// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the Libelluloidea say? Drag-on.
| Libelluloidea Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
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| Orthetrum sabina | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Infraorder: | Anisoptera |
| Clade: | Cavilabiata |
| Superfamily: | Libelluloidea Leach, 1815[1] |
| Families[2] | |
Libelluloidea is the most species-rich superfamily of dragonflies, comprising 13 families.[3][2]
The superfamily includes the skimmers, cruisers, emeralds and their relatives, and represents one of the most diverse evolutionary radiations within modern dragonflies.[3]
Recent phylogenetic studies using morphological and molecular data have substantially revised the classification of the group, including the recognition and restoration of several families.[3]
Taxonomic history
[edit]The superfamily Libelluloidea was established by Leach in 1815.[1]
Historically, the classification of libelluloid dragonflies has been unstable, particularly regarding the limits of Corduliidae, Synthemistidae and related families.[4][5]
In 2025, a major phylogenetic revision using morphological and molecular data recognised three new families and restored six previously synonymised families within Libelluloidea.[3]
Since 2013, the following family names have generally been treated as invalid, synonymised or disputed:[4][5][6][7]
Alternative phylogenetic names proposed for libelluloid dragonflies by Bechly included Anauriculida and Italoansida in 1996, and Eurypalpidomorpha in 2003.[7][8]
Phylogeny
[edit]Phylogenetic studies support Libelluloidea as a natural evolutionary group of dragonflies closely related to Cordulegastroidea.[3][4][9]
Libelluloidea is generally recovered as the sister group to Cordulegastroidea.[3][10]
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Families
[edit]The following families are currently placed in Libelluloidea:[3][2]
- Aeschnosomatidae Goodman, Abbott, Bybee, Ehlert, Frandsen, Guralnick, Kalkman, Newton, Pinto & Ware, 2025
- Austrocorduliidae Bechly, 1996
- Corduliidae Kirby, 1890
- Gomphomacromiidae Tillyard & Fraser, 1940
- Idionychidae Tillyard & Fraser, 1940
- Idomacromiidae Tillyard & Fraser, 1940
- Lauromacromiidae Goodman, Abbott, Bybee, Ehlert, Frandsen, Guralnick, Kalkman, Newton, Pinto & Ware, 2025
- Libellulidae Leach, 1815
- Macromidiidae Goodman, Abbott, Bybee, Ehlert, Frandsen, Guralnick, Kalkman, Newton, Pinto & Ware, 2025
- Macromiidae Needham, 1903
- Neophyidae Tillyard & Fraser, 1940
- Pseudocorduliidae Lohmann, 1996
- Synthemistidae Tillyard, 1911
Fossil record
[edit]The superfamily includes numerous extinct fossil taxa known from the Cretaceous and later deposits, including:[7][11]
- †Austrolibellula Petrulevičius & Nel, 2003[11]
- †Araripelibellulidae Bechly, 1996
- †Araripephlebiidae Bechly, 1998
- †Bolcacorduliidae Gentilini, 2002
- †Eocorduliidae Bechly, 1996
- †Palaeomacromiidae Petrulevičius, Nel & Muzón, 1999 (=Bolcathemidae Gentilini, 2002)
- †Valdicorduliidae Bechly, 1996
- †Urolibellulidae Zeiri, Nel & Garrouste, 2015
The oldest known member of Libelluloidea is Araripelibellula brittanica from the Berriasian of England.[12]
Libelluloidea and Cordulegastroidea together form a major evolutionary lineage of dragonflies.[10]
Etymology
[edit]The superfamily name Libelluloidea is derived from the type genus Libellula and the zoological suffix -oidea, used for superfamilies.
The genus name Libellula is the diminutive form of the Latin libella ("small balance" or "level"), possibly referring to the horizontal position of the wings.[13]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 Leach, W. E. (1815). "Entomology". In Brewster, D. (ed.). The Edinburgh Encyclopedia. Vol. 9 (reprint 1830 ed.). Edinburgh: William Blackburn. pp. 57–172 [136]. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.30911.
- 1 2 3 Paulson, D.; Schorr, M.; Abbott, J.; Bota-Sierra, C.; Deliry, C.; Dijkstra, K.-D.; Lozano, F. "World Odonata List". OdonataCentral. University of Alabama.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Goodman, Aaron; Abbott, John C.; Bybee, Seth M.; Ehlert, Juliana; Frandsen, Paul B.; Guralnick, Rob; Kalkman, Vincent J.; Newton, Lacie; Pinto, Ângelo Parise; Ware, Jessica L. (2025-10-09). "Systematic and taxonomic revision of emerald and tigertail dragonflies (Anisoptera: Synthemistidae and Corduliidae)". Systematic Entomology. doi:10.1111/syen.70000.
- 1 2 3 Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B.; Bechly, Günter; Bybee, Seth M.; Dow, Rory A.; Dumont, Henri J.; Fleck, Günther; Garrison, Rosser W.; Hämäläinen, Matti; Kalkman, Vincent J.; Karube, Haruki; May, Michael L.; Orr, Albert G.; Paulson, Dennis R.; Rehn, Andrew C.; Theischinger, Günther; Trueman, John W. H.; Van Tol, Jan; von Ellenrieder, Natalia; Ware, Jessica (2013). "The classification and diversity of dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata). In: Zhang, Z.-Q. (Ed.) Animal Biodiversity: An Outline of Higher-level Classification and Survey of Taxonomic Richness (Addenda 2013)". Zootaxa. 3703 (1): 36–45. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3703.1.9. hdl:10072/61365. ISSN 1175-5334.
- 1 2 Ware, J., May, M., & Kjer, K. (2007). Phylogeny of the higher Libelluloidea (Anisoptera: Odonata): an exploration of the most speciose superfamily of dragonflies. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 45(1), 289–310.
- ↑ Carle, F. L., Kjer, K. M., & May, M. L. (2008). Evolution of Odonata, with special reference to Coenagrionoidea (Zygoptera). Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny, 66(1), 37–44.
- 1 2 3 Sroka, Steven D.; Howells, Thomas F.; Nel, André (2023). "A new transitional "libelluloid" family of odonates with Mesozoic affinities in the Eocene Green River Formation of Utah, USA". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 68 (2): 337–342. doi:10.4202/app.01072.2023.
- ↑ Petrulevicius, Julián F.; Nel, André (2002). "A new libelluloid dragonfly from late Paleocene deposits in Argentina (Odonata: Italoansida)". European Journal of Entomology. 99: 485–489. ISSN 1210-5759.
- ↑ Bybee, S.M.; Ogden, T.H.; 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 (4): 477–514. doi:10.1111/j.1096-0031.2007.00191.x. PMID 34879634.
- 1 2 Lin, Qi-Bin; Huang, Di-Ying; Nel, A. (2007). "A new family of Cavilabiata from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation, China (Odonata: Anisoptera)". Zootaxa. 1469 (1): 59–64. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1469.1.4. ISSN 1175-5334.
- 1 2 Petrulevičius, Julián F.; Nel, André (2003). "A new libelluloid dragonfly (Insecta: Odonata: Italoansida) from the late Paleocene of Argentina". Geobios. 36 (4): 401–406. doi:10.1016/S0016-6995(03)00039-1. ISSN 0016-6995.
- ↑ "PBDB Taxon". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
- ↑ Endersby, Ian; Fliedner, Heinrich (2015). The Naming of Australia's Dragonflies. Eltham, Victoria, Australia: Busybird Publishing. ISBN 9781925260625.
