Kingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Arthropoda > Class: Insecta > Order: Odonata

Dragonflies and damselflies

This order includes some of the oldest and largest flying invertebrates to have ever roamed the earth and the fossil record for most modern families dates back to the Jurassic or Cretaceous period.

The name Odonata is derived from the Ancient Greek for ‘tooth’ and many local names include ‘horse-stingers’, ‘eye-stickers’, and ‘devil’s darning needles’. However, they neither sting nor bite and are completely harmless and are, if anything, considered to be beneficial because they feed on many insects considered pests including pesky mosquitoes, black flies, and deer flies.

The immature, larval stage of these are aquatic and almost all species of odonates live in freshwater habitats, although some species roam widely and may be found far from their breeding sites

There are now just over 6000 species in the suborders: Zygoptera, the damselflies, and Anisoptera, the true dragonflies. There is a third suborder Anisozygoptera, a relic group with only two living species. This is sometimes placed in a suborder Epiprocta with the true dragonflies.

Damselflies vs dragonflies

The damselflies are usually slender with forewings and hind wings of equal length. The head is also wider than the thorax and the eyes are usually on the opposite sides of the head. Most also fold their wings along their body when at rest. There are about 20 species found in the UK.

In the dragonflies, the hind wings are usually shorter and wider than the forewings. The eyes are large and usually touch at the top of the head. In the UK there are around 30 different species.

Classification

The number of species in each family, taken from CoL, is just to give a general idea and is not necessarily up to date.

1.  Suborder Zygoptera (damselflies)
   
   1. Superfamily Hemiphlebioidea
   2. Superfamily Coenagrionoidea (pond damselflies
      
      1. Family Coenagrionidae – pond damselflies  ~ 1,143 sp.
      2. Family Isostictidae – narrow-wings ~ 46 sp.
      3. Family Platycnemididae – white-legged damselflies ~ 220 sp.
      4. Family Platystictidae – shadow damsels ~ 224 sp.
      5. Family Protoneuridae – thread tails ~ 273 sp.
      6. Family Pseudostigmatidae – forest giants ~ 18 sp.
   3. Superfamily Lestoidea
      1. Family Lestidae – spread wings ~ 150 sp.
      2. Family Lestoideidae – blue streaks ~ 13 sp. 
      3. Family Megapodagrionidae – flat wings ~ 310 sp.
      4. Family Perilestidae – shortwings ~ 19 sp.
      5. Family Pseudolestidae ~ 1 sp.
      6. Family Synlestidae – sylphs ~ 38 sp.
   4. Superfamily Calopterygoidea
      1. Family Amphyipterygidae – relicts
      2. Family Calopterygidae – demoiselles ~ 186 sp.
      3. Family Chlorocyphidae – jewels ~ 147 sp.
      4. Family Dicteriastidae – barelegs
      5. Family Euphaeidae – odalisques — 70 sp.
      6. Family Polythoridae – bannerwings — 57 sp.
2. Suborder Anisoptera (dragonflies)
   1. Superfamily Aeshnoidea
      1. Family Aeshnidae – hawkers or darners ~ 543 sp.
      2. Family Gomphidae – clubtails ~ 964 sp.
      3. Family Neopetaliidae ~ 1 sp
      4. Family Petaluridae – petaltails ~ 10 sp.
   2. Superfamily Cordulegastroidea
      1. Family Cordulegastridae – spiketails ~ 92 sp.
   3. Superfamily Libelluloidea
      1. Family Corduliidae – emeralds ~ 377 sp
      2. Family Libellulidae – skimmers, etc ~ 1,031 sp.
      3. Family Macromiidae – cruisers
      4. Family Synthemistidae – tigertails ~ 43 sp.

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References

1. World Odonata List – Slater Museum of Natural History, 26 May 2020
   https://www2.pugetsound.edu/academics/academic-resources/slater-museum/biodiversity-resources/dragonflies/world-odonata-list2/
2. Odonata Species list
   https://www.odonatacentral.org/app/#/data/species/
3. Encyclopedia of Insects (2nd Ed.) – Chapter 135 – Odonata: Dragonflies, Damselflies. K.J. Tennessen; Published by Elsevier 2009
   https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-374144-8.00194-6
4. The British Dragonfly Society
   https://british-dragonflies.org.uk/odonata/dragonflies-2/