A dragonfly is an insect belonging to the order Odonata, infraorder Anisoptera (from Greek ἄνισος "anisos", "unequal" and πτερόν "pteron", "wing", because the hindwing is broader than the forewing). Adult dragonflies are characterized by large, multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong, transparent wings, sometimes with coloured patches, and an elongated body. Dragonflies can be mistaken for the related group, damselflies (Zygoptera), which are similar in structure, though usually lighter in build; however, the wings of most dragonflies are held flat and away from the body, while damselflies hold the wings folded at rest, along or above the abdomen. Dragonflies are agile fliers, while damselflies have a weaker, fluttery flight.
Introduction
Dragonfly
Dragonfly | Introduction
It is an insect belonging to the order Odonata, infraorder Anisoptera. It is an insect belonging to the order Odonata, infraorder Anisoptera Most of a dragonfly's life is spent as a nymph. The larval stage of dragonflies lasts up to five years in large species, and between two months and three years in smaller species. When the naiad is ready to metamorphose into an adult, it stops feeding and makes its way to the surface, generally at night. The adult dragonfly crawls out of its larval skin. A dragonfly is an insect belonging to the order Odonata, infraorder Anisoptera
what are the life stages of a dragonfly
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Dragonflies are hemimetabolous insects; they do not have a pupal stage and undergo an incomplete metamorphosis with a series of nymphal stages from which the adult emerges.
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Dragonflies are hemimetabolous insects; they do not have a pupal stage and undergo an incomplete metamorphosis with a series of nymphal stages from which the adult emerges. Eggs laid inside plant tissues are usually shaped like grains of rice, while other eggs are the size of a pinhead, ellipsoidal, or nearly spherical. A clutch may have as many as 1500 eggs, and they take about a week to hatch into aquatic nymphs or naiads which moult between six and 15 times (depending on species) as they grow. Most of a dragonfly's life is spent as a nymph, beneath the water's surface.
Dragonfly | Life cycle
The nymph extends its hinged labium (a toothed mouthpart similar to a lower mandible, which is sometimes termed as a "mask" as it is normally folded and held before the face) that can extend forward and retract rapidly to capture prey such as mosquito larvae, tadpoles, and small fish. They breathe through gills in their rectum, and can rapidly propel themselves by suddenly expelling water through the anus. Some naiads, such as the later stages of "Antipodophlebia asthenes", hunt on land. The larval stage of dragonflies lasts up to five years in large species, and between two months and three years in smaller species.
Dragonfly | Life cycle
They are more sensitive than dragonfly nymphs to oxygen levels and suspended fine particulate matter, and do not bury themselves in the mud. The nymphs proceed through about a dozen moults as they grow. In the later stages, the wing pads become visible. When fully developed, the nymphs climb out of the water and take up a firm stance, the skin on the thorax splits and the adult form wriggles out. This has a soft body at first and hangs or stands on its empty larval case. It pumps haemolymph into its small limp wings, which expand to their full extent.
Damselfly | Life cycle
Several years of their lives are spent as nymphs living in fresh water; the adult stage of some dragonflies may be as long as ten weeks, but most species have an adult lifespan on the order of five weeks or less, and some last only a few days. They are fast, agile fliers, sometimes migrating across oceans, and often live near water. They have a uniquely complex mode of reproduction involving indirect insemination, delayed fertilization, and sperm competition. During mating, the male grasps the female at the back of the head, and the female curls her abdomen under her body to pick up sperm from the male's secondary genitalia at the front of his abdomen, forming the "heart" or "wheel" posture.
Dragonfly | Introduction
Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) are insects with an incomplete metamorphosis (hemimetabolous). The aquatic larva or nymph hatches from an egg, and develops through eight to seventeen instars before leaving the water and emerging as the winged adult or imago.
External morphology of Odonata | Introduction
Dragonflies (suborder Anisoptera) are heavy-bodied, strong-flying insects that hold their wings horizontally both in flight and at rest. By contrast, damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) have slender bodies and fly more weakly; most species fold their wings over the abdomen when stationary, and the eyes are well separated on the sides of the head. An adult dragonfly has three distinct segments, the head, thorax, and abdomen as in all insects. It has a chitinous exoskeleton of hard plates held together with flexible membranes. The head is large with very short antennae. It is dominated by the two compound eyes, which cover most of its surface.
Dragonfly | General description
They may be seen on the wing for several months, but this may represent a whole series of individuals, with new adults hatching out as earlier ones complete their lifespans.
Dragonfly | Life cycle
Curling back upwards, it completes its emergence, swallowing air, which plumps out its body, and pumping haemolymph into its wings, which causes them to expand to their full extent. Dragonflies in temperate areas can be categorized into two groups, an early group and a later one. In any one area, individuals of a particular "spring species" emerge within a few days of each other. The springtime darner ("Basiaeschna janata"), for example, is suddenly very common in the spring, but disappears a few weeks later and is not seen again until the following year. By contrast, a "summer species" emerges over a period of weeks or months, later in the year.
Dragonfly | Life cycle
A dragonfly is a flying insect of the order Odonata. Dragonfly or DragonFly may also refer to:
Dragonfly (disambiguation) | Introduction
A dragonfly is an insect belonging to the order Odonata, infraorder Anisoptera (from Greek ἄνισος "anisos", "unequal" and πτερόν "pteron", "wing", because the hindwing is broader than the forewing). Adult dragonflies are characterized by large, multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong, transparent wings, sometimes with coloured patches, and an elongated body. Dragonflies can be mistaken for the related group, damselflies (Zygoptera), which are similar in structure, though usually lighter in build; however, the wings of most dragonflies are held flat and away from the body, while damselflies hold the wings folded at rest, along or above the abdomen. Dragonflies are agile fliers, while damselflies have a weaker, fluttery flight.
