M. Moore
Zoology Lab #1
Morphology of Dragonflies
In analyzing the morphology of dragonflies by looking at two different time periods and the water levels, data was found to illustrate that body size might be directly influenced by water levels. By looking at the dragonfly species Sympetrum vincinum during the 2001 drought and 2008 normal rainfall, the data showed that there was no statistical difference in abdomen depth (p value 0.20741). There was a statistical difference in forewing length (p value 0.0006), hindwing area (p value 0.000164) and thorax depth (p value 0.0001).
The means provided from the different species showed that there was a small difference from 2001 to 2008 and that the 2008 data was smaller with the normal amount of rainfall opposed to the 2001 draught. The Mean for 2001 of the Forewing length (23.30mm), Hindwing area (169.88mm2), thorax depth (6.04mm), abdomen length (21.08mm), were larger than 2008. The 2008 means are as follows, Forewing Length (22.06mm), Hindwing Area (148.61mm2), Thorax Depth (5.25mm) and Abdomen Length (20.70mm). In the study “Fitness and body size in mature odonates” it was found that body size has an important role in the fitness of dragonflies and is directly related to their ability to reproduce and survive (Sokolovska, Rowe, and Johansson 2000). Through this study it was found that there was no statistical difference in the abdomen depth from 2001 and 2008 with varying water levels. This suggests that the dragonflies did not change their abdomen size because that particular size was the one that best aided their fitness, not relying on water levels.
Egg Laying in Petrels: Successful versus Failed Eggs
In the comparison of the successful eggs and the failed eggs, there was a statistical difference between them concerning the egg’s length, breadth and mass. This leads to idea that the failed eggs were not cared for as well as the successful eggs had been. For the
Cited: Butler, G. R., Buckley, E.D. 2002. Black Guillemot. The Birds of North America, No. 675. Huntington, E. C., Butler, G. R., and Mauck A. R. 1996. Leach’s Storm- Petrel. The Birds of North America, No. 233. Sokolovska N., Rowe L., and Johansson F. 2000. Fitness and body size in mature odondates. Ecological Entomology, 25:239-248. Table 3. Wing Variable recorded for male Sympetrum vincinum at Lemon Stream in Franklin County (ME) in September 2001 and September 2008. Table 3.1. Morphological variables recorded for male Sympetrum vincinum at Lemon Stream in Franklin County (ME) in September 2001 and September 2008. Table 6. Egg measurements collected on Great Island (Newfoundland, Canada) from nesting Leach’s Storm-petrels in 1983 (from Butler, unpublished data). Table 9. Black Guillemot egg measurements collected on Great Duck Island (Hancock County, Maine) from banded adults in their 1st and 2nd and 3rd breeding seasons 1991 and 1993 (Butler and Barkley 2002).