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Damselfly
Damselflies are flying insects of the suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies, which constitute the other odonatan suborder, Anisoptera, but are smaller and have slimmer bodies. Most species fold the wings along the body when at rest, unlike dragonflies which hold the wings flat and away from the body. An ancient group, damselflies have existed since at least the Lower Permian, and are found on every continent except Antarctica. All damselflies are predatory insects; both nymphs and adults actively hunt and eat other insects. The nymphs are aquatic, with different species living in a variety of freshwater habitats including acidic bogs, ponds, lakes and rivers. The nymphs moult repeatedly, at the last moult climbing out of the water to undergo metamorphosis. The skin splits down the back, they emerge and inflate their wings and abdomen to gain their adult form. Their presence on a body of water indicates that it is relatively unpolluted, but t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lestidae
The Lestidae are a rather small family of cosmopolitan, large-sized, slender damselflies, known commonly as the spreadwings or spread-winged damselflies. Characteristics While most damselflies rest with their wings folded together, most members of the family Lestidae hold them at an angle away from their bodies. The pterostigma (a single dark spot in the meshwork of the leading edge near the tip of each wing) is noticeably elongated. The quadrilateral In geometry a quadrilateral is a four-sided polygon, having four edges (sides) and four corners (vertices). The word is derived from the Latin words ''quadri'', a variant of four, and ''latus'', meaning "side". It is also called a tetragon, ... (a part of the wing venation, close to the body) has an acute angle at the end. The body has a greenish, metallic shine. The superior anal appendages, commonly called claspers (body parts of male insect for clasping the female during copulation) of male spreadwings are long and str ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Odonata
Odonata is an order of flying insects that includes the dragonflies and damselflies. Members of the group first appeared during the Triassic, though members of their total group, Odonatoptera, first appeared in Late Carboniferous. The two common groups are distinguished with dragonflies, placed in the suborder Epiprocta, usually being larger, with eyes together and wings up or out at rest, while damselflies, suborder Zygoptera, are usually smaller with eyes placed apart and wings along body at rest. All Odonata have aquatic larvae called naiads (nymphs), and all of them, larvae and adults, are carnivorous. The adults can land, but rarely walk. Their legs are specialised for catching prey. They are almost entirely insectivorous. Etymology and terminology Fabricius coined the term ''Odonata'' in 1793 from the Ancient Greek ( Ionic form of ) 'tooth'. One hypothesis is that it was because their maxillae are notably toothed. Most insects also have toothed mandibles. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dragonflies
A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonfly are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threatens dragonfly populations around the world. 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. Many dragonflies have brilliant iridescent or metallic colours produced by structural colouration, making them conspicuous in flight. An adult dragonfly's compound eyes have nearly 24,000 ommatidia each. 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, while damselflies hold their wings folded at rest, along ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hemiphlebiidae
Hemiphlebiidae is a family of damselflies, it contains only one extant species, the ancient greenling, native to Southern Australia and Tasmania. The fossil record of the group extends back to the Late Jurassic, making them the oldest known crown group damselflies. Taxonomy * †'' Burmahemiphlebia'' Zheng et al. 2017 Burmese amber, Myanmar, Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) 99 Ma * †'' Electrohemiphlebia'' Lak et al. 2009 Charentese Amber, France, Cretaceous (Albian-Cenomanian) 105-99 Ma * †'' Enteropia'' Pritykina and Vassilenko 2014 Shar Teg, Mongolia, Late Jurassic (Tithonian) 145 Ma. * '' Hemiphlebia'' Selys, 1869, Australia, Extant. * †'' Jordanhemiphlebia'' Kaddumi 2009 Jordanian Amber, Jordan, Early Cretaceous (Albian) 112.6 to 99.7 Ma *†'' Jurahemiphlebia'' Bechly, 2019 Solnhofen Limestone, Germany, Late Jurassic (Tithonian) 145 Ma. * †'' Kachinhemiphlebia'' Zheng 2020 Burmese amber, Myanmar, Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) 99 Ma * †'' Mersituria'' Vasilenko ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ischnura Heterosticta
''Ischnura heterosticta'', one of at least two species with the common name Common Bluetail (other), common bluetail, is an Australian damselfly of the family Coenagrionidae. It is the largest of the three ''Ischnura'' species in Australia. They are generally found near slow-running or still water. The species is also salt tolerant. It flies from October to March. Description The common bluetail is a small damselfly. Most males have blue eyes, a blue thorax, and a blue ringed tail. The females have a variety of forms including green, brown, black, and a form with very similar colourings to the male. Distribution In Australia, ''Ischnura heterosticta'' is found throughout the entire continent including Tasmania. Gallery Sydney dragonfly Victoria Park pond 2.jpg, Female, brown form Ischnura_heterosticta02.jpg, Female, blue form Common bluetail 3388-9.jpg, Common bluetails mating Ischnura heterosticta female wings (33985085664).jpg , Female wings Ischnura heterosticta m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pseudostigmatidae
