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 beginning about 299 million years ago, and are found on every continent except Antarctica.
Enallagma cyathigerum is a species found mainly between latitudes 40°N and 72°N; It is widely distributed in the Palearctic, and the Nearctic species Enallagma annexum was at one time considered to be synonymous with it. The species can reach a length of 32 to 35 mm. It is common in many different countries including Russia, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the United States of America, and South Korea. Damselflies are an important link between the health of the aquatic ecosystem and its response to climate change.
The blue-tailed damselfly or common bluetail is a damselfly, belonging to the family Coenagrionidae.
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 Calopterygidae are a family of damselflies, in the suborder Zygoptera. They are commonly known as the broad-winged damselflies, demoiselles, or jewelwings. These rather large damselflies have wingspans of 50–80 mm, are often metallic-coloured, and can be differentiated from other damselflies by the broader connection between the wings and the body, as opposed to the abrupt narrowing seen in other damselfly families. The family contains some 150 species.
Ischnura senegalensis, also known variously as common bluetail, marsh bluetail, ubiquitous bluetail, African bluetail, and Senegal golden dartlet, is a widespread damselfly of the family Coenagrionidae. It is native from Africa, through the Middle East, to southern and eastern Asia.
Ischnura aurora, the gossamer damselfy or golden dartlet and also known as the aurora bluetail, is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae.
Ictinogomphus is a genus of dragonflies in either the family Gomphidae or Lindeniidae. They are medium to large, yellow and black with clear wings. Species occur in Africa, Asia and Australia.
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.
Thaumatoneura inopinata is a species of damselfly, sometimes called the cascade damselfly or giant waterfall damsel, and the only member of the genus Thaumatoneura. It is unusual in flying among the falling water and spray from waterfalls in moist tropical or subtropical forests in Costa Rica.
The blue riverdamsel, Pseudagrion microcephalum is a common species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is also known as the blue sprite and blue grass dart.
Arigomphus is a genus of dragonflies of the Gomphidae family. This group is commonly called the pond clubtails. The species are fairly plain and only the males have the club-shaped abdomen. Unlike other gomphids, they may emerge from artificial ponds.
Eastern forktail is a member of the damselfly family Coenagrionidae.
Aeshna canadensis, commonly known as the Canada darner, is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. It is common throughout southern Canada and the northern United States.
Diplacodes trivialis is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae known as the chalky percher or ground skimmer. It is found in China, Japan, India and southwards to New Guinea and Australia.
Agriocnemis pygmaea is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is also known as wandering midget, pygmy dartlet or wandering wisp. It is well distributed across Asia and parts of Australia.
Zyxomma petiolatum, known by the common names long-tailed duskdarter, brown dusk hawk and dingy duskflyer, is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It is widespread in many Asian countries, New Guinea, northern Australia and islands in the Pacific.
The blue corporal, also known as little corporal, is a dragonfly in the Libellulidae, or skimmer family. First described as Libellula deplanata by Jules Pierre Rambur in 1842, it is common across much of the eastern United States.
Platylestes platystylus or Green-eyed Spreadwing is a damselfly species in the family Lestidae. Although this species appears to be widespread, there are very few recent records. This species is known from old records from West Bengal in India, Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. There are recent records from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Kerala, South India.
