Odonata is an order of predatory flying insects that includes the dragonflies and damselflies. The two groups are distinguished with dragonflies usually being bulkier with large compound eyes together and wings spread up or out at rest, while damselflies are usually more slender with eyes placed apart and wings folded together along body at rest. Adult odonates can land, but rarely walk.
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. Damselflies have existed since the Jurassic, and are found on every continent except Antarctica.
The Lestidae are a rather small family of cosmopolitan, large-sized, slender damselflies, known commonly as the spreadwings or spread-winged damselflies.
A rheophile is an animal that prefers to live in fast-moving water.
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.
Chalcostephia is a monotypic genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae containing the single species Chalcostephia flavifrons. It is known by the common names yellowface and inspector. It is native to central Africa, where it has a widespread distribution. This dragonfly lives in swampy habitats. It is affected by the drainage and reclamation of swamps for agriculture, but it is not considered to be threatened.
Chlorolestes is a genus of damselflies in the family Synlestidae. They are commonly known as Malachites.
Ecchlorolestes nylephtha is a species of damselfly in the family Synlestidae known commonly as the queen malachite. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is known only from the Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces.
Elattoneura, the African threadtails, is a genus of damselflies in the family Platycnemididae. They were formerly placed in genus Prodasineura, but form a distinct clade. The adults are smallish and delicately built damselflies, and their males have very wide heads. The adults are typically found in sheltered locations beside or over running water, though a few prefer calmer water with much detritus. There appears to be two groups with differing habitat preferences. Those with pruinose faces and mostly blue eyes occupy watercourses in open terrain, while those with black or brightly coloured faces are found along forested streams.
Lestes is a genus of damselfly in the family Lestidae. The family hold their wings at about 45 degrees to the body when resting. This distinguishes them from most other species of damselflies which hold the wings along, and parallel to, the body when at rest.
Olpogastra lugubris, the slender bottletail, is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae; it is the only species in its genus.
Platycypha is a genus of African damselflies in the jewel damselfly family (Chlorocyphidae).
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.
Trithemis is a genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae. They are commonly known as dropwings. There are over 40 species, mainly from Africa; two are endemic to Madagascar, and five can be found in Asia. They are found in a wide variety of habitats; some species being adapted to permanent streams in forests, and others being capable of breeding in temporary pools in deserts.
Lestes sponsa is a damselfly with a wide Palaearctic distribution. It is known commonly as the emerald damselfly or common spreadwing. Both males and females have a metallic green colour and brown wing spots. It resides near pools with aquatic plants. When resting its wings are usually half opened.
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.
Chalcolestes viridis, formerly Lestes viridis, is a damselfly of the family Lestidae. It has a metallic green body and at rest it holds its wings away from its body. Its common name is the willow emerald damselfly, the green emerald damselfly, or the western willow spreadwing. It has an elongated abdomen and pale brown spots on its wings and resides in areas of still water with overhanging trees.
Anishus Angusta, Spesbona is a species of damselfly in the family Platycnemididae. The species was moved from the genus Metacnemis in 2013.
Zosteraeschna is the scientific name of a genus of dragonflies from the family Aeshnidae. These relatively large dragonflies are also known as hawkers. They are dark brown with yellow-green markings; On the abdomens of the males, much of the top of S2 and base of S3 are blue.
