Coenagrionidae

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Coenagrionidae
Ceriagrion glabrum male panorama.jpg
Male Ceriagrion glabrum
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Suborder: Zygoptera
Superfamily: Coenagrionoidea
Family: Coenagrionidae
Kirby, 1890 [1]
Diversity
at least 110 genera

Coenagrionidae is a family of damselflies, also known as pond damselflies, in the order Odonata and the suborder Zygoptera. [2] The Zygoptera are the damselflies, which although less known than the dragonflies, are no less common. More than 1,300 species are in this family, making it the largest damselfly family. The family Coenagrionidae has six subfamilies: Agriocnemidinae, Argiinae, Coenagrioninae, Ischnurinae, Leptobasinae, and Pseudagrioninae. [3]

Contents

This family is referred to as the narrow-winged damselflies or the pond damselflies. [4] The Coenagrionidae enjoy a worldwide distribution, and are among the most common of damselfly families. This family has the smallest of damselfly species. More than 110 genera of the family Coenagrionidae are currently accepted. [5] [3]

Etymology

The name may be derived from Greek coen meaning shared or common and agrio meaning fields or wild.

Characteristics

forewing of the variable damselfly (Coenagrion pulchellum) Coenagrionidae Wing(loz).jpg
forewing of the variable damselfly ( Coenagrion pulchellum )

Adults are seen around various habitats including ponds and wetlands. The females lay their eggs among living or dead submerged vegetation, and in some species, even crawl about underwater depositing their eggs. The nymphs are usually found in debris or among living or dead submerged plant material. [6]

Genera

Eastern billabong fly (Austroagrion watsoni, female) Austroagrion watsoni.jpg
Eastern billabong fly ( Austroagrion watsoni , female)
Coromandel marsh dart Ceriagrion coromandelianum Coromandel Marsh Dart (Ceriagrion coromandelianum)- Male W IMG 3835.jpg
Coromandel marsh dart Ceriagrion coromandelianum
Blue-winged helicopter, Megaloprepus caerulatus, with the largest wingspan of any odonate Megaloprepus.JPG
Blue-winged helicopter, Megaloprepus caerulatus , with the largest wingspan of any odonate
Saffron-faced blue dart Pseudagrion rubriceps Saffron-faced Blue Dart (Pseudagrion rubriceps) W IMG 0876.jpg
Saffron-faced blue dart Pseudagrion rubriceps
Western forktail damselfly attempting on-the-fly catches. Each repeated in slow motion. The second prey landed, escaping capture. Finally closeup devouring medium sized fly.
Western forktail damselflies interacting.
Common blue damselfly, genus Enallagma, family Coenagrionidae

These genera belong to the family Coenagrionidae: [7] [8] [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Aeshnidae, also called aeshnids, hawkers, or darners, is a family of dragonflies, found nearly worldwide, with more than 50 genera and over 450 species.

<i>Rhionaeschna</i> Genus of dragonflies

Rhionaeschna is the scientific name of a genus of dragonflies from the family Aeshnidae. They are also known as blue-eyed darners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Platycnemididae</span> Family of damselflies

The Platycnemididae are a family of damselflies. They are known commonly as white-legged damselflies. There are over 400 species native to the Old World. The family is divided into several subfamilies.

<i>Agriocnemis</i> Genus of damselflies

Agriocnemis is a genus of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. Agriocnemis is distributed widely across Africa, South-east Asia, Indonesia, Australia and islands in the Pacific. They are small insects, commonly known as wisps.

<i>Ceriagrion</i> Genus of damselflies

Ceriagrion is a genus of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. Species of Ceriagrion are small to medium size, generally brightly coloured damselflies. They are found across the Old World, Africa, Asia and Australia.

<i>Coenagrion</i> Genus of damselflies

Coenagrion is a genus of damselflies in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly called the Eurasian Bluets. Species of Coenagrion are generally medium-sized, brightly coloured damselflies.