The Pseudostigmatidae are a family of tropical damselflies, known as helicopter damselflies, giant damselflies, or forest giants. The family includes the largest of all damselfly species. They specialize in preying on web-building spiders, and breed in phytotelmata, the small bodies of water held by plants such as bromeliads. Range The species traditionally placed in Pseudostigmatidae are all Neotropical. Two range as far as northeastern Mexico: ''Mecistogaster ornata'' occurs in Tamaulipas and ''Pseudostigma aberrans'' in both Tamaulipas and Nuevo León. In 2006, molecular phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the African damselfly ''Coryphagrion grandis'', previously often classified within Megapodagrionidae or in a monotypic family Coryphagrionidae, belonged within family Pseudostigmatidae, close to genus ''Mecistogaster'', as was proposed already ten years before. This finding suggests that the family dates back to before the breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana. M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Calopterygidae
The Calopterygidae are a family of damselflies, in the suborder Zygoptera. They are commonly known as the broad-winged damselflies, demoiselles, or jewelwings. These rather large damselflies have wingspans of 50–80 mm (compared to about 44 mm in the common bluetail damselfly, ''Ischnura elegans''), are often metallic-coloured, and can be differentiated from other damselflies by the broader connection between the wings and the body, as opposed to the abrupt narrowing seen in other damselfly families. The family contains some 150 species. The Calopterygidae are found on every continent except Antarctica. They live along rivers and streams.Córdoba-Aguilar, A. & Cordero-Rivera, A. (2005)Evolution and ecology of Calopterygidae (Zygoptera: Odonata): status of knowledge and research perspectives.''Neotrop. Entomol'' 34(6), 861-879. Etymology The name is derived from Greek ''kalos'' meaning beautiful and ''ptery'' meaning winged. Characteristics The adults have metallic bod ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Platystictoidea
Platystictidae is a family of damselflies, commonly known as shadowdamsels. They look very similar to the threadtail damselfly family ( Protoneuridae). They can mostly be found throughout Asia, Central America, and South America. Most members of this family live in dense forests in the tropics where they are found around streams. Their wings are narrow and their abdomen slender and elongated. The adults probably do not disperse far as many species are known from a single location or have small ranges and there are probably other species as yet undescribed. The oldest members of the family belong to the genus '' Mesosticta'' from the Cenomanian aged Burmese amber of Myanmar. See also * List of damselflies of the world (Platystictidae) *'' Ceylonosticta alwisi'' *'' Ceylonosticta anamia'' *'' Ceylonosticta bine'' *'' Ceylonosticta mirifica'' *'' Ceylonosticta mojca'' *'' Ceylonosticta nancyae'' *'' Ceylonosticta rupasinghe'' *'' Ceylonosticta venusta'' *'' Drepanosticta actae ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Perilestidae
The Perilestidae are a family of damselflies commonly known as shortwings and twigtails.Haber, W. and Wagner, DPerilestidae: Shortwings.Dragonflies and Damselflies of Ecuador. It is a small family of around 19 species.Neiss, U. G. and Neusa, H. (2010)The larva of ''Perilestes attenuatus'' Selys, 1886 (Odonata: Perilestidae) from Amazonas, Brazil.''Zootaxa'' 2614 53-58. All extant species are native to the Neotropical realm. In the past ''Nubiolestes'' of Africa was included in this family, but this is doubted. ''Palaeoperilestes electronicus'' is an extinct species described from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. These damselflies are short-winged and have very long, slender, color-banded abdomens. They live in dense forest habitat and rest with their abdomens hanging vertically.Machado, A. (2015)''Perilestes eustaquioi'' sp. nov. and new distributional records of Perilestidae (Odonata) in Brazil.''Zoologia (Curitiba)'', 32(5), 428-430. Genera The family Perilestidae include the foll ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Synlestidae
The Synlestidae are a family of damselflies commonly known as sylphs or malachites.Synlestidae. Identification & Ecology of Australian Freshwater Invertebrates. Murray-Darling Basin Authority. They occur in , , and .Vasilenko, D. V. (2005) [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Calopteryx Virgo
The beautiful demoiselle (''Calopteryx virgo'') is a European damselfly belonging to the family Calopterygidae. It is often found along fast-flowing waters where it is most at home. Subspecies Subspecies include: *''Calopteryx virgo britannica'' Conci, 1952 *''Calopteryx virgo festiva'' ( Brullé, 1832) (eastern Mediterranean) *''Calopteryx virgo meridionalis'' Sélys, 1853 (western Mediterranean and south-west France) *''Calopteryx virgo padana'' Conci, 1956 (northern Italy) *''Calopteryx virgo virgo'' (Linnaeus, 1758) File: Calopteryx virgo meridionalis.jpg, ''Calopteryx virgo meridionalis'' File:Calopteryx virgo meridionalis MHNT.jpg, ''C. v. meridionalis''. Mounted specimen Description Eggs and larvae Females lay up to 300 eggs at a time on emergent or floating plants, often on water-crowfoot. Like the banded demoiselle, they often submerge to do so. The eggs hatch after around 14 days. Again, like the banded demoiselle, the larva is stick-like with long legs and d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Platystictidae
Platystictidae is a family of damselflies, commonly known as shadowdamsels. They look very similar to the threadtail damselfly family ( Protoneuridae). They can mostly be found throughout Asia, Central America, and South America. Most members of this family live in dense forests in the tropics where they are found around streams. Their wings are narrow and their abdomen slender and elongated. The adults probably do not disperse far as many species are known from a single location or have small ranges and there are probably other species as yet undescribed. The oldest members of the family belong to the genus '' Mesosticta'' from the Cenomanian aged Burmese amber of Myanmar. See also * List of damselflies of the world (Platystictidae) *'' Ceylonosticta alwisi'' *'' Ceylonosticta anamia'' *'' Ceylonosticta bine'' *'' Ceylonosticta mirifica'' *'' Ceylonosticta mojca'' *'' Ceylonosticta nancyae'' *'' Ceylonosticta rupasinghe'' *'' Ceylonosticta venusta'' *'' Drepanosticta actae ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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