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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) » Damselflies (Zygoptera)

Suborder Zygoptera - Damselflies

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Identification · Habitat · Season · Food · See Also · Internet References · Works Cited

Dancer Sp220.jpg - Lestes rectangularis - female

Citrine Forktail - Ischnura hastata - female

Wachusett Sedge Sprite - Nehalennia irene - male

Damselfly with Gold Sparkle - Ischnura posita - male

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)

Suborder Zygoptera (Damselflies)

Explanation of Names

Zygoptera Selys 1854

Numbers

135 spp. in 22 genera of 4 families in our area(1); almost 3000 spp. in >300 genera of 18 families worldwide(2)(3)

Identification

Forewing and hindwing similar size and shape, held at rest above body (except Spreadwings.) Very slender abdomen. Male has four terminal appendages and female has well-developed ovipositor.(4)

Broadwinged damsels (Jewelwings, Rubyspots) have wider wings than Pond Damsels and may have colored or spotted wings (most Pond Damsels have clear wings except for pterostigma.)

Spreadwings are readily identified because they do not fold the wings together snugly--they also typically "hang" from a perch, with wings slightly spread.

The Great Spreadwing is our largest damselfly.

Males and females are typically different in color, with the male showing more brilliant color, though some female damsels are also brightly colored. In some species females have both a male-form and a female-form color pattern. (5) plate 6f and others.

Identification is made by noting details of markings on head, thorax, and abdomen.

Guides: northern spp.(6)(7), TX(8), FL(9)(10)

Habitat

adults mostly near ponds, streams, etc. (water required for reproduction), but some species may be found at a distance from water, especially near the ground in grass, woods, etc.

Season

Generally, warm weather. Some emerge early in spring, others in midsummer; in many locations, species follow a sequence through the warm part of the year.

Food

smaller invertebrates

See Also

Dragonflies (Anisoptera) usually hold wings spread at rest

Internet References

WV Zygoptera (images, some life history info)

Damselflies (Zygoptera) of the Southwest

Works Cited

1.	Dragonfly Society of the Americas. 2012. North American Odonata

2.	The classification and diversity of dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata). In: Zhang Z.-Q. (ed.) Animal biodiversity:... Dijkstra KDB, Bechly G, Bybee SM, Dow RA, Dumont HJ, Fleck G, Garrison RW, Hämäläinen M, Kalkman VJ, Karube H, May ML, Orr AG. 2013. Zootaxa 3703: 036–045.

3.	Dragonflies of the World Jill Silsby. 2001. Smithsonian Institution Press.

4.	A Field Guide to Insects Richard E. White, Donald J. Borror, Roger Tory Peterson. 1998. Houghton Mifflin Co.

5.	Dragonflies and Damselflies of Texas and the South-Central United States John C. Abbott. 2005. Princeton University Press.

6.	Damselflies of the Northeast Ed Lam. 2004. Biodiversity Books.

7.	Damselflies of the North Woods Bob DuBois. 2005. Kollath-Stensaas Publishing.

8.	Damselflies of Texas: A field guide Abbott J.C. 2011. University of Texas Press. 292 pp.

9.	Damselflies of Florida, Bermuda, and the Bahamas Sidney W. Dunkle. 1991. Scientific Publishers.

10.	Identification manual for the damselfly larvae (Zygoptera) of Florida Richardson J.S. 2010. Dept Envir. Prot., Tallahassee. 62 pp.

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by Mike Boone, cotinis, john and jane balaban, Stephen_WV, Lynette Elliott, Tony-2, E Moon, Nick Block, v belov
Last updated 29 December, 2014 - 11:17am

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