Apocordulia

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Nighthawk
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Infraorder: Anisoptera
Family: Austrocorduliidae
Genus: Apocordulia
Watson, 1980 [2]
Species:
A. macrops
Binomial name
Apocordulia macrops
Watson, 1980 [2]
Apocordulia macrops distribution map.svg

Apocordulia is a genus of dragonflies in the family Austrocorduliidae, [3] endemic to the Murray-Darling Basin in eastern Australia. [4]

Contents

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]

Etymology

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]

Taxonomy

In earlier higher-level classifications, the placement of Apocordulia was uncertain and it was considered incertae sedis within the superfamily Libelluloidea. [10]

A comprehensive phylogenetic revision of emerald and tigertail dragonflies by Goodman et al. (2025) reinstated the family Austrocorduliidae (stat. rev.) and showed that Apocordulia belongs within that family. [11]

This reflects current understanding of relationships within the Libelluloidea, replacing earlier treatments that placed Apocordulia variously in Corduliidae or Synthemistidae. [12]

See also

References

  1. Dow, R.A. (2019). "Apocordulia macrops". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019 e.T14271959A59256543. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T14271959A59256543.en . Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Watson, J.A.L. (1980). "Apocordulia macrops, a new crepuscular gomphomacromiine dragonfly from south-eastern Australia (Odonata: Corduliidae)". Journal of the Australian Entomological Society. 19 (4): 287–292 [287]. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-6055.1980.tb00988.x .
  3. "Genus Apocordulia Watson, 1980". Australian Faunal Directory . Australian Biological Resources Study. 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 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.
  5. Paulson, D.; Schorr, M.; Abbott, J.; Bota-Sierra, C.; Deliry, C.; Dijkstra, K.-D.; Lozano, F. "World Odonata List". OdonataCentral. University of Alabama.
  6. "Species Apocordulia macrops Watson, 1980". Australian Faunal Directory . Australian Biological Resources Study. 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  7. Theischinger, Gunther; Endersby, Ian (2009). Identification Guide to the Australian Odonata (PDF). Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW. p. 241. ISBN   978-1-74232-475-3.
  8. Watson, J.A.L.; Theischinger, G.; Abbey, H.M. (1991). The Australian Dragonflies: A Guide to the Identification, Distributions and Habitats of Australian Odonata. Melbourne: CSIRO. ISBN   0-643-05136-8.
  9. 1 2 Endersby, I. (2012). "Watson and Theischinger: the etymology of the dragonfly (Insecta: Odonata) names which they published". Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales. 145 (443 & 444): 34–53. doi: 10.5962/p.146542 . ISSN   0035-9173 via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  10. Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B.; Bechly, Günter; Bybee, Seth M.; Dow, Rory A.; Dumont, Henri J.; Fleck, Günther; Garrison, Rosser W.; Hämäläinen, Matti; Kalkman, Vincent J.; Karube, Haruki; May, Michael L.; Orr, Albert G.; Paulson, Dennis R.; Rehn, Andrew C.; Theischinger, Günther; Trueman, John W.H.; Van Tol, Jan; von Ellenrieder, Natalia; Ware, Jessica (2013). "The classification and diversity of dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata). In: Zhang, Z.-Q. (Ed.) Animal Biodiversity: An Outline of Higher-level Classification and Survey of Taxonomic Richness (Addenda 2013)". Zootaxa. 3703 (1): 36–45. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.3703.1.9 . hdl: 10072/61365 . ISSN   1175-5334.
  11. 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.
  12. Theischinger, Günther; Hawking, John (2006). The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia. Collingwood, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. p. 366. ISBN   978-0-64309-073-6.