The slow-fast life style characteristics in a suite of six species of odonate larvae

1 The validity of the slow-fast lifestyle dichotomy proposed by Sih (1987) was tested in a suite of six odonate species from a restricted geographical area. Data on activity and microhabitat use were obtained in a laboratory study. Further necessary information on life history, macrohabitat (ephemer al-permanent) use and vulnerability to fish predation was provided by a lit erature survey. 2 Activity was estimated as number of moves and distance moved for the six odonate larvae. Aeschna juncea, Lestes sponsa and Sympetrum danae were cate gorised as high-active species, whereas Coenagrion hastulatum, Cordulia aen ea and Leucorhinia dubia were categorised as low-active species. 3 C. hastulatum and L, sponsa exploited microhabitats close to the water su rface, C. aenea and L, dubia close to the bottom, and A, juncea and S. dana e were intermediate in their water depth utilisation. 4 A principal component analysis of the data from the laboratory experiment and the literature survey supported the slow-fast life style dichotomy sin ce the variables activity, macrohabitat use, life cycle length and sensitiv ity to fish predators were highly correlated.