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Libellulidae

The chasers, darters, skimmers, and perchers and their relatives form the Libellulidae, the largest family of dragonflies. It is sometimes considered to contain the Corduliidae as the subfamily Corduliinae and the Macromiidae as the subfamily Macromiinae. Even if these are excluded (as Silsby does), there remains a family of over 1000 species. With nearly worldwide distribution, these are the most commonly encountered dragonflies.

The genus Libellula is mostly New World but also has one of the few endangered odonates from Japan: Libellula angelina. Many of the members of this genus are brightly colored or have banded wings. The related genus Plathemis includes the whitetails. The genus Celithemis contains several brightly marked species in the southern United States. Members of the genus Sympetrum are called darters (or meadowhawks in North America) and are found throughout most of the world, except Australia. Several tropical species in the genera Trithemis and Zenithoptera are considered to be especially beautiful. Other common genera include Tramea and Pantala.

Libellulids have stout-bodied larvae with the lower lip or labium developed into a mask over the lower part of the face.

The earliest record of the family is the fossil genus †Palaeolibellula <small>Fleck, Nel & Martinez-Delclos, 1999</small> from the Turonian of Kazakhstan, which appears to represent a stem-member of the family.

Etymology

The family name comes from Latin ', meaning "a carpenter's level", because of the insect's ability to stay level when hovering.

Genera

The Libelluidae contain these genera:

The following fossil genera are also known:

  • †Caussanelia <small>Nel, Martinez-Delclós, Papier, & Oudard, 1997</small> (Late Oligocene of France)
  • †Jeanlegrandia <small>Nel, Petrulevicius & Jarzembowski, 2005</small> (Late Oligocene of France)
  • †Lithemis <small>Fraser</small><small>, 1951</small> (mid-late Miocene of Croatia)
  • †Miorhodopygia <small>Riou</small> <small>& Nel, 1995</small> (Late Miocene of France)
  • †Molertrum <small>Zessin, 2019</small> (earliest Eocene of Denmark)
  • †Oligocaemia <small>Fraser, 1951</small> (mid-late Miocene of Croatia)
  • †Oryctodiplax <small>Cavallo & Galetti, 1987</small> (Late Miocene of Italy)
  • †Palaeolibellula <small>Fleck, Nel & Martinez-Delclos, 1999</small> (Late Cretaceous of Kazakhstan)
  • †Paleotauriphila <small>Nel & Paicheler, 1993</small> (Early Oligocene of France)
  • †Palaeotramea <small>Nel & Papazian, 1985</small> (Late Oligocene to early Miocene of France, Germany & Turkey)
  • †Parabrachydiplax <small>Bechly & Sach, 2002</small> (Middle Miocene of Germany)
  • †Protopaltothemis <small>Pongrácz</small><small>, 1928</small> (Middle Miocene of Croatia)
  • †Prorhyothemis <small>Prokop, Fleck & Nel, 2003</small> (Early Miocene of the Czech Republic)
  • †Pisaurum <small>Gentilini, 1988</small> (Late Miocene of Italy)
  • †Randecktrum <small>Zessin</small><small>, 2019</small> (early-mid Miocene of Germany)
  • †Sloveniatrum <small>Zessin, Zalohar & Hitij, 2008</small> (mid-late Miocene of Slovenia)
  • †Trameobasileus <small>Zeuner, 1938</small> (Early Miocene of Germany)

Gallery

References

Bibliography

  • Silsby, Jill. 2001. Dragonflies of the World. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.

External links