<i>Heteragrion</i> Genus of damselflies

Heteragrion is a genus of damselflies in the family Heteragrionidae.

<i>Ischnura</i> Genus of damselflies

Ischnura is a genus of damselflies known as forktails in the family Coenagrionidae. Forktails are distributed worldwide, including various oceanic islands. The males have a forked projection at the tip of the abdomen which gives the group their common name.

<i>Leptobasis</i> Genus of damselflies

Leptobasis is a small genus of damselflies in the family Coenagrionidae. They are commonly known as swampdamsels. The genus is neotropical and one species, L. melinogaster, has been recorded in Texas. They are slender and the females have very long ovipositors.

<i>Mecistogaster</i> Genus of damselflies

Mecistogaster is a genus of large Neotropical damselflies in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly known as helicopter damsels. There are eleven species distributed from Mexico to Argentina.

<i>Neoneura</i> Genus of damselflies

Neoneura is a genus of damselfly in the threadtail family Coenagrionidae. They are found in the Neotropics, from Cuba and Texas to Argentina.

<i>Pseudagrion</i> Genus of damselflies

Pseudagrion is the largest genus of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, with over 140 species. Its range includes most of Africa, much of Asia, and Australia. Africa holds most of the diversity with almost 100 species. It has occupied most of the freshwater habitats in its range, and dominates damselfly communities in habitats as different as desert pools, equatorial rainforests and montane streams.

<i>Tramea</i> Genus of dragonflies

Tramea is a genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae, the skimmers and perchers. Species of Tramea are found in tropical and subtropical regions around the globe. They typically have colored bases to their otherwise translucent hindwings. In particular when they fly, this creates the impression of their carrying bags at the start of their abdomens. They are known commonly as saddlebags or saddlebags gliders.

Protoneuridae was formerly considered a family of damselflies. Recent taxonomic revisions have classified the species previously placed in Protoneuridae into two existing families - Coenagrionidae and Platycnemididae, both in the superfamily Coenagrionoidea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coenagrionoidea</span> Superfamily of damselflies

Coenagrionoidea is a superfamily of closed wing damselflies of the order Odonata found worldwide.

<i>Telebasis</i> Genus of damselflies

Telebasis is a genus of damselflies in the family Coenagrionidae. The genus occurs in the Neotropics. Most of the species are red with a few blue species in South America.

<i>Archibasis</i> Genus of damselflies

Archibasis is a genus of damselflies belonging to the family Coenagrionidae. These damselflies are generally medium-sized with bright colouring. Archibasis occurs in southern Asia, Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calopterygoidea</span> Superfamily of damselflies

Calopterygoidea is a superfamily of damselflies in the order Odonata.

References

  1. Kirby, W.F. (1890). A Synonymic Catalogue of Neuroptera Odonata, or Dragonflies. With an Appendix of fossil species. London: Gurney & Jackson. pp. 202 [148]. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.5534.
  2. Dijkstra, K.D.B.; et al. (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 . Archived from the original on 2018-08-14. Retrieved 2021-07-04.
  3. 1 2 3 "World Odonata List". Slater Museum of Natural History, University of Puget Sound. 2018. Retrieved 2019-05-19.
  4. Borror, D.J.; White, R.E. (1970). A Field Guide to Insects . Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN   0-395-91171-0.
  5. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (2007). Coenagrionidae, retrieved November 4, 2007.
  6. John L. Capinera (2008). Encyclopedia of Entomology. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 1244–1245. ISBN   978-1-4020-6242-1.
  7. Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B.; Kalkman, Vincent J.; Dow, Rory A.; Stokvis, Frank R.; et al. (2014). "Redefining the damselfly families: a comprehensive molecular phylogeny of Zygoptera (Odonata)". Systematic Entomology. 39 (1): 68–96. Bibcode:2014SysEn..39...68D. doi: 10.1111/syen.12035 .
  8. "Odonata Central" . Retrieved 2019-05-19.