Aeshnidae
Encyclopedia
The hawkers (family Aeshnidae) include the largest dragonflies
found in North America and Europe
, and are among the largest of the dragonflies on the planet. This family represents also the fastest flying dragonflies of the order of the dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata
).
and Anax. The African Anax tristis
has a wingspan of over 125 mm, making it one of the world's largest known dragonflies.
There are 41 North American species in 11 genera represented in this family. Most European species belong to Aeshna. Their American name 'darner' derives from the fact that the female abdomens look like a sewing needle, as they cut into plant stem when they lay their eggs through the ovipositor
.
The dragonflies mate in flight. The egg
s are deposited in water or close by. The larva
e (nymphs
or naiads) are generally slender compared to those of other families, with long and flat extensible lower lip (labia). They are aquatic predators, feeding on other insects and even small fish.
The adults spend large amounts of time in the air and seem to fly tirelessly with their four large and powerful wings
. They can fly forwards or backwards or hover like a helicopter. The wings are always extended horizontally.
Their abdomen
is long and thin. Most are colored blue and or green, with black and occasionally yellow. Their large hemispherical compound eyes touch in the midline and nearly cover the head. They have an extremely good sight. They are voracious insect predators, using their sharp biting mouthparts. They are therefore very beneficial.
All are extremely hard to catch because of their flying abilities and keen sight.
There has been recently a proposal to split this family in Aeshnidae and Telephlebiidae (Hawking & Theischinger, 1999).
The name may have resulted from a printer's error in spelling the Greek Aechma, "a spear". The spelling 'Aeschnidae' has been intermittently used over a period of time, but is now abandoned for the original name 'Aeshnidae'. However, derived genus names (such as Rhionaeschna
) retain the 'sch' spelling, as this is how they were first cited.
Dragonfly
A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...
found in North America and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and are among the largest of the dragonflies on the planet. This family represents also the fastest flying dragonflies of the order of the dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata
Odonata
Odonata is an order of insects, encompassing dragonflies and damselflies . The word dragonfly is also sometimes used to refer to all Odonata, but the back-formation odonate is a more correct English name for the group as a whole...
).
Description
Common worldwide or nearly worldwide genera are AeshnaAeshna
Aeshna is the scientific name of a genus of dragonflies from the family Aeshnidae. They are also known as hawker dragonflies, or, in North America, as mosaic darners.-Description:These are relatively large dragonflies...
and Anax. The African Anax tristis
Anax tristis
Anax tristis is a species of dragonfly in family Aeshnidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo,...
has a wingspan of over 125 mm, making it one of the world's largest known dragonflies.
There are 41 North American species in 11 genera represented in this family. Most European species belong to Aeshna. Their American name 'darner' derives from the fact that the female abdomens look like a sewing needle, as they cut into plant stem when they lay their eggs through the ovipositor
Ovipositor
The ovipositor is an organ used by some animals for oviposition, i.e., the laying of eggs. It consists of a maximum of three pairs of appendages formed to transmit the egg, to prepare a place for it, and to place it properly...
.
The dragonflies mate in flight. The egg
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
s are deposited in water or close by. The larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e (nymphs
Nymph (biology)
In biology, a nymph is the immature form of some invertebrates, particularly insects, which undergoes gradual metamorphosis before reaching its adult stage. Unlike a typical larva, a nymph's overall form already resembles that of the adult. In addition, while a nymph moults it never enters a...
or naiads) are generally slender compared to those of other families, with long and flat extensible lower lip (labia). They are aquatic predators, feeding on other insects and even small fish.
The adults spend large amounts of time in the air and seem to fly tirelessly with their four large and powerful wings
Insect wing
Insects are the only group of invertebrates known to have evolved flight. Insects possess some remarkable flight characteristics and abilities, still far superior to attempts by humans to replicate their capabilities. Even our understanding of the aerodynamics of flexible, flapping wings and how...
. They can fly forwards or backwards or hover like a helicopter. The wings are always extended horizontally.
Their abdomen
Abdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
is long and thin. Most are colored blue and or green, with black and occasionally yellow. Their large hemispherical compound eyes touch in the midline and nearly cover the head. They have an extremely good sight. They are voracious insect predators, using their sharp biting mouthparts. They are therefore very beneficial.
All are extremely hard to catch because of their flying abilities and keen sight.
There has been recently a proposal to split this family in Aeshnidae and Telephlebiidae (Hawking & Theischinger, 1999).
The name may have resulted from a printer's error in spelling the Greek Aechma, "a spear". The spelling 'Aeschnidae' has been intermittently used over a period of time, but is now abandoned for the original name 'Aeshnidae'. However, derived genus names (such as Rhionaeschna
Rhionaeschna
Rhionaeschna is the scientific name of a genus of dragonflies from the family Aeshnidae. They are also known as Blue-eyed Darners.-Species:The genus includes the following species:-References:* , ITIS Report* , BugGuide...
