1. Precise models for the phenology of different species are essential for predicting the potential effects of any temporal mismatch of life cycles with environmental parameters under different climate change scenarios. Here we investigated the effects of ambient water temperature on the onset and synchrony of emergence for a widespread European riverine dragonfly, Gomphus vulgatissimus. 2. Long-term field data on the annual emergence from two rivers in northern Germany, and additional data from a laboratory experiment with different temperature regimes, were used to develop a model that predicted the onset of emergence by using mainly the temperature sum (degree days) as a parameter. 3. Model predictions of the onset of emergence fitted the observations well and could be transferred between localities. This was particularly so when weighting early winter temperature data by using a day length and a temperature-response function, implying potential additional control mechanisms for the onset of emergence. 4. We simulated effects of different winter temperature regimes on the emergence curves in order to predict the effects of climate change. These indicated an acceleration of emergence by 6-7 days per 1°C temperature increase, which is corroborated by the laboratory data and is in the upper range of data published for other dragonflies.

Iran has a complex dragonfly fauna influenced by contacts and overlaps of different geographical zones. Its fauna is dominated by Eurosiberian taxa. However, the SE Province Sistãn-va-Baluchestãn is rich in oriental species, many of which having their western distribution limit in Iran. In NE-Iran, Irano-Turanian elements live and in the S- and SW-Iran African species are found. The Iranian Odonata fauna seems well studied, however, a closer look reveals many uncertainties and confusion, some records coming clearly from misidentification whereas other, which were missing proofs of correct identification remains to be confirmed. Even today, every new collecting trip reveals species new for Iran whereas species new for science are still detected, although rarely. In this checklist we include seven taxa new for Iran: Stylurus ubadschii (although a male of uncertain origin is recorded in Schmidt (1954), Ischnura senegalensis (although two uncertain records were published by Martin (1912) and Schmidt (1954), Coenagrion ponticum, C. lunulatum, C. pulchellum, Lestes macrostigma, and Calopteryx splendens tschaldirica. We critically checked all available data, including all published records. Fourteen taxa have been rejected, or placed in the category for need of confirmation. Till the end of 2017, 100 autochthonous taxa of dragonflies and two migratory species could be confirmed to be or have been present in Iran. We provide distribution maps, created after evaluation of published data and containing our own data from 12 trips to Iran, travelling over 35000 km in the country. Over 200 new localities are integrated. Taxonomic confusion is reduced by rejecting the following taxa for Iran: Calopteryx splendens mingrelica, C. hyalina, Erythromma najas, Aeshna cyanea, Gomphus davidi, and Sympetrum sinaiticum. We regard the taxa Gomphus amseli and G. schneiderii transcaspicus as synonyms of G. schneiderii, and Onychogomphus forcipatus lucidostriatus as a synonym of O. f. albotibialis.

Taxonomy of the genus Cordulegaster Leach in Brewster, 1815 in the Eastern part of the Western Palaearctic is poorly resolved. A two-step approach was applied: sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA fragments were used to sort specimens; poorly known or new taxa with their phenotypic variation were described. The existence of two traditional groups (boltonii- and bidentata-group) was confirmed. Cordulegaster coronata Morton, 1916, however, belongs to a different group. Molecular-analysis supported three known and one new species (C. heros Theischinger, 1979, C. picta Selys, 1854, C. vanbrinkae Lohmann, 1993, and C. kalkmani sp. nov.) in the boltonii-group. In the bidentata-group, all specimens from West-Turkey belonged to C. insignis Schneider, 1845, all specimens further east to a complex of four closely related species, which we name charpentieri-complex (C. amasina Morton, 1916, stat. rev., C. mzymtae Bartenev, 1929 C. charpentieri (Kolenati, 1846), stat. rev. and C. cilicia sp. nov.). The following taxa: C. insignis nobilis Morton, 1916, syn. nov., C. nachitschevanica Skvortsov and Snegovaya, 2015, syn. nov. C. plagionyx Skvortsov and Snegovaya, 2015, syn. nov. and the Caucasian subspecies C. insignis lagodechica Bartenev, 1930, syn. nov., were synonymized with C. charpentieri. Finally, we provide a key for all Western Palaearctic Cordulegaster.

Boyeria irene and Boyeria cretensis are species of spotted dragonflies belonging to the ‘darner’ family, Aeshnidae. In 1991, Peters classified Boyeria from Crete as B. cretensis, based on adult morphological characters. In this study, we used molecular evidence to determine if indeed B. irene and B. cretensis are different species. DNA was sequenced from samples of B. irene (from France, Switzerland, Tunisia, Spain and Italy) and B. cretensis (from Crete). These species were recovered as two different clades with strong support. We conclude that B. irene and B. cretensis are different species, with evidence based on molecular and morphological differences. In addition, we present the first phylogenetic hypothesis for Boyeria for which we have sequenced all but three species. Lastly, we discuss different scenarios that may have led to the present‐day distribution and speciation patterns of Mediterranean Boyeria.

Although the sex ratio of Odonata at emergence has received much attention, we are still far from understanding the exact causes of its variability and imbalance. In this paper we studied the sex ratios at emergence in natural populations of two Gomphus species based on samples of exuviae taken from two European lowland rivers. We hypothesized a possible relationship between the water temperature during larval development and the sex ratio at emergence. Sex ratio records exhibited no consistent bias towards one sex but varied between habitats and years in both species. We found correlations between sex ratio and water temperature in the year preceding emergence. Furthermore, the correlation between sex ratios and water temperature was in opposite directions in the two congeneric species, which may be attributed to differences in their voltinisms. We conclude that the effect of water temperature can be mediated through cohort-splitting; temperature-dependent development of minor cohorts, including unequal proportions of males and females due to the faster development of male larvae, affects the sex ratio at emergence. The supposed effect does not cause a long-term consistent bias, but may explain the year-to-year variations.