Dragonflies of the World
By Jill Silsby – (2001)
216 pages; matt art paper, with 345 colour photographs (including a few monochrome), 64 colour & monochrome illustrations, 5 illustrated maps and 8 graphs and tables.
Hard Cover. 26cm x 23cm
ISBN: 1-56098-959-9
Smithsonian Institution Press Washington D.C.
This book is an excellent general introduction to these amazing insects and is suitable for all people with an interest in the dragonfly fauna from amateurs to professionals. It is the first book of its kind to provide a broad general insight into the global fauna of the Odonata and the author has done a marvelous job.
As it is a broad but very informative introduction to the Odonata, it does not concentrate on any group, suborder or region in particular. However, many areas of their biology, distribution, habitats, different forest and other vegetative environments, the vital importance of clear running water and streams, territorial behavior, feeding, courting, mating, sexual reproduction, egg laying, body types, flying ability, migration, odonate wing evolution, wing function, wing and body coloration, compound eye function, life expectancy, diversity of larva, environmental health indicators, human benefits (and sadly human negative effects), artificial rearing, conservation efforts and an introduction to the prehistoric history including fossil research and their evolution to modern times are covered.
In the main chapter of the book at least one species for all of the 73 subfamilies are presented as an example/s of that group with a brief outline of the group including genera and approximate number of species, family and generic taxonomic characteristics, courtship and territorial behavior, distribution and various notes on other aspects of life cycle, breeding environments etc. In all, more than 300 species are attractively illustrated via nice quality photographs.
This is a great book which covers many aspects of the life of the damsel and dragonflies with a good broad range of genera and species illustrated by many quality colour photos. This book enchantingly illustrates and brings to life the global diversity of the Odonata and should be on the book shelves of all naturalists and Odonata fans alike.
Rod Rice
Principal Reviewer
Nature & Travel Books