Austrocorduliidae
| Austrocorduliidae | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Infraorder: | Anisoptera |
| Superfamily: | Libelluloidea |
| Family: | Austrocorduliidae Bechly, 1996[1] |
Austrocorduliidae is a small family of dragonflies found in Australia and South Africa.[1][2]
Characteristics
Members of Austrocorduliidae are medium-sized dragonflies, often with dark metallic colouring. They typically inhabit streams, rivers and forested wetlands, and several species are adapted to cool montane habitats.[2]
Taxonomic history
Austrocorduliidae has had a complex taxonomic history. Although the family was generally associated with the superfamily Libelluloidea, its precise placement remained uncertain for many years, and its genera were variously assigned by different authors.[3]
Molecular and morphological analyses published in 2025 helped to resolve this uncertainty. These studies supported Austrocorduliidae as a distinct lineage within Libelluloidea and provided a clearer framework for the family’s composition.[4]
Some genera now included in Austrocorduliidae — such as Cordulephya — have previously been placed in other families, but are treated within Austrocorduliidae in the current World Odonata List (2025).[5]
Genera
The following genera are currently placed in Austrocorduliidae:[5]
- Apocordulia Watson, 1980
- Austrocordulia Tillyard, 1909
- Austrophya Tillyard, 1909
- Cordulephya Selys, 1870
- Hesperocordulia Tillyard, 1911
- Lathrocordulia Tillyard, 1911
- Micromidia Fraser, 1959
Etymology
The family name Austrocorduliidae is derived from the type genus Austrocordulia, with the standard zoological suffix -idae used for animal families. The genus name Austrocordulia combines austro- (from Latin auster, “south wind”, hence “southern”) with Cordulia, from Greek κορδύλη (kordylē, “club” or “cudgel”).[6]
References
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ a b Theischinger, Günther; Hawking, John (2006). The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia (First ed.). Collingwood, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. ISBN 978-0-64309-073-6.
- ^ Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B.; Bechly, Günter; Bybee, Seth M.; Dow, Rory A.; Dumont, Henri J.; Fleck, Günther; Garrison, Rosser W.; Hämäläinen, Matti; Kalkman, Vincent J.; Karube, Haruki; May, Michael L.; Orr, Albert G.; Paulson, Dennis R.; Rehn, Andrew C.; Theischinger, Günther; Trueman, John W.H.; Van Tol, Jan; von Ellenrieder, Natalia; Ware, Jessica (2013). "The classification and diversity of dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata). In: Zhang, Z.-Q. (Ed.) Animal Biodiversity: An Outline of Higher-level Classification and Survey of Taxonomic Richness (Addenda 2013)". Zootaxa. 3703 (1): 36–45. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3703.1.9. hdl:10072/61365. ISSN 1175-5334.
- ^ Goodman, Aaron; Abbott, John C.; Bybee, Seth; Ehlert, Juliana; Frandsen, Paul B.; Guralnick, Rob; Kalkman, Vincent J.; Newton, Lacie; Parise Pinto, Ângelo; Ware, Jessica L. (2025-10-09). Christopher Owen (ed.). "Systematic and taxonomic revision of emerald and tigertail dragonflies (Anisoptera: Synthemistidae and Corduliidae)". Systematic Entomology. doi:10.1111/syen.70000.
- ^ a b Paulson, D.; Schorr, M.; Abbott, J.; Bota-Sierra, C.; Deliry, C.; Dijkstra, K.-D.; Lozano, F. "World Odonata List". OdonataCentral. University of Alabama.
- ^ Endersby, Ian; Fliedner, Heinrich (2015). The Naming of Australia's Dragonflies. Eltham, Victoria, Australia: Busybird Publishing. ISBN 9781925260625.