Dragonfly | Introduction
The thorax bears two pairs of wings and three pairs of legs. The wings are long, veined, and membranous, narrower at the tip and wider at the base. The hindwings are broader than the forewings and the venation is different at the base. The veins carry haemolymph, which is analogous to blood in vertebrates and carries out many similar functions, but which also serves a hydraulic function to expand the body between nymphal stages (instars) and to expand and stiffen the wings after the adult emerges from the final nymphal stage. The leading edge of each wing has a node where other veins join the marginal vein, and the wing is able to flex at this point.
Dragonfly | General description
Many dragonflies have brilliant iridescent or metallic colours produced by structural coloration, making them conspicuous in flight. An adult dragonfly's compound eyes have nearly 24,000 ommatidia each. Fossils of very large dragonfly ancestors in the Protodonata are found from 325 million years ago (Mya) in Upper Carboniferous rocks; these had wingspans up to about . There are about 3,000 extant species. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threatens dragonfly populations around the world. Dragonflies are predators, both in their aquatic larval stage, when they are known as nymphs or naiads, and as adults.
Dragonfly | Introduction
"Hemigomphus comitatus" is a small dragonfly with black and yellow markings. Its wingspan is 50-55mm and overall length is 40-45mm. The eyes of the adult are green and do not meet at the top of the head. The head of the female has a spine from the occiput just behind the eyes. The synthorax is strongly marked with black and yellow stripes, with the humeral stripe usually being continuous. A black mark along the suture of the synthorax is usually broken above and below the metastigma. The abdomen is black with prominent yellow bands, the appendages of the male are yellow and curve inwards at the tip.
Hemigomphus comitatus | Description
Adults of these dragonflies can be found from mid April through late August. Their life cycle lasts about three years.
Onychogomphus uncatus | Biology
(2006).
List of dragonflies of Menorca | Introduction
When the naiad is ready to metamorphose into an adult, it stops feeding and makes its way to the surface, generally at night. It remains stationary with its head out of the water, while its respiration system adapts to breathing air, then climbs up a reed or other emergent plant, and moults (ecdysis). Anchoring itself firmly in a vertical position with its claws, its skin begins to split at a weak spot behind the head. The adult dragonfly crawls out of its larval skin, the exuvia, arching backwards when all but the tip of its abdomen is free, to allow its exoskeleton to harden.
Dragonfly | Life cycle
Eggs hatch within a month of being laid. Nymphs can live for three to five years, moulting as many as ten times and growing as large as five centimeters in length. Like adult dragonfly, nymphs are obviously predatory insects. Once nymphs' size bigger and bigger, they hunt tadpoles, aquatic insects and small fish. The adult dragonfly mate and lay eggs within one to two months of metamorphosis. After mating, females head toward small creeks or ponds, not fast-moving rivers or lakes, to lay eggs. They will sometimes fly perpendicularly to the water, laying their eggs in mud or sand under the surface.
Anotogaster sieboldii | Life cycle
This dragonfly is 24 to 34 millimeters long, with a hindwing 25 to 30 millimeters long. It can be identified by the brown spots at the bases and tips of the wings. The pterostigma is yellow in younger individuals, and red in older. The face is yellow, turning red in older male specimens. The thorax is yellow-brown with a large dark stripe and several smaller brown stripes. The abdomen is dark with paler markings.
Celithemis elisa | Description
A large dragonfly (length 61–64 mm; wingspan 87–91 mm). The eyes are green and the face deep yellow to greenish yellow; the upper frons has a central black spot within a yellow ring. The thorax is brown with green stripes, and the abdomen green with brown markings. The wings are slightly smoky with brown and yellow veins and reddish-brown to yellow-brown pterostigmata.
Pinheyschna subpupillata | Description
"Crocothemis erythraea" can reach a length of . These dragonflies haves a flattened and rather broad abdomen. The adult male scarlet dragonfly has a bright scarlet red, widened abdomen, with small amber patches at the bases of the hindwings. Also the veins on the leading edges of the wings are red. Females and immatures are yellow-brown and have a conspicuous pale stripe along the top of the thorax.
Scarlet dragonfly | Description
The forewing is usually more slender and slightly longer than the hindwing. Unlike the true dragonflies, the Odonata, they had no pterostigma, and a somewhat simpler pattern of veins in the wings. Most specimens are known from wing fragments only; with only a few as complete wings, and even fewer (of the family Meganeuridae) with body impressions. These show a globose head with large dentate mandibles, strong spiny legs, a large thorax, and long and slender dragonfly-like abdomen. Like true dragonflies, they were presumably predators. A few nymphs are also known, and show mouthparts similar to those of modern dragonfly nymphs, suggesting that they were also active aquatic predators.
Meganisoptera | Introduction
Like other species in the order of Lepidoptera, the question mark is an insect that undergoes four life stages, also known as holometabolis or complete metamorphosis. These four life stages are embryo (ova or egg), larva (in this case, caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and imago, (or adult/ butterfly).
