http://starc.stthomas.ac.in:8080/xmlui/xmlui/handle/123456789/10 2026-04-26T15:15:07Z http://starc.stthomas.ac.in:8080/xmlui/xmlui/handle/123456789/423 Wing shape differences along a migration route of the long-distance migrant Globe Skimmer Dragonfly Pantala flavescens Johansson, Frank; Hedström, Tobias Kollberg; Anderson, R. Charles; Divakaran, Prathapan K.; Kakkassery, Francy K. Animals which migrate by flying should be subject to selection for optimal wing characteristics that maximize energy efficiency during migration. We investigated wing shape and wing area variation in the Globe Skimmer Dragonfly Pantala flavescens, which has the longest known migration of any insect. Wing shape and wing area differences between individuals in southern Peninsular India, and migrating individuals at a stop-over site on the Maldives, were compared. Results suggest that individuals which successfully reached the Maldives, on their way from India to Africa, had a broader wing base and an overall more slender wing shape than individuals in southern India. Contrary to our expectations, wing area did not differ significantly in most of our comparisons between southern India and the Maldives, suggesting that wing shape is more important than wing area for successful migration in P. flavescens. The results provide indirect evidence of natural selection on wing shape in a migrating dragonfly. 2021-09-21T00:00:00Z http://starc.stthomas.ac.in:8080/xmlui/xmlui/handle/123456789/410 Taxonomical studies of dragonfly nymphs (Odonata, Libellulidae) using their exuviae Adambukulam, Shaun Paul; Kakkassery, Francy K. Taxonomic studies of dragonfly nymphs were done up to species level using their exuviae.Exuviae, being the last instar larval skin, possess all larval features. These features can be used for theidentification of odonate nymphs up to species level. Seven species belonging to the family Libellulidaewere identified using the features present on exuviae. This is a non-invasive method that can be used forthe taxonomic studies of dragonfly nymphs without rearing them in the laboratory. The study describesthe morphological features of seven species of dragonfly nymphs belonging to family Libellulidae usingexuviae. A taxonomic key for the identified exuviae were also provided. © 2023 Association for Advancement of Entomology 2023-12-31T00:00:00Z http://starc.stthomas.ac.in:8080/xmlui/xmlui/handle/123456789/210 On the diversity and abundance of riparian odonate fauna (Insecta) of the midstream Chalakkudy River, Kerala, India Nitha Bose C; Binoy CF; Francy K Kakkassery The riparian Odonate insect diversity of the midstream Chalakudy River at six locations assessed from February 2018 to January 2019 has revealed the occurrence of 25 species of odonates. Among them,10 species are dragonflies belonging to seven genera of the family Libellulidae and the remaining 15 species are damselflies belonging to six families and 11 genera. Five endemic damselfly species have been recorded. Pseudagrion indicum is endemic to the Western Ghats, while the remaining four species, Vestalis apicalis, Libellago indica, Dysphaea ethela, and Heliocypha bisignata, are endemic to India. Diversity indices of the odonates in all the six locations were analyzed and it showed less abundance at sites where tourist activities are more and with thin native riparian vegetation. Further, the study has unequivocally revealed that thick native riparian vegetation is essential for their perching and existence. By and large, the uncontrolled tourism activities and habitat alteration interfere with the density and diversity of these endemic species. 2021-07-27T00:00:00Z http://starc.stthomas.ac.in:8080/xmlui/xmlui/handle/123456789/104 Osteology of Kryptoglanis shajii, a stygobitic catfish (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from peninsular India, with diagnosis of a new family Kryptoglanidae Britz, Ralf; Kakkassery, Francy; Raghavan, Rajeev Kryptoglanis shajii was recently described from a public well in Kerala, India. Its systematic position among cat- fishes has remained unresolved partly due to lack of morphological information. We present here a detailed osteological description of the skeleton of K. shajii and discuss its unusual skeletal features. Unlike most other catfishes Kryptoglanis has a fifth vertebra that is well-separated from the Weberian complex, a character shared only with the Diplomystidae, Helogenes and with the troglobitic or phreatic ictalurids Trogloglanis, Prietella and Satan. There is no trace of the dorsal fin or its supporting skeleton and the caudal fin skeleton consists of a single hypural plate articulating with five rays. Kryptoglanis has a number of reductive features, which may be interpreted as developmental truncations. It lacks the vomer, metapterygoid, all infraorbital bones except the antorbital, the mesocoracoid, and the pectoral fin spine. The phylogenetic position of Kryptoglanis remains unclear, even though the reduced condition of the palatine may point to a closer relationship with the Siluridae. Our osteological analysis of Kryptoglanis demonstrates that this genus cannot be accommodated into any known catfish family and we therefore propose the new family Kryptoglanidae for it. 2014-03-01T00:00:00Z