Introduction to dragonflies

Introduction

History

Taxonomy

Life stages

Behavior

Habitat

Anatomy and identification

Glossary

Anal Triangle	Anale triangel(dk) Triangulo anal(es) Anale triangel(se) A triangular field consisting of two or more cells right next to the membrane at the base of the hindwing. Is found on many anisoptera, but only males. Is missing completely on Anax species.
Andromorph	Hanfarvet(dk) Andromorfo(es) Andromorf(se) Female that is colored completely or partially like the male of the same species. Antonym: Gynomorph.
Anisoptera	Anisoptera(dk) Anisoptera(es) Anisoptera(se) The suborder of dragonflies holding the 'true' and larger dragonflies; opposite to the smaller zygopteran species. See Zygoptera for an explanation of differences.
Appendages	Vedhæng(dk) Apéndices(es) Bihang(se) Anatomical part placed at the end of the abdomen. In males the purpose is to grab the female [anisoptera catch the eye-rim, zygoptera catch the prothorax] when initiating the mating process. In females they serve as support when connecting to the male secondary genitalia when mating.
Cerci	Øvre vedhæng(dk) Apéndices anales superiores(es) Övra bihäng(se) Plural term referring to the two upper appendages. Singular: Cercus. Both sexes of all species have them.
Cercus	Øvre vedhæng(dk) Apéndice anal superior(es) Övra bihang(se) See Cerci.
Dorsal carina	Line that runs down the center of the abdomen segments. Not often used for description.
Epiproct	Nedre vedhæng(dk) Apéndice anal inferior(es) Nedra bihang(se) The singular lower appendage of male dragonflies [Anisoptera].
Gynomorph	Hunfarvet(dk) Ginomorfo(es) Gynomorf(se) Female that is colored in the most common colors for the sex. Antonym: Andromorph
Immature	Umoden(dk) Inmaduro(es) Omogen(se) The term is mostly used to describe an individual that has not yet developed the coloration of the fully transformed imago. However, individuals that are looking immature are fully capable of breeding and are therefore mature, why the term is somewhat misleading (though fully understood by ode-people).
Instar	The scientific name for a single larval stage.
Lentic	Aquatic environment where the water flow is slow or non-present.
Lotic	Aquatic environment where the water flow is strong and visible.
Mature	Moden(dk) Maduro(es) Mogna(se) Having reached the normal coloration of the imago, thus, not as such related to ability to breed.
Mid-dorsal carina	Line that runs down the middle of the top of the thorax. It is only well-marked in a few types of odonata, especially zygopterans like spreadwings (Lestidae). [Notice that NA literature,e.g. Paulson, might refer to the top of the thorax of zygopterans as the front since the anatomical top is where the wings are attached, which is pushed backward forcing the front to appear the top...].
nymph	Nymfe(dk) Ninfa/Náyade(es) Nymf(se) Same as larva.
Obelisking	The behavior of pointing the tip of the abdomen toward the sky (the sun) to avoid overheating on sunny days. Naturally this is mostly seen in the tropics.
Odonata	The scientific name of the order representing the animals called dragonflies and damselflies in common language.
Old	Gammel(dk) Viejo(es) Gammal(se) Very mature animals having acquired a dark expression, that somewhat obscures the mature colors and patterns. Most noteworthy among females in general.
Paraproct	Nedre vedhæng(dk) Apéndice anal inferior(es) Nedre bihang(se) See Paraprocts.
Paraprocts	Nedre vedhæng(dk) Apéndices anales inferiores(es) Nedre bihang(se) Plural term referring to the two lower appendages of male damselflies [Zygoptera]. All females [Odonata] have no lower appendages. Singular paraproct.
phytotelmata	Water-filled crevices in terrestrial plants, like cavities in large trees. They act as breeding ponds to several species in the tropics.
Pioneer	Pioner(dk) Pionero(es) Pionjär(se) A species that inhabits new water bodies as one of the first. A strategy that both limits the competition and the number of predators, especially fish during the larval stage.
Pruinescence	Pudring(dk) Pruinescencia(es) Pudring(se) See Pruinosity
Pruinosity	Pudring(dk) Pruinescencia(es) Pudring(se) A waxy white-grayish or bluish substance that covers parts of the animal of some species, mainly the abdomen and thorax, and gives it an expression of being covered with powder. The amount is often increasing with age, and is normally seen on the male, and to a lesser degree on old females.
Pterostigma	Pterostigma(dk) Pterostigma(es) Pterostigma(se) Opaque structure close to the wing tips of both fore- and hindwings - just inside of the leading edge. Often holds distinctive colors and is most often rectangular or diamond shaped. Same as wing mark, wing spot, stigma. Both Zygoptera and Anisoptera in general have them, but there are exceptions, as many Demoiselles (Colopterygidae) where the male calopteryx don't have them and the females only show a pseudopterostigma consisting of color rather than structure.
Stage	Stadie(dk) Estadio(es) Fase(se) A larva undergoes several molts. Each fase between molts is called a stage.
Stigma	See Pterostigma.
Tail-light	Baglys(dk) Luz trasera(es) Bakljus(se) Referring to strong colors on the last segments of the abdomen. Either the upperside or the underside. For example, on the Calopteryx, Demoiselles [pragtvandnymfer], the color is on the underside of the segments. On a species like Blue Hawker [Blå Mosaikguldsmed] it refers to the complete bluish color on the upperside of S9-10. On Ischnura species, bluetails [farvevandnymfer], it refers to the upperside of the S7-8.
Thorax	Forkrop(dk) Tórax(es) Mellankrop(se) The large chunky body part connecting to the head/prothorax and the abdomen. It holds the wings and the rear two sets of legs. It consists of two parts that have practically melted together, the front part mesa-thorax and rear part meta-thorax. It holds a range of details that are often vital to identification.
Wing mark	Vingemærke(dk) Vingmärke(se) See Pterostigma.
Wing spot	Vingemærke(dk) Vingmärke(se) See Pterostigma.
Young	Ung(dk) Joven(es) Ung(se) See Immature.
Zygoptera	Zygoptera(dk) Zygoptera(es) Zygoptera(se) Suborder of the dragonflies that represents the 'small' dragonflies which in a common term are called damselflies. They are characterized from the larger dragonflies (Anisoptera) by a variety of different morphological details, like widely separate eyes for example, but the main separation the two suborders in-between has to do with the shape of the wings, where the fore- and hindwings are equally shaped in the zygopteran species and not so in the anisopteran species; the latter have the hindwings much broader. Another difference is that the anisopteran species cannot fold their wings over the abdomen as most zygopterans normally do.