Polygonia interrogationis | Lifecycle
Dragonflies and damselflies are predatory both in the aquatic nymphal and adult stages. Nymphs feed on a range of freshwater invertebrates and larger ones can prey on tadpoles and small fish. Adults capture insect prey in the air, making use of their acute vision and highly controlled flight. The mating system of dragonflies is complex and they are among the few insect groups that have a system of indirect sperm transfer along with sperm storage, delayed fertilization, and sperm competition. Adult males vigorously defend territories near water; these areas provide suitable habitat for the larvae to develop, and for females to lay their eggs.
Dragonfly | Ecology
Hemigomphus is a genus of dragonflies in the family Gomphidae, endemic to Australia. The species are small with black and yellow markings. They are commonly known as vicetails.
Hemigomphus | Introduction
It is a medium sized dragonfly with red eyes, thorax and abdomen. But young males and females have a mid-dorsal citron-yellow stripe in the pro-thorax and a citron-yellow stripe on mid-dorsum of the abdominal segments. These marks get obscured by pruinescence in adult males. Color of female is brown. It breeds in open ponds, marshes and lakes.
Rhodothemis rufa | Description and habitat
Dromogomphus is a genus of dragonflies in the family Gomphidae. They are commonly known as Spinylegs from the spines on their legs that help in the capture of prey.
Dromogomphus | Introduction
Damselflies are hemimetabolous insects that have no pupal stage in their development. The female inserts the eggs by means of her ovipositor into slits made in water plants or other underwater substrates and the larvae, known as naiads or nymphs, are almost all completely aquatic. Exceptions include the Hawaiian "Mealagrion oahuense" and an unidentified Megapodagrionid from New Caledonia, which are terrestrial in their early stages. The spreadwings lay eggs above the waterline late in the year and the eggs overwinter, often covered by snow. In spring they hatch out in the meltwater pools and the nymphs complete their development before these temporary pools dry up.
Damselfly | Life cycle
It is a medium sized dragonfly with thorax black on dorsum, and yellow on the sides. There is a slightly oblique ante-humeral stripe and two narrow parallel black stripes on the sutures enclosing an equally narrow yellow line. Abdomen is black, marked with yellow. Segment 1 has a large spot on the dorsum and the sides. Segment 2 has a mid-dorsal spot. Segment 3 to 7 have basal rings, narrow on 3 to 6, occupying the basal half on segment 7. Segment 8 to 10 are unmarked. Anal appendages are yellow, black on the base. This species is found in banks of montane forest streams where it breeds.
Davidioides martini | Description and habitat
Like other dragonflies, both larvae and adults feed on smaller insects and other invertebrates. Adults are active in the day from June to October, and the species overwinters as a larvae.
Somatochlora incurvata | Life History
In most large species of dragonflies, the wings of females are shorter and broader than those of males. The legs are rarely used for walking, but are used to catch and hold prey, for perching, and for climbing on plants. Each has two short basal joints, two long joints, and a three-jointed foot, armed with a pair of claws. The long leg joints bear rows of spines, and in males, one row of spines on each front leg is modified to form an "eyebrush", for cleaning the surface of the compound eye.
Dragonfly | General description
The hairy dragonfly's flight period is short and early, beginning in mid-May and ending in mid-July. Dead vegetation and living stems growing in the water, close to the water's edge, provide a home for the eggs. Two years later, larvae emerge by scaling plant stems just above the surface of the water or possibly crawling inland for about a meter where they have room to spread their wings.
Hairy dragonfly | Life stages
The wings vary in size, shape, width and coloration. The clear uncoloured apices of wings will help to distinguish it from other red Asian dragonflies.
Neurothemis fulvia | Description
When they first emerge, both sexes appear pale green with brown markings. The legs are brown with a yellow like base. Wings are born black but grow yellow-brown with age. Males have a sky blue abdomen marked with a diagnostic black dorsal stripe and an apple green thorax. The thorax and head of a male is green and their prominent eyes are blue. Females have similar markings but they are mainly green.
Emperor (dragonfly) | Identification
It is a small dragonfly with yellow face and bluish green eyes. Its thorax and abdomen are yellow with broad black marks. Its wings are transparent, with fore-wings faintly and hind-wings broadly tinted with yellow in base. Females are similar to males. It breeds in vegetated ponds and wells. Female stabs eggs on dry twigs hanging over water. The eggs hatch out in rains and the larvae fall directly into the water below.
Tetrathemis platyptera | Description and habitat
Adult dragonflies from the genus "Petalura" are commonly known as 'petaltails' because of the male's anal appendages, which can vary in color. Adults of this species live near streams and rivers, and are semiaquatic, living quite like their larvae. They are also nocturnal predators, although they tend to feed off of larger larvae, ones with extended phases, and larger sized bugs than that of what their larvae eat. Adults mate on vegetation, then the females lay their egg larvae in old plant matter. Adults live for 4–6 months. Species of the genus "Petalura" tend to be univoltine while many other species may take a few years to complete their life cycles.
Petalura hesperia | Adults
Members of this genus are medium-sized dragonflies with dark bodies and a metallic green lustre. The eyes are brilliant green, and many species have dull to bright yellow markings on the thorax and/or abdomen. The abdomens of males are distinctive, with the first two segments bulbous-shaped, the third constricted, and the rest of the abdomen club-shaped with a straight ending. Females have abdomens with straighter sides. Identifying these dragonflies to species can be difficult. The cerci of males, on the tip of the abdomen, are distinctively shaped in each species, as are the subgenital plates on female abdomens. In some species, the subgenital plate is large and projecting, and is used as a "pseudo-ovipositor" for inserting eggs into a substrate.
