| Protoneuridae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Prodasineura croconota | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Suborder: | Zygoptera |
| Superfamily: | Coenagrionoidea |
| Family: | Protoneuridae Tillyard, 1917 [1] |
| Genera | |
See text | |
The Protoneuridae are a family of damselflies. Most species are commonly known as threadtails, while others are commonly known as bambootails.
These are usually small-sized damselflies and their wings are narrow and mostly transparent, with simple venation. The males tend to be colourful and many have a red, orange, yellow or blue thorax and a black abdomen. Others have a black thorax and brightly coloured abdomen and others are entirely dark. Their usual habitats are the verges of rivers and streams and the margins of large lakes. [2]
Now Pseudostigmatidae and New World Protoneuridae are sunk in Coenagrionidae and Old World Protoneuridae in Platycnemididae. [3]
The family contains the following genera : [4] [5]
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 insect family Macromiidae contains the dragonfly species known as cruisers or skimmers. They tend to fly over bodies of water straight down the middle. They are similar to Aeshnidae in size, but the eyes are green and just barely meet at the top of the head.
Argia is a genus of damselflies of the family Coenagrionidae and of the subfamily Argiinae. It is a diverse genus which contains about 114 species and many more to be described. It is also the largest genus in Argiinae. They are found in the Western Hemisphere. They are commonly known as dancers. Although the genus name comes from Ancient Greek: ἀργία, romanized: argia, lit. 'laziness', dancers are quite active and alert damselflies. The bluer Argia species may be confused with Enallagma species.
The Gomphidae are a family of dragonflies commonly referred to as clubtails or club-tailed dragonflies. The family contains about 90 genera and 900 species found across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa. The name refers to the club-like widening of the end of the abdomen. However, this club is usually less pronounced in females and is entirely absent in some species.
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.
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.
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.
Neoneura is a genus of damselfly in the threadtail family Coenagrionidae. They are found in the Neotropics, from Cuba and Texas to Argentina.
Palaemnema is a genus of dragonflies in the family Platystictidae. They are commonly known as shadowdamsels and are found in the New World, from Arizona to Peru and French Guiana.
Prodasineura, the Asian threadtails, is a genus of damselflies in the family Platycnemididae. 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.
Idionyx is a genus of dragonflies in the family Synthemistidae, which is earlier treated as a subfamily of Corduliidae. According to World Odonata List, this genera is best considered incertae sedis.
The Synlestidae are a family of damselflies commonly known as sylphs or malachites. They occur in South Africa, Australia, and South America.
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.
The Lestoideidae are a family of damselflies occurring in South-east Asia, New Guinea and Australia. The family comprises two genera and nine species.
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.
Telephlebiidae is a family of dragonflies endemic to eastern and south-western Australia. They are medium-sized to very large dragonflies, generally found around streams.
Cordulephyidae is a small family of dragonflies occurring in Africa and Australia. Members of Cordulephyidae can be small to tiny, black and yellow dragonflies.
Lindeniidae is a family of dragonflies occurring in Australia.
Gomphomacromiidae is a family of dragonflies occurring in Chile and Australia, which until recently was considered to be part of the Corduliidae family.
