|
Pseudostigmatidae
The Pseudostigmatidae are a family of tropical damselflies, known as helicopter damselflies, giant damselflies, or forest giants. The family includes the largest of all damselfly species. They specialize in preying on web-building spiders, and breed in phytotelmata, the small bodies of water held by plants such as bromeliads. Range The species traditionally placed in Pseudostigmatidae are all Neotropical. Two range as far as northeastern Mexico: ''Mecistogaster ornata'' occurs in Tamaulipas and ''Pseudostigma aberrans'' in both Tamaulipas and Nuevo León. In 2006, Molecular phylogeny, molecular phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the African damselfly ''Coryphagrion grandis'', previously often classified within Megapodagrionidae or in a monotypic family Coryphagrionidae, belonged within family Pseudostigmatidae, close to genus ''Mecistogaster'', as was proposed already ten years before. This finding suggests that the family dates back to before the breakup of the supercont ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Damselflies
Damselflies are flying insects of the suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies (which constitute the other odonatan suborder, Epiprocta) but are usually smaller and have slimmer bodies. Most species fold the wings along the body when at rest, unlike dragonflies which hold the wings flat and away from the body. Damselflies have existed since the Late Jurassic, and are found on every continent except Antarctica. All damselflies are predatory insects: both nymphs and adults actively hunt and eat other insects. The nymphs are aquatic, with different species living in a variety of freshwater habitats including acidic bogs, ponds, lakes and rivers. The nymphs moult repeatedly, at the last moult climbing out of the water to undergo metamorphosis. The skin splits down the back, they emerge and inflate their wings and abdomen to gain their adult form. Their presence on a body of water indicates that it is relatively unpolluted, but their dependence on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
