Hexapodium: Odonata
Large, slender dragonflies, 2.5 to 3 inches long. Black in color, blue-green eyes. Paired yellow spots along the length of their abdomen. Males: yellow foreheads and slightly clubbed abdomen. Females: brown foreheads and ovipositer extending from the end of the abdomen.
Small,widely separated compound eyes, colored blue, turquoise, or green. Most species have pale thorax with dark stripes; cryptic coloring. Adults usually 1.6 to 2.8 inches in length.
Clubbed abdomen.
Greek: gomphos = bolt or nail (in reference to the shape of the insect's abdomen).
Abdomen is not clubbed. Triangles in fore and hind wings are dissimilar.
Most ancient of the extant dragonflies. Fossils date back 150 million years ago in the Jurassic. Two clades: a Gondwanan clade and a Laurasian clade.
Largest and most divers group of dragonflies. Hindwing broader than forewing. Well-defined nodus.
Abdomen is not clubbed. Triangles in fore and hind wings are dissimilar.
Most specialized and diverse group.