Megapodagrionidae
Encyclopedia
Megapodagrionidae is a family
of damselflies
, commonly called flatwings for their habit of spreading out the hindwings
horizontally
when at rest. They belong to the superfamily
Lestoidea.
The Megapodagrionidae are usually divided into five or six subfamilies:
Of these, the Argiolestinae
are most diverse, while the Megapodagrioninae and (if placed here) Pseudolestinae are smallish. The others are very small or even monotypic
.
In addition, two monotypic
genera
are sometimes placed here as monotypic subfamilies: Thaumatoneura is otherwise regarded as a monotypic family of the Calopterygoidea. Coryphagrion was usually also considered a monotypic family in older treatments; in recent times it is often included in the Pseudostigmatidae
of the superfamily Coenagrionoidea
.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of damselflies
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...
, commonly called flatwings for their habit of spreading out the hindwings
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...
horizontally
Horizontal plane
In geometry, physics, astronomy, geography, and related sciences, a plane is said to be horizontal at a given point if it is perpendicular to the gradient of the gravity field at that point— in other words, if apparent gravity makes a plumb bob hang perpendicular to the plane at that point.In...
when at rest. They belong to the superfamily
Taxonomic rank
In biological classification, rank is the level in a taxonomic hierarchy. Examples of taxonomic ranks are species, genus, family, and class. Each rank subsumes under it a number of less general categories...
Lestoidea.
The Megapodagrionidae are usually divided into five or six subfamilies:
- ArgiolestinaeArgiolestinaeArgiolestinae is a subfamily of damselflies. They belong to the flatwing damselfly family, Megapodagrionidae. Like their relatives but unlike dragonflies of other families, they usually spread their hindwings horizontally when resting. It is also the largest subfamily in...
- Hypolestinae
- Megapodagrioninae
- Philosininae
- Pseudolestinae (often treated as distinct family)
Of these, the Argiolestinae
Argiolestinae
Argiolestinae is a subfamily of damselflies. They belong to the flatwing damselfly family, Megapodagrionidae. Like their relatives but unlike dragonflies of other families, they usually spread their hindwings horizontally when resting. It is also the largest subfamily in...
are most diverse, while the Megapodagrioninae and (if placed here) Pseudolestinae are smallish. The others are very small or even monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
.
In addition, two monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
genera
Genera
Genera is a commercial operating system and development environment for Lisp machines developed by Symbolics. It is essentially a fork of an earlier operating system originating on the MIT AI Lab's Lisp machines which Symbolics had used in common with LMI and Texas Instruments...
are sometimes placed here as monotypic subfamilies: Thaumatoneura is otherwise regarded as a monotypic family of the Calopterygoidea. Coryphagrion was usually also considered a monotypic family in older treatments; in recent times it is often included in the Pseudostigmatidae
Pseudostigmatidae
Pseudostigmatidae is a family of tropical damselflies, known as helicopter damselflies, giant damselflies or Forest Giants. The family includes the largest of all damselfly species...
of the superfamily Coenagrionoidea
Coenagrionoidea
Coenagrionoidea is a superfamily of Closed Wing damselflies of the order Odonata found world-wide containing six families.-References:* , Odonata, Danish Dragonflies- See also :* List of damselflies of the world...
.