Somatochlora | Description
It is a large dragonfly with bottle-green eyes. Its thorax is black; marked with bright greenish-yellow stripes. Abdomen is black, marked with bright citron-yellow. Segment 1 has a small apical dorsal triangle and the whole of the sides. Segment 2 has a dorsal and a lateral stripe, broad at the base. Segment 3 has a dorsal stripe and a lateral wedge-shaped spot at the base. Segments 4 and 5 have a chain of three dorsal spots. Segment 6 has a single baso-dorsal spo. Segment 7 has more than the basal half yellow. Segments 8 and 9 have small lateral basal triangular spots.
Megalogomphus hannyngtoni | Description and habitat
The female lays the eggs in shallow water. The hairy larvae live at the bottom of the water and are well camouflaged amongst the silt. They emerge after about 2–5 years, and usually under the cover of darkness.
Golden-ringed dragonfly | Larvae
It is a dragonfly of wet forests, usually perches on fallen logs and shrubs. A large number of them can be found together in canopy gaps and forest edges. It breeds in marshes associated with forest streams, marshes and ponds.
Neurothemis fulvia | Distribution and Habitat
"Diplacodes bipunctata" is a small to medium-sized dragonfly with a wingspan of about 55 millimeters. The wings are colorless except for a yellowish spot at the base of the hindwing. The male has a bright orange or red abdomen with dark markings along the dorsal line and sides, and the female is yellowish with similar markings. There are two dark spots at the side of the synthorax, one of which is the metastigma.
Diplacodes bipunctata | Description
It is a dragonfly of medium size, coloured metallic green, sparingly marked with yellow. Its labium and labrum are bright yellow. Its lower part of frons and its sides are brighter yellow, changing to bright orange above and then brilliant metallic emerald-green. Its eyes are emerald-green when aged. Its pro-thorax is dark brown with a mid-dorsal yellow spot and thorax is dark metallic green, marked with yellow on the sides only. Its wings are hyaline with pterostigma dark brown. Its abdomen is glossy black with a metallic dark green reflex on dorsum, especially of the proximal segments, and marked laterally in bright ochreous color.
Hemicordulia asiatica | Description and habitat
It is a yellowish red dragonfly with reddish brown eyes. It has a broad basal amber-yellow marking at base of all wings. Its abdomen is reddish with a ventro-lateral brownish stripe interrupted at apical end of segments 3 to 8. Young males and females are more yellowish red. It is more common at sea level all along the coast but becoming rare in the hills.
Neurothemis intermedia | Description and habitat
"Diplacodes nebulosa" is a very small and slender dragonfly. Males have a black abdomen and black wing tips; females are yellow and black, and their wings can be hyaline, or with an orange base, or, like the male, have black tips. It prefers marshes and heavily weeded ponds.
Diplacodes nebulosa | Description and habitat
The species name "atratus" is a Latin word meaning clothed in black. named this species of dragonfly after its blackish brown abdomen.
Hemigomphus atratus | Etymology
It is a medium sized dragonfly with bottle-green eyes. Its thorax is black on dorsum, and greenish-yellow on sides. There is a complete yellow meso-thoracic collar and short yellow ante-humeral stripes parallel to the mid-dorsal carina. Abdomen is black, marked with pale greenish-yellow. There is a narrow mid-dorsal stripe extending from segment 1 to 5. There is a large lateral spot on segment 1 and 2 and small baso-lateral spots on 3 to 6. Segment 7 has a ring on its basal third and a dorsal spot on segment 8. Remaining segments are entirely black. Superior anal appendages are black at base, pale green to yellow at the apices.
Heliogomphus promelas | Description and habitat
The adults of "Onychogomphus forcipatus" grow up to long, with a wingspan of . The eyes of these medium sized dragonflies are widely separated and grey-to-green. The two black lines on the side of the thorax are relatively narrow and touch the midline. It has a yellow line on the vertex and two cells above the anal triangle. The abdomen in males is fitted with three hooks of large size (anal appendages). Cercoids may be dark and have a subterminal tooth. The base of the hindwing is angled in males and rounded in females. This species is rather similar to "Onychogomphus uncatus".
Onychogomphus forcipatus | Description
It is a medium-sized dragonfly with brown capped eyes, greenish brown thorax and bluish abdomen. Female lacks the powder blue pruinescence. It prefers medium to slow-flowing streams in the dry zones and hot plains. Adults are common around open rocky and sandy beds of the streams.
Orthetrum taeniolatum | Description and habitat
It is a small dragonfly with emerald-green eyes. Its thorax is metallic green with a golden reflex. There is a vestigial humeral yellow stripe, laterally a narrow oblique yellow stripe traversing the spiracle and another stripe on the lower border of metepimeron. Wings are transparent, tinted with pale golden-yellow at base. Abdoemen is black. Segments 2 and 3 are narrowly yellow along the ventral border. Segment 10 prominently keeled. Anal appendages are black. The species is a small one and varies from others by the male, as well as by the female, having the wings tinted with golden-yellow along the costa nearly to the pterostigma.
Idionyx corona | Description
It is a medium-sized dragonfly with red eyes. thorax and abdomen. Its wings are transparent with a amber colored spot surrounded by a dark-brown patch in the base of hind-wings. Its abdomen is blood-red, with some black marking on the dorsum of segments 8 and 9. Female is similar to the male; but yellowish in color. The black spots on the dorsum is repeated on segments 3 to 7. Juvenile and sub-adult males also have these marks. This species breeds in ponds and slow flowing rivers, typically in lowland areas. The males often found perch on exposed twigs. This species has managed to colonise urban water bodies and park ponds.
