Odonata Fabricius, 1793

Dragonflies & Damselflies

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Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata

Odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) are widely considered among the most ancient of insect species. Fossil evidence suggests that the order Protodonata, the forbearers of extant Odonates, appeared as early as 325 million years ago. ("Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)", 2003)

Most species of damselflies (and dragonflies) require a minimum temperature in order to fly. Despite being ectothermic, they can control their body temperature to some extent by stretching out in the sun to warm up and by adjusting their orientation to the sun (tipping abdomen up) to control the amount of solar radiation they absorb. Because of this temperature limitation, most species of damselflies are diurnal. Damselflies are very agile fliers. Like the other Odonates, damselflies can control the frequency, amplitude and angle of their two sets of wings independently. Though the two pairs of wings typically beat out of phase with one another, damselflies can control them independently, and can even move all four wings at different frequencies. Despite this, damselflies do not fly with the speed and agility of their close relatives, the dragonflies. Damselflies can fly on average, about 10 km/h, whereas some species of dragonflies can fly at speeds greater than 70 km/h. (McGavin, 2001; Silsby, 2001; Westfall and May, 1996)

Suborder: Epiprocta Lohmann, 1996

Families: Aeshnidae, Gomphidae, Libellulidae