Gourt > Science > Biology > Flora and Fauna > Animalia > Arthropoda > Insecta > Odonata (2)
Odonata is an order in the class Insecta, encompassing those insects commonly known as dragonflies (either when referring to the group as a whole, or for the species in the suborder Epiprocta in general or the infraorder Anisoptera in a strict sense) and damselflies (for the species in the suborder Zygoptera). The term Odonate has been coined to provide an English name for the group as a whole, in an attempt to resolve the problem caused by the dual meaning of the term dragonfly. This term is not however in common usage, and instead most Odonata enthusiasts solve the problem by using the term true dragonfly when referring to just the Anisoptera. This order has traditionally been grouped together with the mayflies and several extinct orders in a group called the "Paleoptera", but this grouping appears to be paraphyletic. What they do share with mayflies is the nature of how the wings are articulated and controlled (see insect flight for a detailed discussion).
It was long believed that the Anisoptera were a suborder and that there existed a third one, the Anisozygoptera (ancient dragonflies). However, they were combined in the suborder Epiprocta (in which Anisoptera is an infraorder) after it was revealed that the Anisozygoptera are a paraphyletic group composed of mostly extinct offshoots of dragonfly evolution.
These insects characteristically have large rounded heads covered mostly by well-developed, faceted eyes, legs that facilitate catching prey (other insects) in flight, two pairs of long, transparent wings that move independently, and elongated abdomens. In most families there is a structure on the leading edge near the tip of the wing called the pterostigma, which actually is a thickened, blood–filled and often colorful area called a cell. Cell in this case means a closed area of an insect wing bounded by veins. The functions of the pterostigma are not fully known, but it most probably has an aerodynamic effect and also a visual function. More mass at the end of the wing may also reduce the energy needed to move the wings up and down. The right combination of wing stiffness and wing mass could reduce the energy consumption of flying. A pterostigma is also found among other insects, like bees. Although generally fairly similar, dragonflies differ from damselflies in several, easily recognizable traits. Dragonflies are strong fliers with fairly robust bodies and at rest hold their wings either out to the side or out and downward (or even somewhat forward). Damselflies tend to be less robust, even rather weak appearing in flight, and when at rest most species hold their wings folded back over the abdomen (see photograph below, left). Dragonfly eyes occupy much of the animal's head, touching (or nearly touching) each other across the face. In damselflies, there is typically a gap between the eyes.
More on [ Odonata ]
@odonata I vote for a nap!
incaaztec (IncaAztec) Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:09:22 -0000
@odonata I vote for a nap!
So sleepy. But I only have 45 minutes to get some stuff done before I have to go out again. Better stand up + get moving or I'll just....zzz
odonata (lk quintana) Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:08:13 -0000
So sleepy. But I only have 45 minutes to get some stuff done before I have to go out again. Better stand up + get moving or I'll just....zzz
Since tomorrow is the first Saturday of the month Denis will have his wines, Odonata Wines, available to taste!... http://bit.ly/6UNxWV
SCMtnVineyard (SC Mtn Vineyard) Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:10:07 -0000
Since tomorrow is the first Saturday of the month Denis will have his wines, Odonata Wines, available to taste!... http://bit.ly/6UNxWV
Wow. Thunder and lightning! Don't get that very often here.
odonata (lk quintana) Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:27:40 -0000
Wow. Thunder and lightning! Don't get that very often here.
Odonata, Grenache, SC Mtns; Outstanding! Red licorice and white pepper nose, mouthcoating raspberry & perfectly salty. Only 65 cases! #wine
Gestalted (Richard Millang) Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:27:25 -0000
Odonata, Grenache, SC Mtns; Outstanding! Red licorice and white pepper nose, mouthcoating raspberry & perfectly salty. Only 65 cases! #wine
@IncaAztec http://bit.ly/8vueBJ
odonata (lk quintana) Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:27:07 -0000
@IncaAztec http://bit.ly/8vueBJ
A Flash of Wings - Ed Lam's site with information about the upcoming field guide to northeastern US damselflies; high-quality images of damselflies and dragonflies; guide and checklist to the Odonata of Central Park, New York City; and other images.
Alaska Odonata - A species list including favored habitats and dates.
