Apocordulia

Apocordulia
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
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]
Distribution of Apocordulia macrops in inland south-eastern Australia, mainly within the Murray–Darling Basin

Apocordulia is a genus of dragonflies in the family Austrocorduliidae, endemic to south-eastern Australia. ^{[3] [4]} It is monotypic, containing a single species, Apocordulia macrops. ^[5]

Apocordulia macrops, commonly known as the nighthawk, is a medium-sized, dull-coloured dragonfly with large eyes. It inhabits inland rivers within the Murray–Darling Basin and is crepuscular, being most active at dawn and dusk. ^{[6] [7]}

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] [8]}

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] [8]}

Gallery

• 
  Female Apocordulia macrops wings
• 
  Male Apocordulia macrops wings

Taxonomy

In earlier higher-level classifications, the placement of Apocordulia was uncertain and it was considered incertae sedis within the superfamily Libelluloidea. ^[9]

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. ^[3] This replaces earlier treatments that placed Apocordulia variously in Corduliidae or Synthemistidae. ^[6]

See also

• List of Odonata species of Australia

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. 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. 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.
4. Paulson, D.; Schorr, M.; Abbott, J.; Bota-Sierra, C.; Deliry, C.; Dijkstra, K.-D.; Lozano, F. "World Odonata List". OdonataCentral. University of Alabama.
5. "Species Apocordulia macrops Watson, 1980". Australian Faunal Directory . Australian Biological Resources Study. 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.