A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the order Odonata, infraorder Anisoptera (from Greek ἄνισος anisos, “unequal” and πτερόν pteron, “wing”, because the hindwing is broader than the forewing). Adult dragonflies are characterized by a pair of large, multifaceted compound eyes, two pairs of strong, transparent wings, sometimes with coloured patches, and an elongated body. Dragonflies can be mistaken for the closely related damselflies, which make up the other odonatan infraorder (Zygoptera) and are similar in body plan though usually lighter in build; however, the wings of most dragonflies are held flat and away from the body.
female dragonflies go to great lengths to avoid sex—they fake their own deaths. For the first time, a scientist has observed that female moorland hawker dragonflies freeze mid-air, crash to the ground, and lie motionless when faced with aggressive males. Called sexual death feigning, this behavior evolved to protect females against aggressive males; for instance, female moorland hawker dragonflies risk injury and sometimes death if coerced into mating. (See more examples of animals that play dead.)
Only five species, including a spider and praying mantis, are known to practice sexual death feigning, making this new discovery all the more intriguing, says Rassim Khelifa, a biologist at the University of Zurich who published a new study on the phenomenon in the journal Ecology.
“In a lot of dragonflies, males try to seize the female with or without consent,” Khelifa says. “The fittest—that is the fastest, most powerful male—is usually the one who mates.”
