Nighthawk | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Odonata |
Infraorder: | Anisoptera |
Genus: | Apocordulia Watson, 1980 [2] |
Species: | A. macrops |
Binomial name | |
Apocordulia macrops | |
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Apocordulia is a genus of dragonflies in the superfamily Libelluloidea, [3] endemic to the Murray-Darling Basin in eastern Australia. [4]
Apocordulia is a monotypic genus with only one species, Apocordulia macrops, [5] [6] commonly known as a nighthawk. [4] Apocordulia macrops is a medium-sized, dull coloured dragonfly with large eyes. [4] It inhabits inland rivers [7] and flies at dawn and dusk. [8]
The word Apocordulia is derived from two words: apo from the Greek ἀπό meaning from or away, and Cordulia the genus of dragonfly. Tony Watson described the dragonfly genus Apocordulia as appearing different to the normal appearance of a Cordulia dragonfly. [2] [9]
The species name macrops is derived from two Greek words makros (μακρός) meaning long, and ops (ὤψ) meaning eye, describing the long eye seam. [2] [9]
Recent taxonomic research could not assign the genus Apocordulia to any family and it was placed incertae sedis within the superfamily Libelluloidea. [10]
Prior to this, Apocordulia had been considered to be part of one of several families: Austrocorduliidae, Synthemistidae or Corduliidae. [11]