, in June and January. We found 37 species in 25 genera and five families, including the first records of 11 taxa f...

Plant invasions impact on biodiversity by altering the composition of native communities by disrupting taxonomic and functional diversity. Non-native plants are often released from their natural enemies, which might result in a reduction of the attack of primary consumers. However, they can also be exposed to the attack of new herbivores that they...

A major challenge in evolutionary biology concerns how genetic and phenotypic variation is created and maintained. In this study, we investigated the origin(s) and evolutionary patterns of the female-limited colour polymorphism in Ischnura. This involves the presence of one to three colour morphs: one androchrome morph with coloration that resemble...

Las plantas invasoras, especies exóticas que han sido introducidas de forma fortuita o intencionada en ecosistemas autóctonos, son una de las principales amenazas para la conservación de la naturaleza en todo el mundo. Muchas de ellas forman densas masas uniformes que alteran los hábitats y provocan una pérdida de biodiversidad. No solo modifican l...

Motivation: Dispersal is an essential process in population and community dynamics but is difficult to measure in the field. In freshwater systems, relevant information on the dispersal of many taxa remains scattered or unpublished, and biological traits related to organisms morphology, life history and behaviour offer useful dispersal proxies. We...

As plantacións de eucaliptos en Galicia se están a espallar de forma descontrolada nas últimas tres décadas, superando con moito as previsións. En boa parte, este aumento non resulta de novas plantacións, se non da invasión de montes abandoados, particularmente despois de incendios. Este panorama pon en grave risco bens materiais, naturais e as pro...

Aim of study: Thaumastocoris peregrinus (Carpintero & Dellapé, 2006) is notable for its dispersion potential, and for its damage to a wide range of hosts of the genus Eucalyptus. The intense movement of people and cargo between continents contributes to the success of its geographical distribution on the globe and hinders the adoption of preventive...

The genus Franciscobasis Machado & Bedê, 2016 is endemic to the Serra da Canastra National Park in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Two species of Franciscobasis were described simultaneously with the genus description: F. franciscoi and F. sonia, the latter described only from females. Through morphological and molecular analysis, we investigated if F....

Philogenia gaiae sp. nov. (Holotype ♂, Ecuador, Orellana, Tiputini Biodiversity Station,-0.6349,-76.1501, 241 m, 13 xii 2012, A. Cordero-Rivera & M. Sánchez-Herrera leg., in MUAE) from the helena group is described, illustrated, diagnosed and compared with morphologically close species of the genus. Philogenia gaiae can be distinguished from its mo...

Sperm quality and viability affect both male and female fitness. Most dragonfly and damselfly males translocate sperm from the testis to the seminal vesicle before each copulation, a behaviour known as intramale sperm translocation (ST). However, some published observations indicate that odonate males can occasionally skip ST prior to copulation. O...

Plant invasions alter the composition of native communities by inducing negative effects on biodiversity-ecosystem functioning. Globalization facilitates the mobilization of alien species into non-native ecosystems resulting in new environmental situations and disrupting the taxonomic, behavioural and functional diversities. Native plant communitie...

Wolbachia is one of the most common endosymbionts found infecting arthropods. Theory predicts symbionts like Wolbachia will be more common in species radiations, as host shift events occur with greatest frequency between closely related species. Further, the presence of Wolbachia itself may engender reproductive isolation, and promote speciation of...

Algunhas especies exóticas, é dicir, especies que alcanzan novas rexións que non poderían colonizar sen a axuda das actividades antrópicas, poden converterse en invasoras se superan as fases de colonización e establecemento e se volven dominantes na nova comunidade. A súa presenza desestrutura as redes tróficas e produce cambios significativos nos...

Several species of biting midges of the genus Forcipomyia are frequently found attached to the wings of adult odonates, acting as parasites by sucking haemolymph from the wing veins. Here we report the first finding of F. incubans on odonates in the peninsula of Zapata, Cuba. We found the midge on the wings of Erythrodiplax simplicicollis, E. umbra...

Resumen: Se describen las primeras citas de Sympetrum meridionale (Selys, 1841) para la provincia de Lugo y se resume la si-tuación de la especie en Galicia (NW de la península ibérica). Abstract: The first observations of Sympetrum meridionale (Selys, 1841) in the province of Lugo are described. The situation of the species in Galicia (NW of the I...

Abstract: The adults of Odonata are parasitized by the ceratopogonid dipteran Forcipomyia paludis, which is widely distributed in Europe, but has not been formally cited in the Iberian Peninsula, although it has been cited in the Balearic Islands. However, its presence in photographs stored in citizen science websites, books on odonates, as well as...

The field of sexual selection has been historically dominated by a stereotyped view of the sexual roles, with competing males and selective females, but in recent decades there has been a paradigm switch, with the emergence and dominance of the concept of sexual conflict. Put simply, there is sexual conflict when the optimum value for a trait (or a...

We studied the demography and territorial behaviour of three species of the dam- selfly genus Hetaerina, H. aurora, H. caja and H. fuscoguttata, along three lowland streams in western Ecuador: Tabuga, Buenaventura and Moromoro. We measured recapture rates of marked individuals and estimated survival, longevity, sex ratio and population size of the...

Survival and longevity in neotropical damselflies (Odonata, Polythoridae). Longevity among insect orders varies greatly, and has mainly been studied in insects in temperate biomes, where seasonality determines high synchronization of reproductive activities and limits lifespan. Most forest damselflies in tropical regions have low population densiti...

Invasive alien plant species have become dominant components of many landscapes, where they are indicators of ecological disequilibria. They coexist and compete with native plants, disrupting a wide range of trophic interactions, and must cope with a new array of herbivores. We examined factors influencing the occurrence of invertebrate herbivores...