Family LIBELLULIDAE
Baskers, Perchers, Skimmers
Compiler and date details
W.W.K. Houston, Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra, ACT, Australia J.A.L. Watson, CSIRO Entomology, Canberra, ACT, Australia Updated (1999) by A.A. Calder, CSIRO Entomology, Canberra, ACT, Australia
Introduction
The Libellulidae is the largest family of Anisoptera. It includes almost 150 genera and slightly more than 1,000 species (Davies 1981; Bridges 1994). The Australian fauna is relatively meagre, with 24 genera and 52 species known. The genera Aethriamantha, Macrodiplax and Urothemis are now assigned to the family Urothemistidae (Bechly 1996).
There are various subfamilial classifications, all following the general scheme laid out in the monumental revisions of Ris (1909–1919), but with much difference in detail. Fraser (1957), Davies (1981) and Davies & Tobin (1985) have provided recent versions. Lately, Bechly (1996) noted the very heterogeneous nature of this family and has foreshadowed its subdivision into several families.
Many genera and species of libellulids found in Australia have extensive ranges elsewhere, primarily to the north; there appear to be no Gondwanan affinities (Watson 1981). Many species were described during the 19th Century without delineation of type material. We have not been able to determine the status or whereabouts of many primary types and our interpretation of them depends very heavily on Ris (1909–1919).
Hawking & Theischinger (1999) give a key to the larvae of 22 known libellulid species (representing 14 genera) from New South Wales.
Following Ware et al. (2007) and Theischinger and Endersby (2009), genera previously placed in Urothemistidae are now assigned to Libelluliidae.
Diagnosis
Adult: eyes broadly confluent; tibiae not keeled; primary antenodal crossveins not defined, most or all secondary antenodals aligned, the distal antenodal often lacking the subcostal component; median space free; triangular spaces differing in fore and hind wing, often greatly, triangle of forewing commonly much elongated across wing axis, that of hind wing recessed to level of arculus in most species; base of hindwing rounded in male, auricles absent; ovipositor reduced to vulvar scale, usually vestigial.
Larva: broad-bodied; labium spoon-shaped, palps broad, covering face, their apposed distal edges setate, usually straight or serrate to slightly crenulate, sometimes markedly crenulate, prementum and palps with major setae, median lobe entire.
General References
Bechly, G. 1996. Morphologische Untersuchungen am Flügelgeäder der rezenten Libellen und deren Stammgruppenvertreter (Insecta; Pterygota; Odonata) unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Phylogenetischen Systematik und des Grundplanes der Odonata. Petalura, Special volume 2: 1-402
Davies, D.A.L. 1981. A synopsis of the extant genera of the Odonata. Societas Internationalis Odonatologica, Rapid Communications 3: i-xiv 1-59
Davies, D.A.L. & Tobin, P. 1985. The dragonflies of the world: a systematic list of the extant species of Odonata. Vol. 2. Anisoptera. Societas Internationalis Odonatologica, Rapid Communications Suppl. 5: i-xi 1-151
Ware, J., May, M. & Kjer, K. 2007. Phylogeny of the higher Libelluloidea (Anisoptera: Odonata): An exploration of the most speciose superfamily of dragonflies. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 45: 289-310
Watson, J.A.L. 1974. The distributions of the Australian dragonflies (Odonata). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 13: 137-149
Watson, J.A.L. 1981. Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies). pp. 1139-1167 in Keast, A. (ed.). Ecological Biogeography of Australia. The Hague : Junk Vol. 2.
Common Name References
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10-May-2022 | ODONATA | 21-Mar-2022 | MODIFIED | |
| 19-Jul-2012 | 19-Jul-2012 | MODIFIED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |