ODONATA

Dragonflies and Damselflies

Forerunners of the Odonata

Paleodictyoptera Protodonata

Forerunners of the Odonata

Protodonata

Simplified Evolutionary History of the Odonata

300 200 100

Carboniferous Permian Triassic Jurassic Cretaceous

Protodonata

Epiophlebioptera

“Anisozygoptera”Anisoptera

Zygoptera

Paleodictyoptera

Odonata

Number of Species

Common names

Distinguishing characteristics

Other features

Typical habitats

Hexapod Orders

>5000

damselflies, dragonflies, skippers , darners

Aquatic nymph, aerial adult

-direct flight muscles-wings can’t be folded

Odon - tooth

-nymphs with labial mask for prey capture-primitive wing venation - archedictyon

Odonata

• •

Direct flight muscles

Odonata -Evolutionary History

Meganeuropsis - Permian

Odonata - Adult modifications

Modifications for a predatory life

Large eyes

Well-developed mandibles

Odonata - Adult modifications

Modifications for a predatory life

-orientation of thoracic segments

-changed orientation of legs

-spines on legs

Odonata - larval modifications

Modifications for an aquatic predatory life

Mouthparts

submentum

palp

mentumprementum

Larvae Hunting

Odonata - Classification - OLD

Zygoptera

Anisozygoptera

Anisoptera

-larvae with caudal lamellae-wings held vertically at rest-wings same size

-larvae with no caudal lamellae-wings held horizontally at rest-wings different size

Odonata

Simplified Evolutionary History of the Odonata

300 200 100

Carboniferous Permian Triassic Jurassic Cretaceous

Protodonata

Epiophlebioptera

“Anisozygoptera”Anisoptera

Zygoptera

Paleodictyoptera

Zygoptera

Anisoptera

Epiophlebioptera

Epiprocta

Zygoptera

Anisozygoptera

Anisoptera

Odonata

Odonata

Odonata - Relationships

Zygoptera

Anisoptera

Epiophlebioptera

Epiprocta

Odonata

-larvae with caudal lamellae-wings held vertically at rest-wings same size-wings petiolate

-larvae with no caudal lamellae-wings held horizontally at rest-wings different size

Number of Species

Common names

Distinguishing characteristics

Other features

Typical habitats

Odonata - Suborders

≈ 2000

damselflies

Aquatic nymph, aerial adult

-direct flight muscles-wings can’t be folded-wings are same size-wings held vertically-slender-nymph - 3 caudal gills

ZygopteraZygo - equal, ptera- wing

-nymphs with labial mask for prey capture-Primitive wing venation

AnisopteraAniso - unequal, ptera- wing

dragonflies

-direct flight muscles-wings can’t be folded- hind wing larger- wings held horizontally-robust-nymph - no caudal gills

≈ 4000

Odonata - Suborders - Zygoptera

Damselflies - distinguishing features

1. Larvae with Caudal Lamellae

Odonata - Suborders - Zygoptera

Damselflies - distinguishing features

1. Larvae with caudal lamellae

2. Wings held vertically at rest

Odonata - Suborders - Zygoptera

Damselflies - distinguishing features

1. Larvae with caudal lamellae

2. Wings held vertically at rest

3. Wings are same size and shape

Odonata - Suborders - Zygoptera

Damselflies - distinguishing features

1. Larvae with caudal lamellae

2. Wings held vertically at rest

3. Wings are same size and shape

3. Wings are petiolate

Zygoptera – other features

Odonata - Suborders - Anisoptera

Dragonflies - distinguishing features

1. Larvae with no caudal lamellae

Odonata - Suborders - Anisoptera

Dragonflies - distinguishing features

1. Larvae with no caudal lamellae

2. Wings held horizontally at rest

Odonata - Suborders - Anisoptera

Dragonflies - distinguishing features

1. Larvae with no caudal lamellae

2. Wings held horizontally at rest

3. Wings are a different size and shape

Anal lobe

Odonata - Suborders - Epiophlebioptera

Living fossils - share features of Zygoptera and Anisoptera

Zygoptera Anisoptera

-wings are petiolate

-wings are ≈

-nymphs - no caudal lamellae

(-but no jet propulsion)

Odonata - Suborders - Epiophlebioptera

Odonata - Suborders - Epiophlebioptera

Odonata - General Features

Mating

Hagenius brevistylus

Odonata - General Features

Mating

Penes of maleArgia (Odonata)

Odonata - General Features

Mating

Courtship

Copulation

Oviposition

Odonata - General Features

Territory

Odonata - General Features

Territory

Switzer 2002

Odonata - General Features

Life Cycle

Aquatic nymph

Flies inland to feed and mature

Returns to water to set up territory and mate

Nymph leaves water and molts

Odonata - oviposition

Endophytic

Exophytic

So far in classfication

Zygoptera

Epiophlebioptera

Anisoptera

Odonata

Ephemeroptera

Paleoptera

NEOPTERA

Video on Dragonflies (Ignore the largely stupid, overly dramatic commentary)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezq_JWd1Sd8

Neoptera

Plecoptera

PhasmidaOrthoptera

Zoraptera

Blattaria

GrylloblattodeaMantophasmatodea

EmbiodeaDermaptera

MantodeaIsoptera

PsocopteraPhthirapteraThysanopteraHemipteraColeopteraRhaphidiopteraMegalopteraNeuropteraHymenopteraMecopteraSiphonapteraDipteraStrepsipteraTrichopteraLepidoptera

Polyneoptera

Paraneoptera

Neuropterida

Panorpida?