Aeschnidiidae is an extinct family of Anisopteran dragonfly. Aeschnidiids were widespread and could be found on nearly every continent on Earth. They were most diverse during the Early Cretaceous before completely disappearing at the end of the Maastrichtian. Many members of this family were large dragonflies, with wing lengths ranging from 35 to 45 mm.[1]

Aeschnidiidae
Temporal range: Jurassic to Late Cretaceous, 156–66 Ma
Fossil of Urogomphus sp. or Aeschnidium sp. (Aeschnidiidae), from the Upper Jurassic Solnhofen Plattenkalk of Germany
Scientific classification
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Aeschnidiidae
Handlirsch, 1906
Type species
Aeschnidium bubas
Westwood, 1856
Genera

See text

Genera

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Genera of Aeschnidiid dragonfly
Generic name Geographical location Age
Aegyptidium[2] Abu Ballas Formation, Egypt 122-112 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Aeschnidiella[2] Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia 125-113 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Aeschnidiopsis[2] Walumbilla Formation, Australia 125-113 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Aeschnidium[2] Lulworth Formation, England 145-140 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Angloaeschnidium[2] La Huérguina Formation, Spain, and the Weald Clay Formation, England 130-125 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Bergeriaeschnidia[2] Solnhofen Limestone, Germany 151-145 Ma, Late Jurassic
Brunetaeschnidium[2] Nusplingen Limestone, Germany and the Solnhofen Limestone, Germany 156-145 Ma, Late Jurassic
Brunneaeschnidia[3] Chijinbao Formation, China 125-113 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Cooperaeschnidium[2] Weald Clay Formation, England 130-125.45 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Coramaeschnidium[2] Weald Clay Formation, England 136.4-130 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Cratoaeschnidium[4] Crato Formation, Brazil 115-113 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Dakotaeschnidium[5] Fox Hills Formation, The United States of America 70.6-66 Ma, Late Cretaceous
Deiciosaeschidium[2] Purbeck-Lulworth Formation, England 145-140 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Diastatopaeschnidium[2] Purbeck-Lulworth Formation, England 145-140 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Dracontaeschnidium[2] Yixian Formation, China 125-122 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Gansuaeschnidia[6] Chijinbao Formation, China 125-113 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Gigantoaeschnidium[2] La Huérguina Formation, Spain 130-125 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Iberoaeschnidium[2] La Huérguina Formation, Spain 130-125 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Jarzembowskiaeschnidium[2] Purbeck-Lulworth Formation, England 145-140 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Kesseleraeschnidium[2] Weald Clay Formation, England 136-130 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Kimmeridgebrachpteraeschnidium[2] Kimmeridge Clay Formation, England 156-151 Ma, Jurassic
Leptaeschnidium[2] Zaza Formation, Russia 125-113 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Linaeschnidium[1] Yixian Formation, China 125-122 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Lithoaeschnidium[2] Solnhofen Limestone, Germany 151-145 Ma, Late Jurassic
Lleidoaeschnidium[2] La Pedrera de Rubies Formation, Spain and the Weald Clay Formation, England 130-125 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Malmaeschnidium[2] Solnhofen Limestone, Germany 151-145 Ma, Late Jurassic
Misofaeschnidium[2] Nusplingen Limestone, Germany and the Solnhofen Limestone, Germany 156-145 Ma, Late Jurassic
Nannoaeschnidium[2] La Huérguina Formation, Spain 130-125 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Rossaeschnidium[2] Weald Clay Formation, England 130-125 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Santanoptera[7] Crato Formation, Brazil 122-112 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Sinaeschnidia[2] Hangjiahu Formation, China, the Laiyang Formation, China, the Baiwan Formation, China, the Yixian Formation, China, the Shahai Formation, China, the Chijinbao Formation, China, and the La Huérguina Formation, Spain 130-113 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Sinostenophlebia[8] Qingshila Formation, China 129-125 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Solnhofenia[2] Solnhofen Limestone, Germany 151-145 Ma, Late Jurassic
Stylaeschnidium[2] Yixian Formation, China 125-122 Ma, Early Cretaceous
Tauropteryx[2] Crimea, Ukraine 99.6-93.5 Ma, Late Cretaceous
Urogomphus?[2] Solnhofen Limestone, Germany and the Purbeck-Lulworth Formation, England 151-140 Ma, Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous
Wightonia[7] Crato Formation, Brazil 122-112 Ma, Early Cretaceous

References

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  1. ^ a b D. Y. Huang, A. Baudoin and A. Nel. 2009. A new aeschnidiid genus from the Early Cretaceous of China (Odonata: Anisoptera). Cretaceous Research 30:805-809
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac G. Fleck and A. Nel. 2003. Revision of the Mesozoic family Aeschnidiidae (Odonata: Anisoptera). Zoologica 153:1-170
  3. ^ A. Nel and X. Martínez-Delclòs. 1993. Essai de Révision des Aeschnidioidea (Insecta, Odonata, Anisoptera). Cahiers de Paléontologie 1993:7-99
  4. ^ A. Nel, C. Jouault and G. C. Ribeiro. 2022. The third aeschnidiid dragonfly genus and species from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation (Odonata, Anisoptera). Historical Biology 35:865-869
  5. ^ A. Nel. 2021. Maastrichtian representatives of the dragonfly family Aeschnidiidae question the entomofaunal turnover of the early Late Cretaceous. Palaeoentomology 4:209-212
  6. ^ X. Zhang, A. Nel, and H. Wang, H. C. Zhang, D. R. Zheng. 2022. A new genus of aeschnidiid dragonfly (Odonata: Anisoptera) from the Lower Cretaceous of the Jiuquan Basin, NW China. Historical Biology 36:12-18
  7. ^ a b G. Bechly. 2007. Odonata: damselflies and dragonflies. In D. M. Martill, G. Bechly, R. F. Loveridge (eds.), The Crato Fossil Beds of Brazil: Window into an Ancient World
  8. ^ D. R. Zheng, H. Wang, and E. A. Jarzembowski, B. Wang, S. C. Chang, H. C. Zhang. 2016. New data on Early Cretaceous odonatans (Stenophlebiidae, Aeschnidiidae) from northern China. Cretaceous Research 67:59-65