Damselflies (Coenagrionidae) have been avoiding leaf veins during oviposition for at least 52 million years

ROMERO-LEBRÓN, EUGENIA; FERNÁNDEZ-MONESCILLO, MARCOS; MATUSHKINA, NATALIA; DELCLÒS, XAVIER; GLEISER, RAQUEL M.

iScience

Elsevier Inc.

Año: 2023

2589-0042

Plant-insect interactions can provide extremely valuable informationfor reconstructing the oviposition behavior. We have studied about1350 endophytic egg traces of coenagrionid damselflies (Odonata:Zygoptera) from the Eocene, identifying triangular or drop-shapedscars associated with them. This study aims to determine the originof these scars. Our behavioral study of about 1800 endophytic eggsfrom recent coenagrionids indicates that these scars were caused byovipositor incisions, but without egg insertion. The scar correlates(χ2-test) with leaf veins in both fossil and extant species. Weinfer that a female would detect the proximity of a leaf vein andavoid egg-laying, generating a scar that also fossilizes. For thefirst time, a scar produced by the ovipositor has been identified,indicating the existence of undesirable areas for oviposition.Accordingly, we recognize that Coenagrionidae damselflies(narrow-winged damselflies or pond damselflies) have been avoidingleaf veins for at least 52 million years.