Diversity of an Odonata assemblage from a tropical dry forest in San Buenaventura, Jalisco, Mexico (Insecta, Odonata).

Background: The patterns of richness, diversity, and abundance of an odonate assemblage from San Buenaventura, Jalisco are presented here. A total of 1087 specimens from seven families, 35 genera and 66 species were obtained through monthly samplings of five days each during a period of one year. Libellulidae was the most diverse family (28 species), followed by Coenagrionidae (21), Gomphidae (7), Aeshnidae (6), Calopterygidae (2), Lestidae (1) and Platystictidae (1).

The use of highly diverse clades as a surrogate for habitat integrity analysis: Argia damselflies as a practical tool for rapid assessments.

Human activities have impacted many environments on earth, and thus several species are facing an increased risk of extinction. The environmental crisis requires rapid tools to assess the ecosystem health accurately. Studies have been conducted with visual indices that quantify habitat integrity by predicting species richness and diversity.

Patterns of richness, diversity and abundance of an odonate assemblage from a tropical dry forest in the Santiago Dominguillo Region, Oaxaca, México (Insecta: Odonata).

A study on the patterns of richness, diversity and abundance of the Odonata from Santiago Dominguillo, Oaxaca is presented here. A total of 1601 specimens from six families, 26 genera and 50 species were obtained through monthly samplings of five days each. Libellulidae was the most diverse family (21 species), followed by Coenagrionidae (19), Gomphidae (4) and Calopterygidae (3).

A new species of Micrathyria Kirby, 1889 from México and Central America (Anisoptera: Libellulidae), with a key to Mexican species.

Micrathyria paulsoni sp. nov. is described on specimens collected in Veracruz, México ( 19.

Hidden Costs in the Physiology of Argia anceps (Zigoptera: Coenagrionidae) due to Pollution.

Before a population becomes extinct, there are hidden costs in the physiology at the individual level that provide valuable insights into their condition. Here, we study two dams with one species in common (Argia anceps Garrison, 1996) to evaluate whether their physiological condition differed (total protein quantity, prophenoloxidase (proPO) and phenoloxidase (PO) activity, and protein carbonylation) during two consecutive years. The first dam, "El Gallinero" (contaminated, C), contains organic input from mines and agricultural activity, whereas the second, "Paso de Vaqueros" (non-contaminated, NC), is part of a biosphere reserve.

Species Richness and Abundance of Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) in Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico; Relationships with Phenological Changes in the Tropical Dry Forest.

Cerambycidae have an important ecological role in initiating the degradation process of dead wood, but few studies have evaluated Cerambycidae community attributes in relation to ecosystem phenology. We surveyed the cerambicid fauna of the tropical dry forest in Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico, and explored the relationship of Cerambycidae species richness and abundance with phenological changes in vegetation. We applied three collecting methods of light traps, direct collection, and Malaise traps to survey Cerambycidae throughout 2005.

A new species of Libellula Linnaeus, 1758, from the Cuatro Ciénegas basin, Coahuila, México (Anisoptera: Libellulidae).

A new species of Libellula is described from specimens collected in the most interesting area of Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila, México. Libellula coahuiltecana sp. nov.

Sexual selection, sexual size dimorphism and Rensch's rule in Odonata.

Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) exhibit a range of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) that includes species with male-biased (males > females) or female-biased SSD (males < females) and species exhibiting nonterritorial or territorial mating strategies. Here, we use phylogenetic comparative analyses to investigate the influence of sexual selection on SSD in both suborders: dragonflies (Anisoptera) and damselflies (Zygoptera). First, we show that damselflies have male-biased SSD, and exhibit an allometric relationship between body size and SSD, that is consistent with Rensch's rule.