Dragonfly Rhionaeschna multicolor egg and nymph

Images taken in a controlled environment or with a posed subject. All subject types.

Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau

svalley
Posts: 343
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:07 pm
Location: Albany, Oregon

Dragonfly Rhionaeschna multicolor egg and nymph

Post by svalley »

This summer I have started several new dragonfly embryo and early instar nymph development projects, continuing on from the project I started in the Fall of 2017. http://photomacrography.net/forum/viewt ... highlight=

This a ventral viewof a Rhionaeschna multicolor egg on day 13 after oviposition.

Nikon D810, 20x Mitutoyo mounted on a 200mm Micro-Nikkor, transmitted light from a single flash, 113 frame stack processed Zerene PMax.
Image

Some of the identifiable features labeled.
Image

On day 15 the eggs started to hatch. The 1st instar nymph goes through ecdysis (moulting) within a few minutes of hatching from the egg and leaves behind the exuviae, sometimes still attached to the empty egg.

Nikon D810, 10x Mitutoyo mounted on a 200mm Micro-Nikkor, transmitted light from a single flash, 83 frame stack processed Zerene PMax.
Image

Some of the identifiable features labeled.
Image

A ventral view of a 2nd instar nymph. Note the small tubercle with several spines on the sides of the head behind the eyes. There was a similar, but larger tubercle on the early instar nymphs of Aeshna palmata from my last project. Its function is unknown.

This is a stitched together composite of 2 stacks to show the whole body. Nikon D810, 20x Mitutoyo mounted on a 200mm Micro-Nikkor, transmitted light from a single flash, 170 and 175 frame stacks processed Zerene PMax.
Image

A closer crop showing details of the prehensile labium. The maxillae can also be seen through the semi-transparent labium.

Image

Steve
"You can't build a time machine without weird optics"
Steve Valley - Albany, Oregon

Troels
Posts: 600
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2016 11:06 am
Location: Denmark, Engesvang
Contact:

Post by Troels »

Very nice ind interesting.
Thanks for posting.
Troels Holm, biologist (retired), environmentalist, amateur photographer.
Visit my Flickr albums

Sumguy01
Posts: 1715
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:05 pm
Location: Ketchikan Alaska USA

Post by Sumguy01 »

:smt038 Nice photos.
Very interesting.
Thanks for sharing.

leonardturner
Posts: 713
Joined: Thu Mar 14, 2013 11:40 am
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA

Post by leonardturner »

A great sequence, exquisite detail. Thanks for posting!

LT

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic