The Synlestidae are a family of damselflies[2][3] commonly known as sylphs or malachites.[4] They occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia, Asia and the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean.[5]
| Synlestidae | |
|---|---|
| |
| Chlorolestes tessellatus | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Suborder: | Zygoptera |
| Superfamily: | Lestoidea |
| Family: | Synlestidae Tillyard, 1917[1] |
Description
editThese damselflies are 21 to 36 millimeters long, with slender abdomens.[4] Species are generally metallic green to brown-tinged black in color.[6]
Biology
editDamselflies of this family are predators. The nymphs live in rivers and streams, and can be found in stagnant pools during the dry season.[4]
Systematics
editThere are nine extant genera. There are also several extinct genera known from fossils.[5]
Genera include:
- Chlorolestes Selys, 1862
- Chorismagrion Morton, 1914
- Ecchlorolestes Barnard, 1937
- Episynlestes Kennedy, 1920
- Megalestes Selys, 1862
- Nubiolestes Fraser, 1945
- Phylolestes Christiansen, 1947
- Sinolestes Needham, 1930
- Synlestes Selys, 1868
References
edit
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Wikispecies has information related to Synlestidae.
- ^ Tillyard, R.J. (1917). The biology of dragonflies (Odonata or Paraneuroptera). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 396 [82]. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.35170.
- ^ "Family SYNLESTIDAE". Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Biological Resources Study. 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
- ^ Dijkstra, K.D.B.; et al. (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.
- ^ a b c Synlestidae. Identification & Ecology of Australian Freshwater Invertebrates. Murray-Darling Basin Authority.
- ^ a b Vasilenko, D. V. (2005). New damselflies (Odonata: Synlestidae, Hemiphlebiidae) from the Mesozoic Transbaikalian locality of Chernovskie Kopi. Paleontologicheskii Zhurnal 39(3), 280-83.
- ^ Synlestidae. Australian Insect Families. CSIRO, 2016.