Aeschnosomatidae

Aeschnosomatidae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Odonata
Infraorder:	Anisoptera
Superfamily:	Libelluloidea
Family:	Aeschnosomatidae Goodman, Abbott, Bybee, Ehlert, Frandsen, Guralnick, Kalkman, Newton, Pinto & Ware, 2025 [1]

Aeschnosomatidae is a family of dragonflies within the superfamily Libelluloidea. Species of Aeschnosomatidae are found in Madagascar, northern Australia and tropical South America. ^{[1] [2]}

Genera

The World Odonata List recognises the following four genera in Aeschnosomatidae: ^{[3] [1]}

• Aeschnosoma Selys, 1870
• Libellulosoma Martin, 1907
• Pentathemis Karsch, 1890
• Schizocordulia Machado, 2005

Taxonomic history

Species of Aeschnosoma, Libellulosoma, Pentathemis, and Schizocordulia had generally been assigned to the family Corduliidae and possibly Cordulephyinae. Studies through the twentieth century of wing characters and other morphological features suggested they may be related. ^[1]

Molecular and morphological analyses published in 2025 helped to resolve this uncertainty. These studies supported Aeschnosomatidae as a distinct group within Libelluloidea. ^[1]

References

1. Goodman, Aaron; Abbott, John C.; Bybee, Seth M.; Ehlert, Juliana; Frandsen, Paul B.; Guralnick, Rob; Kalkman, Vincent J.; Newton, Lacie; Pinto, Ângelo Parise; Ware, Jessica L. (2025-10-09). "Systematic and taxonomic revision of emerald and tigertail dragonflies (Anisoptera: Synthemistidae and Corduliidae)". Systematic Entomology. doi:10.1111/syen.70000.
2. Theischinger, Günther; Hawking, John (2021). The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia (2nd ed.). Melbourne, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. p. 406. ISBN   978-1-4863-1374-7.
3. Paulson, D.; Schorr, M.; Abbott, J.; Bota-Sierra, C.; Deliry, C.; Dijkstra, K.-D.; Lozano, F. "World Odonata List". OdonataCentral. University of Alabama.