Urothemis signata | Description and habitat
The nymphs are voracious predators and feed by means of a flat labium (a toothed mouthpart on the lower jaw) that forms the so-called mask; it is rapidly extended to seize and pierce the "Daphnia" (water fleas), mosquito larvae, and other small aquatic organisms on which damselfly nymphs feed. They breathe by means of three large external, fin-like gills on the tip of the abdomen, and these may also serve for locomotion in the same manner as a fish's tail. Compared to dragonfly larvae, the nymphs show little variation in form. They tend to be slender and elongate, many having morphological adaptations for holding their position in fast flowing water.
Damselfly | Life cycle
The imago (adult stage) has a large head, well-developed, compound eyes, legs that facilitate catching prey (largely other insects) in flight, two pairs of long, transparent wings that move independently, and an elongated abdomen. Many Odonata are relatively large insects, but wingspans range from 17 mm (some "Agriocnemis" damselflies) to 191 mm (helicopter damselfly "Megaloprepus coerulatus". The largest dragonflies have a wingspan of up to 160 mm, but they are much more massive than any damselfly.
External morphology of Odonata | Imago
Family Calopterygidae (demoiselles) Family Lestidae (emerald damselflies or spreadwings) Family Coenagrionidae (blue, blue-tailed and red damselflies)
List of dragonflies of Menorca | Suborder <a href="Damselfly">Zygoptera (damselflies)</a>
It is a large reddish-brown dragonfly with golden-amber tinted wings. Eyes are reddish-brown above, yellowish below. Its thorax is ohvaceous suffused with golden reddish-brown, Its base of hind-wings have a moderately broad dark reddish-brown mark. Abdomen is olivaceous, changing to ochreous towards anal end, marked with black. Segments 4 to 9 have apical and basal dorsal black wedge-shaped spots. It breeds in weedy ponds and lakes. The male is often seen patrolling over water, and rarely perches. When perched, they prefer to hang vertically on twigs inside dense shrubbery.
Hydrobasileus croceus | Description and habitat
It is a medium sized dragonfly with bluish-green eyes. Its thorax is black, marked with pale blue. There are two fine mid-dorsal stripes and a humeral stripe broadening below. Laterally blue, with a rather broad black stripe which bifurcates below to form an inverted Y. Abdomen is slim, black, marked with pale blue. There is a large lateral spot and a triangular apical mid-dorsal spot on segment 1. There is a fine mid-dorsal stripe, a large subdorsal apical spot and a large ventro-lateral spot on segment 2. Segments 3 to 6 have lateral stripes. Segment 7 has a large dorsal spot on the basal three-fourths.
Hylaeothemis apicalis | Description and habitat
Hemigomphus theischingeri is a species of dragonfly of the family Gomphidae, known as the rainforest vicetail. It is a small, black and yellow dragonfly, endemic to northern Queensland, Australia, where it inhabits rainforest streams.
Hemigomphus theischingeri | Introduction
The Odonata are an order of flying insects that includes the dragonflies and damselflies. Like most other flying insects (flies, beetles, Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera), they evolved in the early Mesozoic era. Their prototypes, the giant dragonflies of the Carboniferous, 325 mya, are no longer placed in the Odonata but included in the Protodonata or Meganisoptera. The two common groups are easily distinguished: All Odonata have aquatic larvae called 'nymphs', and all of them, larvae and adults, are carnivorous. The adults can land, but rarely walk. Their legs are specialised for catching prey. They are almost entirely insectivorous.
Odonata | Introduction
It is a large dragonfly characterized by its homogeneous colouring of dull browns and greens, by its long and thin anal appendages, and by its crepuscular habits. Its principal food appears to be mosquitoes and microlepidoptera. During the day it rests in dark thickets. Fully matured specimens have bright colours; blues and greens developing very late in life. Young specimens have brown color with some dark shades. Females are exactly similar to the males in colors and markings. It is very closely related to "G. subinterrupta" and it is difficult to distinguish them. But the relative lengths of the superior and inferior anal appendages are different.
Gynacantha dravida | Description and habitat
This dragonfly is found at shaded pools, such as those found in gallery forest.
Tetrathemis polleni | Habitat
It is a small dragonfly with eyes dark brown above, violaceous below. Its prothorax, thorax, abdomen, and legs are entirely black in full adults; but in sub-adults, some yellow marks on sides of thorax and yellow spots on segments 4 to 8 in abdomen. This species is found on open waste lands and freshwater habitats.
Diplacodes lefebvrii | Description and habitat
The females cannot yet be told apart. The length of this dragonfly is from and the span of the hindwings is .
Brachythemis impartita | Description
It is a large dragonfly with its head rather broad from side to side and eyes are moderately separated with emerald green colour. Its thorax is black with three oblique bright yellow stripes. Its wings are transparent with dark brown apices and black pterostigma. Abdomen is black with yellow markings. The colour and markings of the female is very similar to the male. It is commonly found in mountains in the Western Ghats, soaring in high altitudes. The species is named after .
Chlorogomphus campioni | Description and habitat
The body is long and slender and the two pairs of long, membranous wings are prominently veined. Females have a large and sturdy ovipositor which is used to deposit eggs in some concealed location. They are holometabolous insects with a four-stage life cycle consisting of eggs, larvae, pupae and adults. In most species, the larvae develop under the bark of trees. They may take several years before they undergo metamorphosis, requiring a period of chilling before pupation takes place. Both adults and larvae are predators of soft-bodied arthropods.
