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Introduction

This collection of taxa is proposed by Theischinger et al. (2021) in lieu of more information to better define higher taxonomy. It comprises of genera formally within Austrocorduliidae, Cordulephyidae, Pseudocordulidae and Gomphoacromiidae families. The following entries are information of each unaccepted family which were compiled by W.W.K. Houston, Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra, ACT, Australia J.A.L. Watson, CSIRO Entomology, Canberra, ACT, Australia and updated (1999) by A.A. Calder, CSIRO Entomology, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

AUSTROCORDULIIDAE

Introduction
The Austrocorduliidae were formerly regarded as a group of Corduliidae by Theischinger & Watson (1978, 1984) and Watson et al. (1991) until recognised as a separate family by Bechly (1996). It is represented in Australia by five genera: Apocordulia, Austrocordulia, Austrophya, Lathrocordulia and Micromidia with a total of ten species. Apocordulia macrops is a southeast Australian crepuscular dragonfly, flying late in the dusk and early in the dawn (Watson 1980). Hawking (1997) lists the conservation status of Austrocordulia leonardi Theischinger as rare due to its restricted distribution.
The adults are keyed in Watson et al. (1991) while the larvae are described and keyed in Theischinger & Watson (1984). Hawking & Theischinger (1999) give illustrations and a key to the five species of austrocorduliid larvae found in New South Wales.
Diagnosis
Adult: secondary antenodal absent between the two primary antenodal brackets ax1 and ax2, therefore the arculus is situated between the first two antenodal crossveins; all cubito-anal crossveins reduced, except the CuP-crossing (= anal crossing sensu Fraser) and the pseudo-anal crossvein PsA; hypertriangle without crossveins (Bechly 1996).
Larva: prementum completely flat-bottomed; labial palps with rather subequal dentations bearing groups of setae; frontal plate distinctly developed; abdomen lacking mid-dorsal spines (Hawking & Theischinger 1999).
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
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.
Hawking, J.H. 1997. The conservation status of dragonflies (Odonata) from south-eastern Australia. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 56(2): 537-542
Theischinger, G. & Watson, J.A.L. 1978. The Australian Gomphomacromiinae (Odonata: Corduliidae). Australian Journal of Zoology 26: 399-431
Theischinger, G. & Watson, J.A.L. 1984. Larvae of Australian Gomphomacromiinae, and their bearing on the status of the Synthemis group of genera (Odonata: Corduliidae). Australian Journal of Zoology 32: 67-95
Watson, J.A.L. 1980. Apocordulia macrops, a new crepuscular gomphomacromiine dragonfly from south-eastern Australia (Odonata: Corduliidae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 19: 287-292
Watson, J.A.L., Theischinger, G. & Abbey, H.M. 1991. The Australian Dragonflies. A guide to the identification, distributions and habitats of Australian Odonata. Canberra and Melbourne : CSIRO vii 278 pp.

CORDULEPHYIDAE

Introduction
This family including only the genera Neophya Selys and the Australian Cordulephya Selys with four species was formerly regarded as part of the Corduliidae by Watson et al. (1991) but elevated to familial rank by Bechly (1996).
Hawking & Theischinger (1999) give illustrations and a key to the three species of Cordulephya larvae found in New South Wales.
Diagnosis
Adult: primary antenodal brackets Ax1 and Ax2 are very indistinct or even indistinguishable from the secondaries (Fraser 1957); discoidal triangles secondarily quadrangular in both pairs of wings (Tillyard 1911; Fraser 1957); postdiscoidal field of forewing commencing with a single row of cells; Rspl strongly reduced or secondarily absent; CuAa parallel to hind margin of forewing (Bechly 1996).
Larva: prementum ladle-shaped, short, narrow at base, wide distally; 12-14 pairs of premental setae; labial palps with irregular digitate outer dentations bearing short setae; mid-dorsal abdominal spines absent; abdominal segments 7-9 with short lateral spines (Hawking & Theischinger 1999).
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
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.
Tillyard, R.J. 1911. On the genus Cordulephya. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 36: 388-422 pls xi-xii
Watson, J.A.L., Theischinger, G. & Abbey, H.M. 1991. The Australian Dragonflies. A guide to the identification, distributions and habitats of Australian Odonata. Canberra and Melbourne : CSIRO vii 278 pp.

