Suborder Zygoptera (damselflies)

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

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.

The number of species in each family, taken from CoL, is just to give a general idea and is not necessarily up to date. I have only listed the species where I have a photograph.

Superfamily Hemiphlebioidea
1. Family Hemiphlebiidae – ancient greenling — 1sp.
Superfamily Coenagrionoidea
1. Family Coenagrionidae – pond damselflies — 1,143 sp.
  1. Enallagma cyathigerum, Common blue damselfly
  2. Pyrrhosoma nymphula, Large red damselfly
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.
  1. Megaloprepus caerulatus, Helicopter damselfly
Superfamily Lestoidea
1. Family Lestidae – spread wings — 150 sp.
  1. Lestes sponsa, Emerald damselfly
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.
Superfamily Calopterygoidea
1. Family Amphyipterygidae – relicts
2. Family Calopterygidae – demoiselles (or broad-winged) — 186 sp.
  1. Calopteryx virgo, Beautiful Demoiselle
  2. Calopteryx splendens, Banded Demoiselle
3. Family Chlorocyphidae – jewels — 147 sp.
4. Family Dicteriastidae – barelegs
5. Family Euphaeidae – odalisques — 70 sp.
6. Family Polythoridae – bannerwings — 57 sp.

Most of these were taken in the UK.

Family Coenagrionidae — pond damselflies ~ 1,143 sp.

<em>Enallagma cyathigerum</em> — *Enallagma cyathigerum*
Common blue damselfly mating on Thursley Common – July 2017

*Enallagma cyathigerum*
Common blue damselfly (male) at RSH Wisley Gardens – July 2017

Large red damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) — *Pyrrhosoma nymphula*
Large red damselfly (male) – in the garden in Elstead – July 2017

Family Pseudostigmatidae — forest giants ~ 18 sp

Helicopter damselfly (Megaloprepus caerulatus) — *Megaloprepus caerulatus*
Helicopter damselfly at La Selva in Costa Rica – February 2015. This helicopter damselfly was raelly quite big! It’s the largest damselfly in the world with a wingspan of up to 19 cm.

Family Lestidae — spread wings ~ 150 sp.

The gallery was not found!

Biota

Suborder Zygoptera (damselflies)

Family Coenagrionidae — pond damselflies ~ 1,143 sp.

Family Pseudostigmatidae — forest giants ~ 18 sp

Family Lestidae — spread wings ~ 150 sp.

Family Calopterygidae — demoiselles ~ 186 sp.