How might you tell the difference between dragonflies Anisoptera and damselflies zygoptera?

How might you tell the difference between dragonflies Anisoptera and damselflies zygoptera?

Taxonomists divide the Odonata into three suborders: Zygoptera, the damselflies; Anisoptera, the dragonflies; and Anisozygoptera, a group somewhere in between the two. In general, dragonflies are studier, thicker-bodied insects, while damselflies have longer, thinner bodies.

What are the two types of dragonflies?

Dragonflies are basically divided into three superfamilies, which are further divided into a number of families.

  • Aeshnoidea. Petaluridae. Aeshnidae. Gomphidae.
  • Cordulegastroidea. Cordulegastridae. Neopetalia Punctata. Chlorogomphidae.
  • Libelluiloide. Corduliidae. Libellulidae.
  • Other Types of Dragonflies. Darners. Saddlebag.

Are damselflies in the same family as dragonflies?

Damselflies are flying insects of the suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies, which constitute the other odonatan suborder, Anisoptera, but are smaller and have slimmer bodies. All damselflies are predatory insects; both nymphs and adults actively hunt and eat other insects. …

Are mayflies and dragonflies the same?

Mayflies are close relatives of Dragonflies and damselflies, but Mayflies are tinier, the largest mayfly in Sweden Ephemera danica is less than 25 mm (1 inch) long. When the dragonfly or damselfly has hatched to flying insect it lives a very dangerous life, some birds love dragonflies for dinner.

How do you tell the difference between male and female dragonflies?

If you have a dragonfly in your net or your hand or a really good photo, look for a bump on the underside of the abdomen near its joint with the thorax. If there’s a bump there, it’s a male. If the underside of the dragonfly is smooth, it’s a female.

What kind of dragonfly is red?

The Red Dragonfly, also known as Red-Veined Darter or Nomad is technically known as Sympetrum Fonscolombii, and belongs to the Sympetrum genus. It is widespread in the southern parts of Europe, and since 1990s, it has also become a common species in the northwestern part of Europe including Ireland and Britain.

What is a dragonfly species?

dragonfly, (suborder Anisoptera), also called darner, devil’s arrow, or devil’s darning needle, any of a group of roughly 3,000 species of aerial predatory insects most commonly found near freshwater habitats throughout most of the world.

What are red dragonflies called?

Binomial name:Sympetrum fonscolombii The Red Dragonfly, also known as Red-Veined Darter or Nomad is technically known as Sympetrum Fonscolombii, and belongs to the Sympetrum genus.

What type of dragonfly is black?

The black saddlebags dragonfly gets its name because its back wings, or hind wings, have dark black patches near the body that give the appearance that it is carrying saddlebags, while the rest of the wings are clear.

Why are damselflies called damselflies?

Zygoptera (damselflies) means “equal winged,” while Anisoptera (dragonflies) means “unequal winged.” When they are not flying, damselflies usually hold their wings up over their backs (with the exception of spread-winged damsels), but dragonflies hold their wings open and to the sides.

Do dragonflies have a segmented body?

A segmented body is a division of an animal’s body plan, whereby the body is divided into functional units. These units form 3 sections, whether individually or together with other segments. Arthropods, meaning animals with jointed appendages such as the dragonfly pictured above, have segmented bodies.

How do you identify a dragonfly?

1) Wing pattern 2 Base and outer 1/2 brown 1 Base brown 1 Black pattern 1 Brown basal spot 1 Brown wingtips 3 Clear 1 Clear with long narrow stigma 2) Abdomen color 1 Dark blue to black 3 Pale blue 1 White 3) Cerci color

What is the common name for a dragonfly?

The common whitetail or long-tailed skimmer (Plathemis lydia) is a common dragonfly across much of North America, with a striking and unusual appearance.

What are the characteristics of a dragonfly?

Dragonfly Characteristics. A Dragonfly has two large compound eyes which take up most of its head. Dragonflies have long, delicate, membranous wings which are transparent and some have light yellow colouring near the tips. Their bodies are long and slender and they have a short antennae.

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