The adipokinetic hormones of Odonata: A phylogenetic approach

Sequence assignment revealed that the investigated Odonata species always contain only one adipokinetic peptide. This is always an octapeptide. The suborder Zygoptera contains the peptide code-named Psein-AKH, the Anisozygoptera and the families Aeshnidae, Cordulegastridae and Macromiidae of the Anisoptera contain Anaim-AKH, whereas Gomphidae, Corduliidae (with the exception of Syncordulia gracilis) and Libellulidae contain Libau-AKH; one species of Libellulidae has Erysi-AKH, a very conservative modification of Libau-AKH (one point mutation). When these structural data are interpreted in conjunction with existing phylogenies of Odonata, they support the following: