Family LESTOIDEIDAE

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Introduction

Following Davies & Tobin (1984) the Australian and Papuan genus Diphlebia Selys was included by Houston & Watson (1988) in the Amphipterygidae. Novelo-Gutierrez (1995) on the basis of larvae proposed a new classification with Diphlebia assigned with Lestoidea Tillyard and Philoganga Kirby to the family Diphlebiidae and Amphipteryx Selys, Devadatta Kirby, Pentaphlebia Förster and Rimanella Needham to the Amphipterygidae. The priority of Lestoideidae over Diphlebiidae was demonstrated by Van Tol (1995) and subsequently accepted by Theischinger (1996). However, an alternative view of Bechly (1996) considers that Lestoidea belong in Hypolestidae, and Diphlebiidae thus becomes the name of the group containing Diphlebia once again (see Hawking & Theischinger 1999). Watson (1966) discussed the structure and function of the gill tufts in larval Amphipterygidae, while Stewart (1980) revised Diphlebia and no undescribed species are known. Hawking & Theischinger (1999) give an illustrated key to the larvae of New South Wales species.

Following Carle et al. (2008) and Bybee et al. (2008), the previously recognised Diphlebiidae are merged with Lestoideidae.

Diagnosis

Adult: accessory antenodal crossveins present, primary antenodals evident; postnodal crossveins not necessarily aligned with crossveins behind them; discoidal cell entire or (in some non-Australian genera) traversed by crossveins; IR3 and R4 originating close to arculus; wings (in Australian species) held open at rest.

Larva: labium flat, broad, lacking major setae, palps narrow, median lobe cleft; gills saccoid, with tapered tips; anal laminae in Australian species not modified into gill tufts (cf. Watson, 1966).

General References

Bechly, G. 1996. Morphologische Untersuchungen am Flügelgeäder der rezenten Libellen und deren Stammgruppenvertreter (Insecta; Pterygota; Odonata) unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Phylogenetischen Systematik und des Grundplanes der Odonata. Petalura, Special volume 2: 1-402

Bybee, S.M., Heath Ogden, T., Branham, M.A. & Whiting, M.F. 2008. Molecules, morphology and fossils: a comprehensive approach to odonate phylogeny and the evolution of the odonate wing. Cladistics 24: 477-514

Carle, F.L., Kjer, K.M. & May, M.L. 2008. Evolution of Odonata, with special reference to Coenagrionidea (Zygoptera). Arthropod Systematics and Phylogeny 66(1): 37-44

Davies, D.A.L. & Tobin, P. 1984. The dragonflies of the world: a systematic list of the extant species of Odonata. Vol. 1. Zygoptera and Anisozygoptera. Societas Internationalis Odonatologica, Rapid Communications Suppl. 3: i-ix 1-127

Hawking, J. & Theischinger, G. 1999. Dragonfly larvae (Odonata). A guide to the identification of larvae of Australian families and to the identification and ecology of larvae from New South Wales. Albury : Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology Vol. 24 iv 218 pp.

Houston, W.W.K. & Watson, J.A.L. 1988. Odonata. pp. 33-132 in Houston, W.W.K. (ed.). Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Ephemeroptera, Megaloptera, Odonata, Plecoptera, Trichoptera. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 6 xi 316 pp.

Novelo-Gutierrez, R. 1995. The larva of Amphipteryx and a reclassification of Amphipterygidae sensu lato based upon the larvae (Zygoptera). Odonatologica 24(1): 73-87

Stewart, W.E. 1980. The Australian genus Diphlebia Selys (Odonata: Amphipterygidae) I. Taxonomic revision of the adults. II. Taxonomy of the larvae. Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 75: 1-72

Theischinger, G. 1996. The species of Lestoideinae Munz (Insecta: Odonata: Zygoptera: Lestoideidae). Linzer Biologische Beiträge 28(1): 315-324 [Date published 20/Aug/1996]

Van Tol, J. 1995. Family-group names based on Amphipteryx, Diphlebia, Philoganga, Lestoides, Rimanella and Pentaphlebia (Zygoptera). Odonatologica 24(2): 245-248

Watson, J.A.L. 1966. The structure and function of the gill tufts in larval Amphipterygidae (Odonata: Zygoptera). Journal of Morphology 120: 9-22

Common Name References

Theischinger, G., Hawking, J. & Orr, A. 2021. The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing 2nd edn. (Rockmasters)

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