Pseudocordulia

Pseudocordulia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Infraorder: Anisoptera
Family: Pseudocorduliidae
Genus: Pseudocordulia
Tillyard, 1909[1]

Pseudocordulia is the only genus of dragonflies in the family, Pseudocorduliidae.[2][3] They are medium-sized, bronze-black dragonflies with clear wings, and are endemic to tropical north-eastern Australia.[4][5]

Recent taxonomic history

Until about 2013, Pseudocordulia was considered to be the only genus in the family Pseudocorduliidae.[6] Research and taxonomic updates led to Pseudocorduliidae no longer being recognised as a family, and the genus Pseudocordulia being placed incertae sedis within the superfamily Libelluloidea.[7] Its precise placement remained uncertain for some years.

In 2025, molecular and morphological analyses helped to resolve this uncertainty. These studies supported Pseudocorduliidae as a distinct family within Libelluloidea.[2]

Species

The genus Pseudocordulia includes the following two species:[3]

References

  1. ^ Tillyard, R.J. (1909). "On some remarkable Australian Corduliinae, with descriptions of new species". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. 33 (1908): 737–751 [742] – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  2. ^ a b Goodman, Aaron; Abbott, John C.; Bybee, Seth M.; Ehlert, Juliana; Frandsen, Paul B.; Guralnick, Rob; Kalkman, Vincent J.; Newton, Lacie; Pinto, Ângelo Parise; Ware, Jessica L. (2025-10-09). "Systematic and taxonomic revision of emerald and tigertail dragonflies (Anisoptera: Synthemistidae and Corduliidae)". Systematic Entomology. doi:10.1111/syen.70000.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ "Genus Pseudocordulia Tillyard, 1909". Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Biological Resources Study. 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  5. ^ Theischinger, Günther; Hawking, John (2021). The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia (2nd ed.). Melbourne, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. p. 406. ISBN 9781486313747.
  6. ^ Theischinger, Günther; Hawking, John (2006). The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia. Collingwood, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. p. 366. ISBN 978-0-64309-073-6.
  7. ^ 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.