Snakefly | Introduction
The compound eyes are made up of ommatidia, the numbers being greater in the larger species. "Aeshna interrupta" has 22650 ommatidia of two varying sizes, 4500 being large. The facets facing downward tend to be smaller. "Petalura gigantea" has 23890 ommatidia of just one size. These facets provide complete vision in the frontal hemisphere of the dragonfly. The compound eyes meet at the top of the head (except in the Petaluridae and Gomphidae, as also in the genus "Epiophlebia"). Also, they have three simple eyes or ocelli. The mouthparts are adapted for biting with a toothed jaw; the flap-like labrum, at the front of the mouth, can be shot rapidly forward to catch prey.
Dragonfly | General description
Dragonflies, including Plathemis lydia, spend most of their life cycle as aquatic larvae or nymphs, during which there is up to a 99.9% mortality rate. The two most common sources of mortality during the aquatic stage of life are predation and desiccation. Plathemis lydia then enter the adult stage of life, which only lasts a few weeks. During the adult stage of life, Plathemis lydia mate and select suitable sites to deposit their eggs.
Common whitetail | Life cycle
It is a medium sized dragonfly with yellowish white face and blue eyes. Its thorax is yellowish green with some brown stripes. Its wings are transparent, including the base. Its abdomen is pruinosed with azure blue up to the last segments. In old adults, thorax will also get pruinosed, obscuring whole the marks. Females and young males are yellowish green. They breed in marshes and swampy areas in the plains.
Orthetrum luzonicum | Description and habitat
A wide range of both running and standing waters, except those that are shaded. Adults may be found some distance from water in habitats ranging from desert to open woodland; absent from dense forest.
Scarlet dragonfly | Habitat
Proterogomphidae is a dragonfly family from the Cretaceous.
Proterogomphidae | Introduction
It is a medium sized dragonfly with emerald-green eyes. Its thorax is dark green metallic on dorsum, dark reddish-brown at sides, marked with citron-yellow. There is humeral stripe, an oblique narrow stripe on mesepimeron, and another stripe on the posterior border of metepimeron. Abdomen is black, marked with citron-yellow. Segment 2 has a pair of mid-dorsal diamond-shaped spots narrowly separated in the middle. The ventral border of this segment is broadly yellow at base. Segment 3 has a pair of mid-dorsal triangular spots at the basal side of jugal suture and a large triangular spot on each side at base.
Macromia irata | Description and habitat
Immature insects that go through incomplete metamorphosis are called nymphs or in the case of dragonflies and damselflies, also naiads. Nymphs are similar in form to the adult except for the presence of wings, which are not developed until adulthood. With each molt, nymphs grow larger and become more similar in appearance to adult insects.
Insect | Incomplete metamorphosis
It is a small dragonfly with brown capped greenish eyes. Its thorax is greenish yellow and hind-wings usually tinted with yellow from the base. Pterostigma is black in adults bi-colored in juveniles and sub-adults as in females. Its abdomen is pruinosed with light blue, leaving segments 1-3 as yellow. Sub-adult males and females are yellow. The pterostigma of the female are bi-colored with half black and half yellow. It breeds in marshy areas and small pools in the hills.
Palpopleura sexmaculata | Description and habitat
It is a small dragonfly with emerald-green eyes. thorax metallic green. There is no humeral stripe. Laterally There is a narrow oblique stripe at the level of the spiracle and another on the hinder border of metepimeron. Beneath the side is black, bordered with yellow, and with a stripe of paler yellow at its middle. Abdomen is black. In segment 2, the ventral border and a narrow apical stripe in yellow. Segment 10 has a broad carina; but without a dorsal spine. Anal appendages are black. The male can be easily distinguished by the shape of its inferior anal appendage and the female by its safironated wings and conical vesicle.
Idionyx travancorensis | Description and habitat
It is a medium-sized dragonfly with black thorax, marked with yellow. Its wings have a saffron tint, golden yellow at the bases. Abdomen is black, marked with yellow. Segment 1 has a triangular dorsal spot and a large spot on each side. Segment 2 has a mid-dorsal stripe and two spots on each side. Segments 3 to 6 have a pair of sub-dorsal basal spots. Segment 7 is with the basal half yellow with a black dorsal carina and a basal black ring. Segment 8 has a sub-basal spot on each side. Segment 9 has a similar but much smaller spot.
Acrogomphus fraseri | Description and habitat
It is a large dragonfly with greenish-yellow eyes. Its thorax is olivaceous-brown, paler on sides. Wings are transparent with an amber-yellow patch. Abdomen is ochreous, marked with azure-blue and reddish-brown. Segment 2 is blue on dorsum and pale green on the sides. Segments 3 to 7 are olivaceous-yellow with irregular reddish-brown stripes on mid-dorsum and narrow black apical annules. There is a broad mid-dorsal blackish-brown stripe on segments 8 and 9, enclosing a pair of triangular yellow apical spots. Segment 10 is bright yellow, with its base and mid-dorsum broadly black. Female is similar to the male. Its natural habitats are shrub-dominated wetlands, swamps, freshwater lakes, intermittent freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, and freshwater springs.
Anax ephippiger | Description and habitat
In their nymphal state, they are preyed on by dragonfly nymphs which attack them in their burrows. Mayfly nymphs do not normally emerge from these tunnels until they are fully developed, at which time they swim to the surface, their skins split, and they emerge as subimagos and fly off. At this time they are very attractive to predators and are eaten by various species of fish, by dragonflies, and by birds.