Arizona Odonates - Checklist, range maps, and photos of Arizona damselflies and dragonflies.
Meta Description: [ Range maps and photos of Arizona odonates ]
Australia and New Zealand Odonata - Includes several photos of Petaluridae.
Beginner's Guide to Dragonflies - Introduction to the classification and biology of Odonata.
British Dragonfly Society - Promotes the study and conservation of dragonflies and damselflies and their natural habitats, especially in the United Kingdom. Includes images and an annotated checklist of British and Irish Odonata.
California Dragonflies and Damselflies - Sightings, photographs, California field key, FAQ, and links.
Danish Dragonflies - Information and photographs of Odonata in Denmark by Erland Refling Nielsen.
Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) of Georgia and the Southeast - Giff Beaton's site with numerous photos and identification tips for most of the state's species.
Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) of the United States - Information on hundreds of species, including distribution maps, county checklists, and photographs.
Meta Description: [ Information on hundreds of species of Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) occurring in the United States, including distribution maps and county checklists ]
Dragonflies and Damselflies in UK - Dragonflies and Damselflies in the UK - particularly in North Buckinghamshire
Dragonflies and Damselflies of Austria, Germany, and Holland - High-resolution pictures of 29 species by Robert Geerts.
Meta Description: [ WebGuide to European dragonfly species ]
Dragonflies and Damselflies of Europe - Features pictures, checklist, information, links, and literature list on odonates.
Dragonflies of the Hampshire and Surrey Borders - Photos and information on English Odonata by Jean and David Dell.
Dragonfly (Odonata) Biodiversity - Photographs, mating behavior, species lists, information about collecting and preserving dragonflies, a glossary of terms, and range maps of western US dragonflies from the University of Puget Sound.
Dragonfly - Order Odonata - Brief article by Judi Manning, summarizing their history, life cycle, and biology.
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Dragonfly Dramas - Article from Smithsonian Magazine about Desert Whitetails and Flame Skimmers in New Mexico's Bitter Lake Refuge.
Meta Description: [ Articles from the Smithsonian Institution's award-winning, monthly general interest magazine, plus exclusive Web articles, videos, blogs, photographs and more. ]
Dragonfly Site - Links to sites concerning dragonfly biology, pictures, books, and regional information.
Meta Description: [ Dragonfly information, pictures and gifts! ]
Finnish Dragonflies - Checklist of Finland's 52 species of Odonata, portraits, and some impressive action photos showing copulation, foraging, territorial fighting, and courtship displays.
Gloria Mundi - Dragonflies - An illustrated guide to the dragonflies and damselflies of North America. Includes a primer on Odonata biology and identification tips for each genus.
Meta Description: [ gloriamundipress.com ]
International Dragonfly Fund - A scientific society founded in 1996 for the improvement of odonatological science and the protection of dragonflies.
Iowa Odonates - Guide to the dragonflies and damselflies of Iowa. Includes checklists, photos, notes, and range maps.
Jim Bangma's Odonates - Photo gallery, mainly of New Jersey dragonflies.
Josh Rose's Odonate Photos - Photos of dragonflies and damselflies from North Carolina, Florida, and Texas.
Meta Description: [ Pictures of dragonflies and damselflies ]
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Maryland Dragonflies - Photo gallery of Odonata in Maryland and Minnesota, USA by une Tveekrem.
Massachusetts Dragonfly and Damselfly Images - Photographs by Glenn Corbiere of Chester, Massachusetts.
Meta Description: [ A selection of Massachusetts Dragonfly Images and Damselfly Images. Photography by Glenn Corbiere ]
Michigan Odonata Survey - A volunteer effort to document and catalog the Odonata that occur in the state of Michigan. Includes checklists for Michigan, a key to larvae, and a key to Michigan Sympetrum (meadowhawks), bibliographies, and photographs.
New Jersey Odonata - A photographic guide to New Jersey dragonflies and damselflies. Includes detailed species accounts, information about the New Jersey Odonata Survey, threatened species, data and checklists, and a reporting form.
Meta Description: [ A photographic guide to New Jersey dragonflies and damselflies. ]
New York Odes Lists - Species lists and date records for New York City; links.
North Carolina Damselflies and Dragonflies - Field checklist and annotated gallery of photos by Jeff Pippen.
