| Elegant spreadwing | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Suborder: | Zygoptera |
| Family: | Lestidae |
| Genus: | Lestes |
| Species: | L. inaequalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Lestes inaequalis Walsh, 1862 | |
| Synonyms | |
Lestes virgo Calvert, 1897 | |
The elegant spreadwing (Lestes inaequalis) is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is native to eastern North America, including eastern Canada and the United States. [1]
This species is 45 to 60 millimeters long. [2] The male has a metallic green and yellow thorax and a blue-tipped green abdomen. The body is pruinose, especially in older specimens. The female has a thicker body with duller coloration. This species is similar to the swamp spreadwing (L. vigilax) but larger in size, and to the amber-winged spreadwing (L. eurinus) but without the amber wings. [3]
This species lives near freshwater bodies such as streams, lakes, ponds, and marshes. [3] It may live under the canopy in wooded areas. [2]
The elegant spreadwing is known to feed on smaller damselflies. [2]
Media related to Elegant spreadwing at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Elegant spreadwing at Wikispecies
Damselflies are flying insects of the suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies but are smaller and have slimmer bodies. Most species fold the wings along the body when at rest, unlike dragonflies which hold the wings flat and away from the body. Damselflies have existed since the Jurassic, and are found on every continent except Antarctica.
The Lestidae are a rather small family of cosmopolitan, large-sized, slender damselflies, known commonly as the spreadwings or spread-winged damselflies.
Lestes plagiatus is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is known commonly as the highlands spreadwing, common spreadwing, and stream spreadwing.
Lestes virens is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is known commonly as the small spreadwing or small emerald spreadwing. It is native to much of Europe and western and central Asia.
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.
Sympecma fusca, the common winter damselfly, is a damselfly a member of the Lestidae and related to the emeralds or spreadwings.
Lestes rectangularis is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is known by the common name slender spreadwing. It is native to eastern North America, including eastern Canada and the United States.
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.
The sweetflag spreadwing is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is native to North America, especially eastern parts of Canada and the United States.
Lestes dryas is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. Its common names include emerald spreadwing, scarce emerald damselfly and robust spreadwing. An alternate name in Ireland is the turlough spreadwing.
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.
Lestes congener is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is known by the common name spotted spreadwing.
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 concinnus is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. They are so named because they rest with their wings spread. This species is known commonly as the dusky spreadwing. It is a nomadic damselfly found in India, Southeast Asia as far as New Caledonia, and northern parts of Australia.
Lestes dorothea, the forest spreadwing, is a damselfly species in the family Lestidae. It is distributed from south and northeast India to Thailand and Malaysia.
Lestes eurinus, the amber-winged spreadwing, is a species of spreadwing in the damselfly family Lestidae. It is found in eastern North America.
