Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) » Damselflies (Zygoptera) » Broad-winged Damselflies (Calopterygidae) » Jewelwings (Calopteryx)

Genus Calopteryx - Jewelwings

River Jewelwing Damselfly with prey - Calopteryx aequabilis - male

Sparkling Jewelwing - Calopteryx dimidiata - male

Jewelwing - Calopteryx aequabilis - male

Unknown Broad-winged Damselfly? - Calopteryx - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)

Suborder Zygoptera (Damselflies)

Family Calopterygidae (Broad-winged Damselflies)

Genus Calopteryx (Jewelwings)

Other Common Names

USE: The Odonata of North America for Common Names

USE: The Odonata of North America for Scientific Names

Explanation of Names

CALOPTERYX: from the Greek "kalos" (beautiful) + "pteron" (wing or feather)

Numbers

5 species in North America (nearctica.com)

Size

body length 37-66 mm

Identification

wings not clear but color varies according to species - may be reddish, brownish, or black; sexually dimorphic - tips of wings darker than remainder of wing in males of some species

Range

most of North America except southwestern US and the arctic

Habitat

wooded slow-moving streams and rivers; larvae are aquatic; adults usually found on vegetation near water

Season

mostly spring and summer

Food

larvae and adults prey on insects and other arthropods

Internet References

live adult images and other info; 5 species (Ed Lam, New York)

live adult images and other info; 4 species (Jim Bangma, New Jersey)

live adult images and other info; 2 species (Ann Johnson, Iowa)

live adult images of 3 species (Giff Beaton, Georgia)

live adult images of 2 species (Dave Czaplak, Maryland)

live adult images of 3 species (Glenn Corbiere, Massachusetts)

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, Tony-2, Nick Block
Last updated 19 November, 2008 - 3:51pm

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