Use of female ’ s legs in tandem-linkage duringflightof libellulid dragonflies ( Anisoptera ) *

Many species of the Libellulidae oviposit in tandem. Tandem flight is particularly well described for species of Sympetrum, where contact between the sexes is restricted to the male’s grasp ofthe female’s head (e.g. RLJPPELL, 1984a). In certain species the legs ofthe female take on an unusual attitude during tandem flight. This behaviour only becomes apparenton closerexamination and it has been documented in slow-motion films, photographs, drawings, and written descriptions (RUPPELL & HADRYS, 1988; MARTENS, 1991; SHIMIZU, 1992). The objectives of this paper are to give a first overview of the occurrence of this special tandem position in relation to tandem-oviposition in libellulidsand to discuss the adaptive and phylogenetic significance of this behaviour.