Biology - The Eastern Pondhawk Predator of the Skies

This is a presentation about The Eastern Pondhawk Predator of the Skies

1. The Eastern Pondhawk ( Erythemis simplicicollis ) Name: Nickolas McKinley Course: BIOL180 Instructor: Dr. Daniela Messina Date: 10/19/2025 Image: Eastern Pondhawk (Missouri Department of Conservation)

2. Meet the Eastern Pondhawk Common names: Eastern Pondhawk , Green Jacket Dragonfly, Common Pondhawk Scientific name: Erythemis simplicicollis Observed at: Quabbin Reservoir, Massachusetts Reasons for choosing: Fascinated by aerial hunting behavior Striking green and blue coloration   Interest in visual system and flight agility (Gonzalez-Bellido et al., 2013)

3. A Look at Its Striking Colors Adults reach about 1.5 inches in length with a wingspan of 2.5–3 inches (Missouri Department of Conservation, n.d.). Males show a powder-blue abdomen and green thorax, while females remain bright green with dark bands. Juveniles resemble females until maturity.(InsectIdentification.org, n.d.) (Missouri Department of Conservation, n.d.)

4. Built for the Sky Wings: Two forewings and two hindwings, transparent with visible veins Flight: Independent wing motion allows agile flight (Gonzalez-Bellido et al., 2013) Eyes: Large compound eyes provide nearly 360° vision, detect polarized light (Wiederman et al., 2013)

5. From Egg to Airborne Hunter Life cycle includes egg, nymph, and adult stages (Missouri Department of Conservation, n.d.). Eggs are laid in freshwater; aquatic nymphs are active predators before maturing into terrestrial adults. Adults hunt insects' midair, completing the transformation to expert flyers.

6. Reproduction Mating occurs while flying or perched. Males grasp females with claspers; females curve abdomen to receive sperm. Females lay fertilized eggs on or near the water surface. (Missouri Department of Conservation, n.d.)

7. How It Sees the World Eyes: 360° vision and polarized light detection. Neural processing: Visual neurons encode prey direction (Gonzalez-Bellido et al., 2013). Brain calculates interception paths in real time ( Mischiati et al., 2015). Studied as models for robotic vision and AI.

8. Master of Flight Independent forewing and hindwing movement enables rapid steering and hovering. Neural systems coordinate precise flight control (Mischiati et al., 2015). Flight agility supports predatory success.

9. A Predator’s Diet Nymphs: Aquatic prey such as mosquito larvae, tadpoles, and small fish. Adults: Aerial insects like mosquitoes, moths, gnats, and flies. (Missouri Department of Conservation, n.d.; InsectIdentification.org, n.d.)

10. Energy Ecology: Feeding Behavior Hunt visually using tracking and interception (Wiederman et al., 2013). Peak feeding during warm, sunny midday hours. Capture prey midair using powerful jaws.

11. Habitat Overview Preferred habitats: Freshwater ponds, marshes, lakes, and slow-moving streams. Eggs and nymphs rely on aquatic vegetation for development. (Missouri Department of Conservation, n.d.)

12. Abiotic and Biotic Factors Abiotic factors: Warm temperature, clean and oxygenated shallow water. Biotic factors: - Predators: Birds, frogs, larger dragonflies - Competitors: Other dragonfly species - Prey: Small flying insects (Missouri Department of Conservation, n.d.)

13. Conclusion The Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) is a widespread North American dragonfly found near freshwater ecosystems. Distinct aquatic nymph and terrestrial adult stages. Exceptional visual and neural adaptations allow precise prey interception. Important predator-prey role in ecosystems. Unique trait: visual processing inspires robotics and AI studies (Gonzalez-Bellido et al., 2013; Mischiati et al., 2015).

14. References Gonzalez-Bellido, P. T., et al. (2013). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(2), 696–701. Missouri Department of Conservation. (n.d.). Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis). Wiederman, S. D., et al. (2013). Journal of Neuroscience, 33(6), 2676–2686. InsectIdentification.org. (n.d.). Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis). Mischiati, M., et al. (2015). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(52), 15744–15749.

15. Media References Missouri Department of Conservation. (n.d.). Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis). InsectIdentification.org. (n.d.). Habitat and identification images.