Visualisation of early embryos of the wandering glider, Pantala flavescens (Fabricius, 1798) (Odonata: Libellulidae)

Abstract

The embryonic development of Pantala flavescens (Fabricius, 1798) is documented for the first time. In contrast to previously reported insect embryonic development, we describe the embryological development of P. flavescens in living conditions by focusing on its externally recognisable features, i.e., we conducted the study in a purely non-destructive manner. The entire embryonic development was completed within six to seven days. We pictured the eggs at successive embryonic developmental stages: embryogenesis starts, germband formation, segmentation, blastokinesis, appendage formation, and dorsal closure. These findings can be helpful in future studies regarding the impacts of pollutants and climate change on the early embryonic development of dragonflies.

Keywords:

• Dragonfly
• embryology
• light-microscopic imaging
• wandering glider

Acknowledgement

We thank the Department of Zoology, the University of Calicut, for providing the infrastructural facility and also, the Director, CSIF (Central Sophisticated Instrumentation Facility), University of Calicut for providing the FESEM facility. We are grateful to the subject editors and the anonymous reviewers for their suggestions and corrections.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Funding

Financial assistance by UGC-SAP (F.3-6/2012 (SAP-II) dated 10.10.2012). Furthermore, The first author is thankful to the UGC-JRF (F.No.16-9(June 2017)/2018(NET/CSIR)), Government of India, for the financial assistance.

Data availability

All data are included in the main manuscript, additional data are available on reasonable request from the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

Financial assistance by UGC-SAP (F.3-6/2012 (SAP-II) dated 10.10.2012). Furthermore, the first author is thankful to the UGC-JRF, Government of India for the financial assistance.