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

Family Calopterygidae - Broad-winged Damselflies

American Rubyspot - Hetaerina americana - male

ebony jewelwing - Calopteryx maculata - male

Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly - Calopteryx maculata - male

Rubyspot Damselfly - Hetaerina americana

Ebony Jewelwing female - Calopteryx maculata - Calopteryx maculata - female

Damselfly - Calopteryx maculata - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)

Suborder Zygoptera (Damselflies)

Family Calopterygidae (Broad-winged Damselflies)

Other Common Names

USE: The Odonata of North America for Common Names

USE: The Odonata of North America for Scientific Names

Explanation of Names

CALOPTERYGIDAE: from the Greek "kalos" (beautiful) + "pteron" (wing or feather) ...you might call these the beautiful-winged damselflies

Numbers

8 species in 2 genera in North America (nearctica.com)

Size

body length 35-66 mm

Identification

wings broader - relative to their length - than in the pond damselflies (Coenagrionidae) or spreadwings (Lestidae)

Range

most of North America

Habitat

larvae are aquatic; adults usually found on vegetation near water

Season

spring through fall; peak numbers in summer

Food

larvae and adults prey on insects and other arthropods

Internet References

live adult images of 5 species in 2 genera (Glenn Corbiere, Massachusetts)

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, Tony-2
Last updated 23 November, 2020 - 11:13pm

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