The Synlestidae are a family of
damselflies
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 ...
commonly known as sylphs or malachites.
[Synlestidae.](_blank)
Identification & Ecology of Australian Freshwater Invertebrates. Murray-Darling Basin Authority. They occur in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...
,
Australia, and
South America.
[Vasilenko, D. V. (2005)]
New damselflies (Odonata: Synlestidae, Hemiphlebiidae) from the Mesozoic Transbaikalian locality of Chernovskie Kopi.
''Paleontologicheskii Zhurnal'' 39(3), 280-83.
Description
These damselflies are 21 to 36 millimeters long, with slender abdomens.
[ Species are generally metallic green to brown-tinged black in color.Synlestidae.]
Australian Insect Families. CSIRO, 2016.
Biology
Damselflies of this family are predators. The nymphs live in rivers and streams, and can be found in stagnant pools during the dry season.
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]
Systematics
There are nine extant genera. There are also several extinct genera known from fossils.[
Genera include:
*'' Chlorolestes''
*'' Ecchlorolestes''
*'' Episynlestes''
*'' Megalestes''
*'' Nubiolestes''
*'' Phylolestes''
*'' Sinolestes''
*'' Synlestes''
]
References
{{Taxonbar , from=Q1888552
Odonata families
Odonata of Asia
Odonata of Africa
Odonata of Australia
Odonata of South America
Taxa named by Robert John Tillyard
Damselflies