Meeting Abstract
It has previously been determined that male dragonflies occupying the most suitable territory within a habitat have a higher flight muscle ratio (FMR) than those occupying poor territories, but it is unknown how this increased FMR relates to their flight patterns. This study examined the flight patterns of dragonflies engaged in aerial territory battles to investigate differences in maneuverability. 3D video data of dragonflies interacting in a natural habitat was analyzed for interacting (<0.5 m apart) and non-interacting flights. Non-interacting dragonflies showed higher linear velocities and accelerations, while interacting dragonflies showed higher angular velocities. With further data collection, we can categorize the winners and losers of these territory battles and provide a link between flight maneuverability and FMR in dragonflies.
