''Cordulephya'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

dragonflies A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of dragonflies are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threate ...

assigned to the superfamily

Libelluloidea Libelluloidea is a superfamily of dragonflies. A 2013 phylogenetic analysis suggests that this superfamily contains four families: *Corduliidae Selys, 1850 *Libellulidae Leach, 1815 * Macromiidae Needham, 1903 *Synthemistidae Tillyard, 1911 R ...

, and

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to eastern Australia. The species are small to tiny in size, coloured black, or purplish-black, with yellowish markings. Unusually for

Anisoptera A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of dragonflies are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threatens ...

, these dragonflies rest with their wings folded above their body in a similar manner to many species of

damselfly 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 win ...

. They are commonly known as shutwings.

Species

The genus ''Cordulephya'' includes four species:

Taxonomy

''Cordulephya'' was formerly considered a genus within the family Cordulephyidae. Recent taxonomic revisions have classified the genus ''Cordulephya'' as no longer being assigned to a family, but is now placed ''

incertae sedis or is a term used for a taxonomy (biology), taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertainty ...

'' within the superfamily

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1976710 Libelluloidea Anisoptera genera Odonata of Australia Endemic fauna of Australia Taxa named by Edmond de Sélys Longchamps Dragonflies