Hexagenia limbata | Ecology
It is a medium sized dragonfly with bottle-green eyes. Its thorax is black on dorsum, marked with yellow. There is a mesothoracic collar, oblique antehumeral stripes joined to the mesothoracic collar, and complete humeral stripes. Laterally yellow, with two black lines mapping out the sutures. The humeral stripes tapering to a point below, and black lines on lateral sutures rather thicker. Segment 1 of the abdomen is black, with a large lateral yellow spot. Segment 2 has a narrow basal black ring and broad sub-basal black stripes. Segments 3 to 6 have yellow basal rings and median dorsal spots. Segment 7 has its basal half yellow.
Nychogomphus striatus | Description and habitat
Leptogomphus yayeyamensis is a species of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae. It is endemic to Japan.
Leptogomphus yayeyamensis | Introduction
Hemicordulia novaehollandiae is not formally recognized as a species of dragonfly by collections in Australia. It was originally described as being in the family Corduliidae from Nouvelle-Hollande (Australia) in 1871 by Edmond de Sélys-Longchamps, and the location of the holotype is unknown.
Hemicordulia novaehollandiae | Introduction
Anotogaster sieboldii, as known as golden-ringed dragonfly, jumbo dragonfly, Siebold's dragonfly or in Japanese, 無霸勾蜓 in Chinese and 장수잠자리("jang-su-jamjari", means 'General Dragonfly') in Korean is the largest species of dragonfly native to Eastern Asia, especially Japan, Taiwan, China, Korean Peninsula. It can grow between 95 and 100 mm in length.
Anotogaster sieboldii | Introduction
It is a medium sized dragonfly with black thorax, marked with greenish-yellow. There is a sinuous dorsal stripe which is formed by the union of an ante-humeral with a humeral stripe. Sides of the thorax are yellow, marked with a narrow, black stripe on the postero-lateral suture and on the lower half of the anterior suture. Wings are transparent, slightly tinted with saffron at bases. Abdomen is black, marked with yellow. Segment 1 has a triangular mark on dorsum at apex and a broad baso-lateral spot. Segment 2 has a dorsal stripe and a very broad spot on sides. Segment 3 to 8 have narrow basal rings.
Burmagomphus pyramidalis | Description and habitat
It is a medium-sized rusty dragonfly with transparent wing tips. Male has a reddish-brown face with eyes which are dark reddish brown above, golden brown below. Thorax, abdomen and legs are reddish brown. Wings are dark reddish brown with an irregular triangular transparent area at the tip of the wing. The wing spots are dark reddish brown. Many forms of females are found. Color of head, thorax and abdomen paler than males or rusty brown. Wings are clear amber yellow with a dark ray extending to the tip in fore wing. Many of them have an irregular triangular transparent area at the tip of the wing.
Neurothemis fulvia | Description
It is a large dragonfly with bottle-green eyes. Its thorax black, marked with yellow. There are two broad and oval greenish-yellow dorsal stripes, pointed below and not nearly meeting the meso-thoracic collar. There are two broad yellow stripes separated by a broad black stripe on each side. Abdomen is black, marked with yellow. Segment 1 has a fine apical dorsal ring. Segment 2 has a small oval dorsal spot on the basal two-thirds. Segment 3 to 6 have dorsal basal spots. Segment 7 has the basal half yellow. Segment 8 has a long transverse basal spot. Segment 9 is unmarked.
Gomphidia kodaguensis | Description and habitat
Although generally fairly similar, dragonflies differ from damselflies in several, easily recognizable traits. Dragonflies are strong fliers with fairly robust bodies and they have wings that are broad near the base; at rest the wings are held out to the side. Damselflies tend to be less robust, and appear weaker in flight; their wings are narrow near the base and (in most species) held folded back over the abdomen when perched. Dragonfly eyes occupy much of the animal's head, touching (or nearly touching) each other across the face. In damselflies, there is typically a gap in between the eyes.
External morphology of Odonata | Differences between dragonflies and damselflies
It is a medium-sized dragonfly with bottle-green eyes. Its thorax is black, marked with greenish-yellow ante-humeral stripes. Sides are greenish-yellow, marked with two narrow black stripes. Wings are transparent, slightly tinted with yellow at bases. Abdomen is black, marked with yellow. Segment 1 and 2 have broad dorsal stripes, and its sides. Segment 3 has a mid-dorsal carina of yellow, and a large baso-lateral spot. Segment 4 to 6 have basal dorsal triangular spots and baso-lateral lunules. Segment 7 has a broad basal ring. Segment 8 is unmarked. Segment 9 has its apical half yellow. Segment 10 is unmarked. Anal appendages are black.
Burmagomphus laidlawi | Description and habitat
Diastatomma is a genus of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae. It contains the following species:
Diastatomma | Introduction
Chlorogomphus iriomotensis is a species of dragonfly in the family Cordulegastridae. It is endemic to Japan.
Chlorogomphus iriomotensis | Introduction
It is a small metallic-green dragonfly with emerald-green eyes. Its lateral sides of the thorax and dorsal side of the abdomen have yellow stripes up to segment 6. Segment 7 has a broad "ace of clubs" like mark on dorsal side. Remaining segments are unmarked. Female is similar to the male. They are crepuscular in nature and rest in vegetation near forest streams during day.
