Odonata is an order of flying insects that includes the dragonflies and damselflies. Members of the group first appeared during the Triassic, though members of their total group, Odonatoptera, first appeared in Late Carboniferous.
A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the order Odonata, infraorder Anisoptera. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonfly are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threatens dragonfly populations around the world. Adult dragonflies are characterized by a pair of large, multifaceted compound eyes, two pairs of strong, transparent wings, sometimes with coloured patches, and an elongated body. Many dragonflies have brilliant iridescent or metallic colours produced by structural colouration, making them conspicuous in flight. An adult dragonfly's compound eyes have nearly 24,000 ommatidia each.
Damselflies are flying insects of the suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies, which constitute the other odonatan suborder, Anisoptera, 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, and are found on every continent except Antarctica.
The Corduliidae, also knowns as the emeralds, emerald dragonflies or green-eyed skimmers, is a family of dragonflies. These dragonflies are usually black or dark brown with areas of metallic green or yellow, and most of them have large, emerald-green eyes. The larvae are black, hairy-looking, and usually semiaquatic. This family include species called "baskettails", "emeralds", "sundragons", "shadowdragons", and "boghaunters". They are not uncommon and are found nearly worldwide, but some individual species are quite rare. Hine's emerald dragonfly, for example, is an endangered species in the United States.
Ischnura aurora, golden dartlet, also known as the aurora bluetail, is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae.
The blue dasher is a dragonfly of the skimmer family. It is the only species in the genus Pachydiplax. It is very common and widely distributed through North America and into the Bahamas.
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.
The blue-spotted hawker is the only known species of dragonfly of the genus Adversaeschna in the family Aeshnidae.
Sympetrum vicinum, the yellow-legged meadowhawk or autumn meadowhawk, is a member of the Libellulidae family and grows to 26–35 mm long.
Tonyosynthemis ofarrelli, more commonly known as the slender tigertail, is a species of Odonata from the family Synthemistidae. It is found in Queensland, Australia, along the eastern coast. They tend to live along or near freshwater streams or rivers, which is also where Odonata tend to lay their eggs.
Anax parthenope, the lesser emperor, is a dragonfly of the family Aeshnidae. It is found in Southern Europe, North Africa, Middle East and Asia.
The Japanese relict dragonfly, is one of the four species of the genus Epiophlebia, belonging to the family Epiophblebiidae, which is itself the sole living representative of the Epiproctan infraorder Epiophlebioptera.
Austrolestes colensonis, commonly known as the blue damselfly, is a species of damselfly of the family Lestidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can commonly be found throughout the country, and at any time of the year. It is New Zealand's largest damselfly, and only blue odonate.
Tramea transmarina, known as the red glider or northern glider, is a species of dragonfly in the Libellulidae family. The type locality for Tramea transmarina is Fiji, but subspecies are found in the islands of the Pacific, north-eastern Australia and Southeast Asia.
Ichneutica sulcana is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the North, South and Stewart Islands at a range of altitudes from the lowlands to the alpine zone. This species prefers to live in native grass, shrub and wetland habitats as well as in native forest. The larval host plants of this species are forest grasses and sedges and larvae have been reared on Microlaena avenacea and species within the genus Carex. The larva pupates in the soil. Adults are on the wing from December to May but have also been recorded in August and September in the northern parts of the North Island. They are attracted to sugar traps as well as to light. I. sulcana and I. supersulcana are very similar in appearance but can be distinguished as there are differences in the male abdomen and genitalia of the two species. Also these two species do not appear to share a range as I. supersulcana seems to prefer to live at higher altitudes than I. sulcana. I. sulcana might also be confused with I. semivittata but I. sulcana is a larger species with a much darker abdomen and hindwing, and has only 1 to 3 dots on the forewing postmedian line.
Tramea loewii, the common glider, is a species of dragonfly in the Libellulidae family. It is found in the Cocos Islands, Moluccas, Lesser Sunda Islands, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Australia and the western Pacific. Since 2005, Tramea loewii has also been recorded in New Zealand.
Procordulia is a genus of dragonfly in the family Corduliidae. Procordulia are found in Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand and parts of the Pacific region.
Ischnura rubilio, western golden dartlet, is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is found in Indian subcontinent and Iran.
Hemicordulia hilaris is a species of Pacific dragonfly in the family Corduliidae, first described by the Dutch entomologist Maurits Lieftinck in 1975. The species is found across the Pacific Islands including Samoa and New Caledonia, with its range extending east to the Cook Islands and French Polynesia.
The giant hawker or the gigantic riverhawker, is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. It is found throughout Sundaland, having been recorded on Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, and Borneo. It is the type species for the genus Tetracanthagyna.
