Male territoriality and mating success in Nannothemis bella (Uhler) (Odonata: Libellulidae)

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Abstract
Observations of territorial behaviour of male Nannothemis bella indicated that females only laid eggs on males'' territories after copulating with the territory holder. Results of daily censuses of marked individuals on a study area suggested that a distinct subpopulation within the male population never a territory for more than 1 day on the study area. Such males tend to die or emigrate sooner than do males that hold a territory on the study area for more than 1 day at some time in their lives. Further observations of territorial behaviour showed that males holding territories for less than 1 day achieved copulations at significantly lower overall rates while on those territories than did males that retained territories for more than 1 day. We infer that all males attempt to hold terriotories for as long as possible, but under conditions of high population density a male must have a relatively high intrinsic "territory-holding ability" in order to hold a territory for more than 1 day. Census data indicated that males emerging late in the season were less likely to retain a territory for more than 1 day than males emerging earlier.