Macromidia donaldi | Description and habitat
Epigomphus crepidus is a species of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae. It is endemic to Mexico. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Epigomphus crepidus | Introduction
It is a tiny to small, black and yellow dragonfly with a length of 25-30mm and wingspan of 40-50mm. The mostly clear wings are suffused with pale lemon. The abdomen is black with 3 to 4 yellow markings, and there is a metallic sheen on the synthorax.
Tetrathemis irregularis cladophila | Description
The aquatic nymph (larva) has a stockier, shorter, body than the adult. It lacks wings, the eyes are smaller, the antennae longer, and the head is less mobile than in the adult. The mouthparts are modified, with the labium being adapted into a unique prehensile organ for grasping prey. Damselfly nymphs breathe through external gills on the abdomen, while dragonfly nymphs respire through an organ in their rectum.
External morphology of Odonata | Nymph
The tropical unicorn darner is a large dragonfly with a body length around 80mm and wing-span of 100mm. The abdomen on segments 3 to 8 is black and reddish-brown, heavily marked with pale yellow spots or patches. The synthorax is reddish-brown with prominent yellow stripes darkly outlined. The prominent eyes are pale grey to green, meeting at the top of the head. The wings are clear and the pterostigma are yellow.
Austroaeschna speciosa | Description
It is a small black dragonfly with yellow markings. Its eyes and thorax are black. Abdomen is also black, marked with yellow spots, obscured with bluish pruinescence in full adults. Bases of wings are dark. Apices of the wings are narrowly black; but transparent in "I. l. sita". Anal appendages are dark. Female has brown eyes and yellow thorax, marked with black. The bases of wings are in amber-yellow. Abdomen is black, marked with yellow spots up to segment 8. Anal appendages are dark. It breeds in weeded ponds and lakes.
Indothemis limbata | Description and habitat
Hemistigma albipunctum, also known as the piedspot, is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae.
Hemistigma albipunctum | Introduction
"Diplacodes trivialis" is small dragonfly with bluish eyes and greenish-yellow or olivaceous thorax and abdomen with black marks. In very old adults, the whole thorax and abdomen become uniform pruinosed blue. Clear wings, without apical or basal markings, and the creamy white anal appendages and deep pruinescence in adults help to distinguish this species from others in its genus. It breeds in ponds, wet rice fields, shallow lakes, drainage ditches and similar habitats. It is one of the most common dragonflies in Asia, found in both the plains and hills and in dry and wet areas.
Diplacodes trivialis | Description and habitat
"Chalcostephia flavifrons" is a fairly small species of dragonfly, with a hind-wing length of . The mature adult male is a bluish-grey colour and pruinose (covered with a dusting of wax particles on top of the cuticle). The adult female and the newly emerged male are dark with bold yellow banding. Both males and females can be distinguished from other similar species by their yellow face contrasting with the flattened, metallic green frons (front of the head). The membranous, veined wings are transparent except for the pterostigmata, a small group of thickened cells at the leading edge of the wing-tips, which have pale centres and dark edges.
Chalcostephia | Description
Notogomphus dorsalis is a species of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae. It is found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and rivers.
Notogomphus dorsalis | Introduction
The adult then sheds this dead skin and emerges into the wild. Nymphs typically emerge into the wild during June and July. Male and female nymphs appear to progress into the adult stage in equal proportions. The following 4-6 week long adult stage consists of three sub-stages. These stages are the pre-reproductive stage, reproductive stage, and post-reproductive stage. Adults spend these stages hunting for prey, establishing territories, and reproducing. Overall, Hine’s emerald dragonflies live for 2–4 years.
Hine's emerald | Life history
It is a small dragonfly with brown-capped greenish-yellow eyes. Its thorax is blackish brown, marked with yellow. There is a broad oval antehumeral (situated in front of the fore legs) stripe and a short transverse stripe bordering it just below. Laterally there are three stripes. The wings are transparent, and palely tinted with yellow at the extreme base. The abdomen in the male is blood-red, tapered from base to end, and marked with black. Segment 1 is black, with its apical border narrowly red. Segment 2 has its base broadly black and apical border less so. Segments 3 to 8 have the borders narrowly black and the mid-dorsal carina broadly so.
Lyriothemis acigastra | Description
This is indicated by the fact that dragonflies have a different copulation organ than other insects.
Evolution of insects | Mayflies
It is a medium sized red dragonfly with extremely long anal appendages. It can be distinguished from other species of this genus by the dark-brown hind-wing patch, not surrounded by a golden yellow areola, in the base. Female is similar to male; but may be red as the male or yellowish in color. This species reproduces in open pools, ponds and in grassy marshes. Adults are often found in bushy areas and around woodlands around them. This dragonfly is commonly seen patrolling over water bodies and open space in sunny days. Pairs in copula or in tandem can also sometimes be seen flying low above water bodies.
Tramea limbata | Description and habitat
The nymphs moult repeatedly, at the last moult climbing out of the water to undergo metamorphosis. The skin splits down the back, they emerge and inflate their wings and abdomen to gain their adult form. Their presence on a body of water indicates that it is relatively unpolluted, but their dependence on freshwater makes them vulnerable to damage to their wetland habitats. Some species of damselfly have elaborate courtship behaviours. Many species are sexually dimorphic, the males often being more brightly coloured than the females. Like dragonflies, they reproduce using indirect insemination and delayed fertilisation. A mating pair form a shape known as a "heart" or "wheel", the male clasping the female at the back of the head, the female curling her abdomen down to pick up sperm from secondary genitalia at the base of the male's abdomen.
Damselfly | Introduction