| Lestidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Female Austrolestes cingulatus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Suborder: | Zygoptera |
| Superfamily: | Lestoidea |
| Family: | Lestidae Calvert, 1901 [1] |
| Type genus | |
| Lestes | |
The Lestidae are a rather small family of cosmopolitan, large-sized, slender damselflies, [2] known commonly as the spreadwings or spread-winged damselflies. [3]
While most damselflies rest with their wings folded together, most members of the family Lestidae hold them at an angle away from their bodies. The pterostigma (a single dark spot in the meshwork of the leading edge near the tip of each wing) is noticeably elongated. The quadrilateral (a part of the wing venation, close to the body) has an acute angle at the end. The body has a greenish, metallic shine. The superior anal appendages, commonly called claspers (body parts of male insect for clasping the female during copulation) of male spreadwings are long and strongly curved.
Breeding takes place in slow-moving or still water in stream backwaters, swamps, marshes and temporary pools. The nymphs have a long abdomen and a distinctive prementum (part of the lower lip). There is one generation per year in North American species. [4]
The two subfamilies in Lestidae are Lestinae and Sympecmatinae. Damselflies in the Lestinae rest with their wings partly open, while those in the Sympecmatinae, the reedlings, ringtails, and winter damselflies, rest with their wings folded. The exact taxonomy of the family is disputed, with some authorities including twelve genera [5] and some eight. [6] Genera include:
| SubFamily | Image | Genus | Extant species |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sympecmatinae Fraser, 1951 |  | Archilestes Selys, 1862 |
|
 | Indolestes Fraser, 1922 |
| |
 | Sympecma Burmeister, 1839 |
| |
| Lestinae Calvert 1901 |  | Austrolestes Tillyard, 1913 |
|
 | Chalcolestes Kennedy, 1920 |
| |
 | Lestes Leach, 1815 |
| |
 | Orolestes |
| |
 | Platylestes Selys, 1862 |
| |
| Sinhalestes Fraser, 1951 |
| ||
Odonata is an order of flying insects that includes the dragonflies and damselflies.
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. An ancient group, damselflies have existed since at least the Lower Permian beginning about 299 million years ago, and are found on every continent except Antarctica.
The insect family Coenagrionidae is placed in the order Odonata and the suborder Zygoptera. 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.
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.
The Protoneuridae are a family of damselflies. Most species are commonly known as threadtails, while others are commonly known as bambootails.
Chlorocyphidae is a family of damselflies, commonly known as jewels. These are colorful species native to the Old World tropics, where they occur along forest streams. They are most diverse in Southeast Asia.
The Megapodagrionidae are a family of damselflies, commonly called flatwings for their habit of spreading out the hind wings horizontally when at rest.
The Synlestidae are a family of damselflies commonly known as sylphs or malachites. They occur in South Africa, Australia, and South America.
Isostictidae is a small family of medium-sized to large damselflies restricted to Australia, New Caledonia, and New Guinea. It contains 12 genera and more than 40 species. Members of this family resemble species in the threadtail family (Protoneuridae).
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.
The Lestoideidae are a family of damselflies occurring in South-east Asia, New Guinea and Australia. The family comprises two genera and nine species.
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 elegant spreadwing 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.
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.
Diphlebiidae is no longer recognised as a biological family. It was the name given to a small family of damselflies, the azure damselflies, with species in two genera: Diphlebia and Philoganga. Diphlebia is found in Australia and Philoganga is found in Southeast Asia. They are large and thick-bodied damselflies. They rest with their wings spread out. The Diphlebiidae were also known as Philogangidae.
Thaumatoneuridae is a family of damselflies in the order Odonata. There are at least three genera and about five described species in Thaumatoneuridae.
Lestes congener is a species of damselfly in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is known by the common name spotted spreadwing.
Lestes viridulusemerald-striped spreadwing, is a damselfly species in the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. It is native to Bangladesh, India, and Thailand.
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.
Gomphomacromiidae is a family of dragonflies occurring in Chile and Australia, which until recently was considered to be part of the Corduliidae family.
| Authority control databases: National |
|---|
