Family PLATYCNEMIDIDAE

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Introduction

The family Protoneuridae was recognised by Houston and Watson (1988) for Australia (as below), including the genus Notosticta Hagen. Now, however, following Carle et al. (2008) and TRheischinger and Endersby, Notosticta is assigned to subfamily Disparoneurinae in family Platycnemididae.

"The Protoneuridae is a cosmopolitan family of moderate size, which contains 20–25 recognized genera and some 250 described species (Davies 1981; Bridges 1994). The Australian species have been placed in the subfamily Disparoneurinae, but the distinction between this subfamily and the Protoneurinae appears to depend only on the form of the male anal appendages (cf. Fraser 1957). Watson (1992) concluded that as no clear-cut divisions were apparent between the three previously recognised subfamilies (Caconeurinae, Disparoneurinae and Protoneurinae) the Protoneuridae should be regarded as comprising a single subfamily. Watson & Theischinger (1984) regarded the Australian species as being protoneurine and placed them in the genus Nososticta, leaving undetermined the many New Guinean and other extralimital species hitherto placed in Notoneura, a subjective synonym of Nososticta. Watson & Theischinger (1984) also revised the Australian Nososticta. Hawking & Theischinger (1999) illustrate and diagnose the larva of Nososticta solida Hagen." Houston & Watson (1988).

Diagnosis

Adult: two antenodal crossveins; postnodal crossveins usually aligned with crossveins behind them; discoidal cell almost rectangular; no supplementary intercalary longitudinal veins; CuP reduced, in Australian species to a cell-length beyond discoidal cell; anal vein atrophied.

Larva: labium short, flat, palps narrow, palpal setae present, premental setae variable, median lobe entire; caudal gills lamellate, short, denodate, the sides of the lamellae upright, the tracheae branching at acute angle to main axis.

General References

Bridges, C.A. 1994. Catalogue of the family-group, genus-group and species-group names of the Odonata of the world. Urbana, Illinois : C.A. Bridges xiv 951 pp.

Carle, F.L., Kjer, K.M. & May, M.L. 2008. Evolution of Odonata, with special reference to Coenagrionidea (Zygoptera). Arthropod Systematics and Phylogeny 66(1): 37-44

Davies, D.A.L. 1981. A synopsis of the extant genera of the Odonata. Societas Internationalis Odonatologica, Rapid Communications 3: i-xiv 1-59

Fraser, F.C. 1957. A Reclassification of the Order Odonata. Sydney : Royal Zoological Society of N.S.W. 133 pp., 1 pl.

Hawking, J. & Theischinger, G. 1999. Dragonfly larvae (Odonata). A guide to the identification of larvae of Australian families and to the identification and ecology of larvae from New South Wales. Albury : Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology Vol. 24 iv 218 pp.

Theischinger, G. & Endersby, I. 2009. Identification Guide to the Australian Odonata. Sydney : The Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW 283 pp.

Watson, J.A.L. 1992. The subfamilies of Protoneuridae (Zygoptera). Odonatologica 21(2): 195-201

Watson, J.A.L. & Theischinger, G. 1984. The Australian Protoneurinae (Odonata). Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 98: 1-51

Common Name References

Theischinger, G., Hawking, J. & Orr, A. 2021. The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing 2nd edn. (Pinflies)

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