Territorial behaviour of a rainforest dragonfly Notiothemis robertsi (Odonata: Libellulidae): proposed functions of specific behavioural patterns

Abstract

The behaviour of this rainforest dragonfly was studied in the Kakamega Forest, West Kenya. Seven different activities were distinguished: perching, sun-flights, patrolling, inspection, interspecific, intraspecific, and sexual flights. Two-act sequences of these behaviours were analysed and quantified to determine significant transition probabilities. Sun-flights into the tree canopies were the most common flight activity and followed any other behaviour significantly more often than expected. Coming back from a sun-flight, the males preferentially perched or patrolled; after patrolling males typically perched. Most of the time the males spent perching in their territory (32% of total time in territory). Proposed functions of these territorial behavioural activities in Notiothemis robertsi are deduced from these results.