Meta Description: [ Odonata, damselfly, dragonfly info for NC ]
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North Coast Odonata - Accumulates data on the distribution and abundance of dragonflies and damselflies in northern Ohio. Includes program information and survey instructions.
Meta Description: [ The dragonflies and damselfies of Northern Ohio. Instructions and electronic input for the North Coast Odonata Survey.>
Northwest Odonata Photo Gallery - High quality scanned images of specimens from the northwestern United States.
Odonata Central - Odonata checklists, photos, and information for species in North America, with special emphasis on Texas.
Meta Description: [ Photographs, Checklists and maps of the dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) of the United States, Canada and Mexico ]
Odonata Information Network - Resources and links from the International Odonata Research Institute.
Odonata Links - A well-organized linkpage on the Oregon Dragonfly and Damselfly Survey website.
Odonata of Europe - Images of Odonata from the Czech Republic taken by Josef Hlasek. No explanatory text.
Odonata of Japan - Photos, videos, and articles by Takashi Aoki.
Odonata of North America - Lists dragonflies and damselflies of North America along with the English names established by the Dragonfly Society of the Americas.
Odonata of Ontario - Species lists, photos and distribution for 161 species of damselflies and dragonflies in Ontario.
Meta Description: [ Regional checklists of dragonflies and damselflies (odonata) of southwestern Ontario, Canada ]
Odonata of the Lower Rio Grande Valley - Overview and photographs of the dragonflies and damselflies of southern Texas.
Meta Description: [ Fireworks Splice HTML ]
Odonata Photographs - A large gallery of photographs of dragonflies and damselflies from the University of Michigan.
Odonata Photos - Dragonfly and damselfly photos from around the world.
Odonata Stuff from Ron Lyons - Introduction and cultural odonatology references.
Odonata-L - Archives and information about the e-mail list for dragonfly biology.
OdonataCentral - Photographs, checklists, and range maps for dragonflies and damselflies of United States, Canada, and Mexico, with special emphasis on species in Texas and surrounding states.
Meta Description: [ Photographs, Checklists and maps of the dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) of the United States, Canada and Mexico ]
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Odonate Research at UTA - James V. Robinson's research on Odonata reproduction at the University of Texas, Arlington.
Meta Description: [ The University of Texas at Arlington is an educational leader in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Founded in 1895 as a private liberal arts institution, UT Arlington achieved senior college status in 1959 and became part of The University of Texas System in 1965.
The University's ne... ]
Odonatology - Includes sections on the Specialist Group for Systematic and Phylogenetic Odonatology, journal Petalura, phylogenetic classification, alphabetical checklist, photo galleries, and resources for odonatologists.
Ohio Odonata Survey - Species maps, county lists, and images.
Order Odonata - Description from the Animal Diversity Web.
Oregon Dragonfly and Damselfly Survey - Checklist, county maps, and other resources.
Oregon Odonata Gallery - Photographs by Steve Valley.
Meta Description: [ Photographs ]
Roy Beckemeyer - Odonata - Extensive site with miscellaneous information about dragonflies, checklists for several states in the central US, an extensive bibiliography, images, trip reports from around the world, and links.
SE-odonata - E-mail group for discussion of dragonflies and damselflies in the southeastern United States.
Meta Description: [ se-odonata: Dragonflies and Damselflies of the Southeastern US ]
Some Thai Odonata - Photographs from Thailand by Roy Beckemeyer.
Swedish Dragonflies - Dragonfly FAQs, dragonfly anatomy, a key to Swedish dragonflies and damselflies, how to catch and raise dragonflies, photographs, photography tips, dragonfly sex and much more from Martin Peterson's dragonfly website.
Synonymic List of the New World Odonata - A complete listing for all described Odonata of North, Middle, and South America with annotations by Rosser W. Garrison.
Washington Dragonfly (Odonata) Survey - Field key, checklist, photo gallery, and range maps.
West Virginia Dragonflies - A PDF format online book by Hassan Amjad; links.
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World List of Odonata - Checklist compiled by Martin Schorr, Martin Lindeboom, and Dennis Paulson.
Worldwide Dragonfly Association - Includes beginner's guide to dragonflies, FAQs, articles, and links.
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