Australian Biological Resources Study

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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

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.

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

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.

Ris, F. 1909. Libellulinen 1. Fasc. IX pp. 1–120 1 pl. in, Collections Zoologiques du Baron Edm. de Selys Longchamps. Brussels : Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique.

Ris, F. 1909. Libellulinen 2. Fasc. X pp. 121–244 1 pl. in, Collections Zoologiques du Baron Edm. de Selys Longchamps. Brussels : Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique.

Ris, F. 1910. Libellulinen 3. Fasc. XI pp. 245–384 1 pl. in, Collections Zoologiques du Baron Edm. de Selys Longchamps. Brussels : Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique.

Ris, F. 1911. Libellulinen 4. Fasc. XII pp. 385–528 1 pl. in, Collections Zoologiques du Baron Edm. de Selys Longchamps. Brussels : Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique.

Ris, F. 1911. Libellulinen 5. Fasc. XIII pp. 529–700 1 pl. in, Collections Zoologiques du Baron Edm. de Selys Longchamps. Brussels : Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique.

Ris, F. 1912. Libellulinen 6. Fasc. XIV pp. 701–836 1 pl. in, Collections Zoologiques du Baron Edm. de Selys Longchamps. Brussels : Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique.

Ris, F. 1913. Libellulinen 7. Fasc. XV pp. 837–964 1 pl. in, Collections Zoologiques du Baron Edm. de Selys Longchamps. Brussels : Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique.

Ris, F. 1913. Libellulinen 8. Fasc. XVI(1) pp. 965–1042 in, Collections Zoologiques du Baron Edm. de Selys Longchamps. Brussels : Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique.

Ris, F. 1919. Libellulinen 9. Fasc. XVI(2) pp. 1043–1278 in, Collections Zoologiques du Baron Edm. de Selys Longchamps. Brussels : Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique.

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

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.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
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)