The Lestidae are a rather small family of cosmopolitan, large-sized, slender damselflies, known commonly as the spreadwings or spread-winged damselflies.
Lestes is a genus of damselfly in the family Lestidae. The family hold their wings at about 45 degrees to the body when resting. This distinguishes them from most other species of damselflies which hold the wings along, and parallel to, the body when at rest.
Sinhalestes orientalis, the emerald Sri Lanka spreadwing, is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae. It is the only species in the genus Sinhalestes. The species was thought to be extinct since none have been found since it was first scientifically described in 1862. However, in 2012 this species was re-discovered by a young odonatologist Amila Sumanapala from the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary, Sri Lanka.
Lestes macrostigma is a species of damselfly of the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is known by the common name dark spreadwing. It is native to much of southern Europe, its distribution extending into western Asia.
Chalcolestes parvidens, formerly Lestes parvidens, is a damselfly of the family Lestidae. It has a metallic green body and at rest it holds its wings away from its body. Its common name in English is the eastern willow spreadwing.
The great spreadwing is a damselfly in the family Lestidae. When great spreadwings are startled they often return to the same perch or a perch nearby.
Lestes praemorsus is a damselfly species in the family Lestidae. It is commonly known as the scalloped spreadwing or sapphire-eyed spreadwing. It is very widely distributed from India to China and south to New Guinea.
Chalcolestes viridis, formerly Lestes viridis, is a damselfly of the family Lestidae. It has a metallic green body and at rest it holds its wings away from its body. Its common name is the willow emerald damselfly, the green emerald damselfly, or the western willow spreadwing. It has an elongated abdomen and pale brown spots on its wings and resides in areas of still water with overhanging trees.
Chalcolestes is a small genus of damselfly in the family Lestidae. They are commonly known as Willow Spreadwings. They are similar to the Spreadwings of the genus Lestes.
Lestes viridulus, the emerald-striped spreadwing, is a damselfly species in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is native to Bangladesh, India, and Thailand.
Lestes elatus is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is known commonly as the emerald spreadwing. It is native to India, Thailand and Sri Lanka.
Lestes nodalis is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings.
Lestes malaisei is a species of spreadwing in the damselfly family Lestidae.
Indolestes bilineatus is a species of spreadwing in the damselfly family Lestidae.
Indolestes indicus is a species of spreadwing in the damselfly family Lestidae.
Archilestes californicus, the California spreadwing, is a species of spreadwing in the damselfly family Lestidae. It is found in Central America and North America.
Archilestes exoletus is a species of spreadwing in the damselfly family Lestidae. It is found in South America.
Archilestes latialatus is a species of spreadwing in the damselfly family Lestidae. It is found in Central America.
Archilestes neblina is a species of spreadwing in the damselfly family Lestidae. It is found in Central America.
Platylestes platystylus, the green-eyed spreadwing, is a damselfly species in the family Lestidae. Although this species appears to be widespread, there are very few recent records. This species is known from old records from West Bengal in India, Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. There are recent records from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Kerala, South India.
