Chalcolestes
Encyclopedia
Chalcolestes is a small genus
of damselfly
in family Lestidae
. They are commonly known as Willow Spreadwings. They are similar to the Spreadwings of the genus Lestes
.
The name Chalcolestes comes from Greek
: χαλχοσ copper and ληστησ predator.
The genus contains only two species:
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of damselfly
Damselfly
Damselflies are insects in the order Odonata. Damselflies are similar to dragonflies, but the adults can be distinguished by the fact that the wings of most damselflies are held along, and parallel to, the body when at rest...
in family Lestidae
Lestidae
Lestidae is a rather small family of cosmopolitan, large-sized, slender damselflies. They are of the order of the dragonflies and are commonly known as "Spreadwings." There are two subfamilies in Lestdae. The first subfamily is Lestinae. Damselflies in Lestinae rest with their wings partly open...
. They are commonly known as Willow Spreadwings. They are similar to the Spreadwings of the genus Lestes
Lestes
Lestes is a genus of damselfly in family Lestidae. The family hold their wings at about 45 degrees to the body when resting. This distinguishes them from most other species of damselflies which hold the wings along, and parallel to, the body when at rest....
.
The name Chalcolestes comes from Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: χαλχοσ copper and ληστησ predator.
The genus contains only two species:
- Chalcolestes parvidens – Eastern Willow Spreadwing
- Chalcolestes viridis – Willow Emerald Damselfly, Western Willow Spreadwing