PSEUDOCORDULIIDAE

Introduction
The Pseudocordulidae contains the single endemic Australian genus Pseudocordulia with two closely-reated species confined to the rainforests of northern Queensland. The genus Pseudocordulia was previously regarded as belonging to the corduliid subfamily Gomphomacromiinae by Theischinger & Watson (1978, 1984) and Watson et al. (1991) however, Lohmann (1996) regards it as belonging to this new family. The adults are described and illustrated in Theischinger & Watson (1978) and Watson et al. (1991). The terrestrial larva is described by Watson (1982) and Theischinger & Watson (1984).
Diagnosis
Adult: medium-sized, largely bronze-black dragonflies with metallic reflections; antenodals of hindwing thickened; secondary antenodal absent between the primary antenodals Ax1 and Ax2; pterostigma elongate, about 3 times as long as wide, overlying 1-2 crossveins; arculus aligned with Ax2 in both wings; discoidal triangle of hindwing recessed, separated by about half length of arculus; forewing with 1 cu-a; hindwing usually with 2, rarely 3 cu-a; anal loop elongate, oval; hypertriangle without crossveins; all tibiae keeled; abdomen long and slender; tergite 1 without a ventral process or tubercle; anterior lamina of male secondary genitalia large, with processes; hamule elongate, with toothed hook apically; female sternite 9 with medial carina and sternite 10 with lateral carinae (Theischinger & Watson 1978; Bechly 1996).
Larva: terrestrial; strongly flattened, densely hirsute; body with fringe of long, strongly curved setae; head short, unusually wide; eyes large, strongly protruding; labial palps with 4 to 7 large, rounded to subtriangular teeth lacking setae; ligula rounded; premental setae very strong; antennae reduced, concealed beneath eyes; pro- and mesosternum deeply excavated to take folded pre- and postmentum; prothorax narrower than head, extremely flat; pro- and mesofemora distinctively flattened, widened and slightly bowed, metafemora straight; claws small; wing sheaths reaching to abdominal tergite 4; abdominal tergites without lateral spines (Theischinger & Watson 1984).
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
Lohmann, H. 1996. Das phylogenetische System der Anisoptera (Odonata). Entomologische Zeitschrift 106: 209-252, 253-266, 360-367
Theischinger, G. & Watson, J.A.L. 1978. The Australian Gomphomacromiinae (Odonata: Corduliidae). Australian Journal of Zoology 26: 399-431
Theischinger, G. & Watson, J.A.L. 1984. Larvae of Australian Gomphomacromiinae, and their bearing on the status of the Synthemis group of genera (Odonata: Corduliidae). Australian Journal of Zoology 32: 67-95
Watson, J.A.L. 1982. A truly terrestrial dragonfly larva from Australia (Odonata: Corduliidae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 21: 309-311
Watson, J.A.L., Theischinger, G. & Abbey, H.M. 1991. The Australian Dragonflies. A guide to the identification, distributions and habitats of Australian Odonata. Canberra and Melbourne : CSIRO vii 278 pp.

GOMPHOMACROMIIDAE

Introduction
This group, formerly regarded as a subfamily of Corduliidae by Theischinger & Watson (1984) and Watson et al. (1991) was recently elevated to family rank by Carle & Louton (1994). It is represented in Australia by one genus Archaeophya and two species. Theischinger & Watson (1978) describe the adults and Theischinger & Watson (1984) describe the larvae of both species of Archaeophya. Hawking (1997) lists the conservation status of Archaeophya adamsi Fraser as vulnerable.
Strong Gondwanan affinities are shown in the group (Theischinger & Watson 1984; Carle 1995).
Diagnosis
Adult: eyes broadly confluent; keels present on pro- and metatibiae, absent on mesotibia; forewing with 2 strongly differentiated primary antenodal crossveins; sectors of arculus diverging basally; hindwings with antenodal crossveins aligned and progressively more bracelike proximally; wings with 1-4 cubital-anal crossveins; anal loop elongate; abdomen relatively long and slender; male without genital lobe; male tergum 1 with ventrolateral hamule-like spines; ovipositor reduced (Theischinger & Watson 1978; Carle 1995).
Larva: frontal plate well-developed; prementum ladle-shaped with two distinct groups of setae; labial palps with palpal setae and distal teeth, lacking setae; pronotum laterally shelf-like; wing pads parallel; metasternum with transverse sutures meeting at point or fused at short seam; abdomen spinuliform, rather flat, lacking mid-dorsal and lateral spines; apex pointed (Hawking & Theischinger 1999).
General References
Carle, F.L. 1995. Evolution, taxonomy, and biogeography of ancient Gondwanian libelluloides, with comments on anisopteroid evolution and phylogenetic systematics (Anisoptera: Libelluloidea). Odonatologica 24: 383-424
Carle, F.L. & Louton, J.A. 1994. The larva of Neopetalia punctata and establishment of Austropetaliidae fam. nov. (Odonata). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 96(1): 147-155
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.
Hawking, J.H. 1997. The conservation status of dragonflies (Odonata) from south-eastern Australia. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 56(2): 537-542
Theischinger, G. & Watson, J.A.L. 1978. The Australian Gomphomacromiinae (Odonata: Corduliidae). Australian Journal of Zoology 26: 399-431
Theischinger, G. & Watson, J.A.L. 1984. Larvae of Australian Gomphomacromiinae, and their bearing on the status of the Synthemis group of genera (Odonata: Corduliidae). Australian Journal of Zoology 32: 67-95
Watson, J.A.L., Theischinger, G. & Abbey, H.M. 1991. The Australian Dragonflies. A guide to the identification, distributions and habitats of Australian Odonata. Canberra and Melbourne : CSIRO vii 278 pp.

General References

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

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