) retain the 'sch' spelling, as this is how they were first cited.
Genera
- Acanthaeschna
- Adversaeschna
- Aeschnophlebia
- AeshnaAeshnaAeshna is the scientific name of a genus of dragonflies from the family Aeshnidae. They are also known as hawker dragonflies, or, in North America, as mosaic darners.-Description:These are relatively large dragonflies...
– Mosaic Darners - AgyrtacanthaAgyrtacanthaAgyrtacantha is a genus of dragonflies in the family Aeshnidae.The genus contains the following species:*Agyrtacantha dirupta - Trifid Dusthawker*Agyrtacantha microstigma *Agyrtacantha othello *Agyrtacantha tumidula...
- Allopetalia
- Amphiaeschna
- AnaciaeschnaAnaciaeschnaAnaciaeschna is a genus of dragonflies in the family Aeshnidae.The genus contains the following species:*Anaciaeschna donaldi *Anaciaeschna isosceles - Green-eyed Hawker, Norfolk Hawker...
- Anax – Green Darners
- Andaeschna
- Antipodophlebia
- AustroaeschnaAustroaeschnaAustroaeschna is a genus of dragonflies in the family Aeshnidae.The genus contains the following species:*Austroaeschna anacantha - Western Darner*Austroaeschna atrata - Mountain Darner*Austroaeschna christine - S-Spot Darner...
- Austrogyncantha
- AustrophlebiaAustrophlebiaAustrophlebia is a small genus of dragonflies in the family Aeshnidae. The species are very large with strong yellow markings on the thorax.The genus contains only two species:*Austrophlebia costalis - Southern Giant Darner...
- BasiaeschnaBasiaeschnaBasiaeschna janata, the Springtime Darner, is a species of dragonfly in the monotypic genus Basiaeshna in the family Aeshnidae. It is a small, bluish darner which flies early in the year....
- BoyeriaBoyeriaBoyeria is a genus of dragonfly in family Aeshnidae, commonly called Spotted Darners. They occur in temperate North America and Eurasia.The name Boyeria commemorates the French entymologist Etienne Laurent Joseph Hippolyte Boyer de Fonscolombe...
- Brachytron
- Caliaeschna
- Castoraeschna
- CephalaeschnaCephalaeschnaCephalaeschna is a genus of dragonflies in the family Aeshnidae.The genus contains the following species:*Cephalaeschna acutifrons *Cephalaeschna aritai *Cephalaeschna chaoi *Cephalaeschna dinghuensis *Cephalaeschna klapperichi...
- Coryphaeschna
- Dendroaeschna
- Epiaeschna
- Gomphaeschna
- GynacanthaGynacanthaGynacantha is a genus of dragonflies in the family Aeshnidae. The females have two prominent spines under the last abdominal segment. This gives the genus name and the common name Two-spined Darners. They are also commonly known as Duskhawkers.The genus contains the following species:...
- Gynacanthaeschna
- HeliaeschnaHeliaeschnaHeliaeschna is a genus of dragonflies in the family Aeshnidae.The genus contains the following species:*Heliaeschna bartelsi *Heliaeschna crassa *Heliaeschna cynthiae *Heliaeschna filostyla *Heliaeschna fuliginosa...
- Hemianax
- Indaeschna
- Nasiaeschna
- Limnetron
- Linaeschna
- Nasiaeschna
- Neuraeschna
- Notoaeschna
- OligoaeschnaOligoaeschnaOligoaeschna is a genus of dragonfly in family Aeshnidae. It contains the following species:*Oligoaeschna amata *Oligoaeschna amani *Oligoaeschna aquilonaris *Oligoaeschna buehri *Oligoaeschna elacatura *Oligoaeschna foliacea...
- Oplonaeschna
- Oreaeschna
- Periaeschna
- Petaliaeschna
- Planaeschna
- Plattycantha
- Polycanthagyna
- Racenaeschna
- Remartinia
- RhionaeschnaRhionaeschnaRhionaeschna is the scientific name of a genus of dragonflies from the family Aeshnidae. They are also known as Blue-eyed Darners.-Species:The genus includes the following species:-References:* , ITIS Report* , BugGuide...
– Blue-eyed Darners - Sarasaeschna
- Spinaeschna
- Staurophlebia
- Subaeschna
- Telephlebia
- TetracanthagynaTetracanthagynaTetracanthagyna is a genus of dragonflies in the family Aeshnidae.T. plagiata is the world's largest dragonfly by wingspan and the female T...
- TriacanthagynaTriacanthagynaTriacanthagyna is a genus of dragonflies in the family Aeshnidae. The species have large eyes and broad wings. The females have three prominent spines under the last abdominal segment which gives the genus its name...