Explainer

General
You might think that this is just another website that like to promote the owner as a selfclaimed hotshot within the dragonfly business. I get it, an it is fine with me. After all, there is a ton of information out there about these wonderful creatures and within each geographic region they often present the same basic material to [annoying] abundance. But what can one do? I mean, we are all here to live, and must act our way through life one way or the other. So my motivation for doing this site is first of all for my own amusement. I like doing this kind of tech-creative work and it is a perfect way to learn more efficiently about any subject than just reading a book. To present my knowledge to the world forces me to think twice.

You will find that a lot of the information I've put into the species accounts will be something you've heard or read before elsewhere. Unavoidable I would say, since a Ruddy Darter only shows variation to a certain degree; thereafter it simply is and always will be just a Ruddy Darter. However, since the knowledge about dragonflies is not as developed as for many other animal groups, there is still room for new discoveries, and hopefully I will be able to make my own contributions, starting with adding in some of the details that I notice in the field, details that are not often mentioned in the literature.

Since this is a one-man show, the photo and video material will all be my own, why you will find gaps in the accounts reflecting how far I've come in knowing the world of odonates.

THE SPECIES ACCOUNT
The material will be relative to my own position in the world - now Europe. Species descriptions and species comparisons will therefore focus on that which is relevant to the species in a European context. Meaning that a holarctic species like Moorland Hawker (Aeshna juncea) for now will only be judged from a European perspective, leaving out the characteristics of the species when seen in N America. This both based on lack of experience and to minimize the work load, focusing on a completion of the material with Europe in mind.

FLIGHT PERIODS
For the species relevant to Denmark and the Nordic countries I've used Nordens Trollsländor af Magnus Billqvist as a starting point, and for the European species I've used Europe's Dragonflies by Smallshire and Swash. Adjustments will be made currently to reflect the ongoing chances in the flight period dynamics of the odonates.

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