Platycnemididae Temporal range: | |
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Copera marginipes | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Odonata |
Suborder: | Zygoptera |
Family: | Platycnemididae Jacobson and Bianchi, 1905 [1] |
Subfamilies | |
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The Platycnemididae are a family of damselflies. [2] They are known commonly as white-legged damselflies. [3] There are over 400 species native to the Old World. [4] The family is divided into several subfamilies. [4]
There are about 50 genera of Platycnemididae. [5] [6]
Genera include:
The skimmers or perchers and their relatives form the Libellulidae, the largest dragonfly family in the world. It is sometimes considered to contain the Corduliidae as the subfamily Corduliinae and the Macromiidae as the subfamily Macromiinae. Even if these are excluded, there remains a family of over 1000 species. With nearly worldwide distribution, these are almost certainly the most often seen of all dragonflies.
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.
Allocnemis, formerly Chlorocnemis, is a genus of damselflies in the family Platycnemididae.
Gynacantha is a genus of dragonflies in the family Aeshnidae. The females have two prominent spines under the last abdominal segment. This gives the genus name and the common name two-spined darners; they are also known as duskhawkers.
Indolestes is a genus of damselflies in the family Lestidae. Species of Indolestes can be medium-sized, dull coloured dragonflies. They are found from India through Asia, Australia and the Pacific.
Prodasineura, the Asian threadtails, is a genus of damselflies in the family Protoneuridae. All the Afrotropical species formerly in this genus are now placed in Elattoneura, the African threadtails. Dijkstra et al. (2014) moved the genus from Protoneuridae to Platycnemididae based on molecular phylogenetic research.
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.
Teinobasis is a genus of damselflies in the family Coenagrionidae. Species occur in south-eastern Asia, Indonesia, Solomon Islands and Micronesia; one species, Teinobasis rufithorax, is found in Australia.
The Protoneuridae are a family of damselflies. Most species are commonly known as threadtails, while others are commonly known as bambootails.
The Megapodagrionidae are a family of damselflies, commonly called flatwings for their habit of spreading out the hind wings horizontally when at rest.
The Synthemistidae are the family of dragonflies commonly known as tigertails, or sometimes called southern emeralds. This family is sometimes treated as a subfamily of Corduliidae. This is an ancient dragonfly family, with some species occurring in Australia and New Guinea. Most species are small in size and have narrow abdomens. Their nymphs are bottom dwellers, and resist droughts by burying themselves very deeply. Synthemistid dragonflies frequently prefer marshy areas, as well as fast-flowing streams. The family Synthemistidae is sometimes called Synthemidae.
Coeliccia is a genus of damselflies in the family Platycnemididae. They are distributed in Asia from India to Japan to Indonesia. It is the largest genus in the family, with around 80 species.
Lindeniidae is a family of dragonflies occurring in Australia.
Asthenocnemis is a genus of white-legged damselfly in the family Platycnemididae. There are at least two described species in Asthenocnemis.
Paramecocnemis is a genus of white-legged damselfly in the family Platycnemididae. There are about five described species in Paramecocnemis.
Rhyacocnemis is a genus of white-legged damselfly in the family Platycnemididae. There are at least four described species in Rhyacocnemis.
Palaiargia ernstmayri is a species of broad-winged damselfly in the family Platycnemididae. The species is endemic to the Arfak Mountains of New Guinea, with only four observations to date.
Allocnemidinae is a subfamily of damselflies in the family Platycnemididae. There are 5 genera in Allocnemidinae, found in Africa and Arabia.
Devadatta is a genus of damselflies in the family Devadattidae which is a sister-group of the Chlorocyphidae. There are about 13 described species in Devadatta.