PAGE -4

                                                PAGE-1,  PAGE-2,  PAGE-3

                      DIFFERENT PHASES  OF REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR OF

                                          Ceriagrion cerinorubellum

                                  Please use mouse to enlarge the pictures

	This damselfly is  Ceriagrion cerinorubellum  male, common in this region, and found in very good number dominated by males. The reproductive behaviour is very interesting and fascinating. As usual, the males  are brightly  coloured, orange at the anterior end  and  the tip of the abdomen.
	This  is the female of Ceriagrion cerinorubellum . They are seen everywhere, but aggregate  near the pond at the time of reproduction. The males  come very early in the morning and perch on the tip of the vegetation  waiting  for the females. The females come   one hour  after the sun rise.
	The first step of the reproductive behaviour, as seen in all  Odonates, the male catches the female and assumes  the  Tandem position. This  will  also be  shown after the wheel formation .
	The next step is Sperm translocation. It occurs in the male immediately after the tandem. This is the transfer of the sperm from 9th abdominal segment to the penis which is located at the  2nd abdominal segment.  Here , this is shown in two frames, first and second . It  lasts only two seconds.> Sperm translocation 1
	Sperm translocation is the essential process before the wheel formation. And it is not easy to find this  on casual observation due to very  short duration.        > Sperm translocation 2.
	This is Wheel formation. It is the transfer of the sperm from the penis  of  the male to  female genitalia by bending the abdomen  of the female towards the 2nd abdominal segment of the male. This is also shown in two frames, first and second.> Wheel formation1
	This is Wheel formation and Copulation. Wheel formation  is followed by copulation. It is achieved by the rhythemic movement of abdomen of the female connecting to the 2nd abdominal segment of male. It  lasts  for 30 minutes .> Wheel formation 2
	This  is male guarding Oviposition. After the copulation the wheel is broken and male is in upright position, still holding the female by the neck .And  it flies to find suitable places to oviposit, usually just below the water surface attached to the submerged vegetation. After ensuring the completion of ovipositon,  the male detaches itself and flies away.

                                     HOME PAGE         TEXT        FOLKLORE          PREVIOUS PAGE