Austrolestes

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Austrolestes
Austrolestes annulosus.jpg
Blue Ringtail (Austrolestes annulosus)
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Suborder: Zygoptera
Family: Lestidae
Genus: Austrolestes
Tillyard, 1913[1]
Type species
Austrolestes cingulatus

Austrolestes is a genus of medium to large-sized damselflies in the family Lestidae.[2] Austrolestes damselflies sit with their wings folded completely back.[1] Males are usually bright blue and black, the females duller. Members of this genus are found in Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific islands.

Species[]

The genus Austrolestes includes the following species:[3]

Male Female Scientific name Common Name Distribution
Austrolestes aleison Watson & Moulds, 1979 Western ringtail south-western Australia
Slender ringtail damselfy Austrolestes analis male (31718210563).jpg Slender ringtail.jpg Austrolestes analis (Rambur, 1842) Slender ringtail South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania.
Common blue damselfly02.jpg Blue Ringtail, Austrolestes annulosus, female.jpg Austrolestes annulosus (Selys, 1862) Blue ringtail Australia
Austrolestes aridus (Tillyard, 1908) Inland ringtail Australia
Austrolestes cingulatus male.jpg Austrolestes cingulatus03.jpg Austrolestes cingulatus (Burmeister, 1839) Metallic ringtail Tasmania, Victoria and eastern New South Wales
KF Austrolestes colensonis 1.jpg Austrolestes colensonis by Christopher Stephens.jpg Austrolestes colensonis (White, 1846) Blue damselfly, kekewai New Zealand
Northern Ringtail 3442.jpg Austrolestes insularis Tillyard, 1913 Northern ringtail northern Australia
Iota-Ringtail Austrolestes-io male.jpg Austrolestes io (Selys, 1862) Iota ringtail south-western Australia and south-eastern Australia
Blue damselfly (31562452651).jpg 20080211 Chelsea Damselfly On Oleander Leaf.jpg Austrolestes leda (Selys, 1862) Wandering ringtail eastern Australia
Austrolestes minjerriba (49738407742).jpg Austrolestes minjerriba Watson, 1979 Dune ringtail northern New South Wales and southern Queensland
Cup ringtail damselfly Austrolestes psyche (22219876471).jpg Cup ringtail damselfy Austrolested psyche (37325196754).jpg Austrolestes psyche (Hagen in Selys, 1862) Cup ringtail south-eastern Australia

Etymology[]

The genus name Austrolestes is derived from the latin word auster meaning south wind, hence south; and the damselfly genus Lestes, which is from the Greek word λῃστής meaning a robber.[1][4] In 1913, Robin Tillyard described the genus Austrolestes as having characters similar to the very large genus Lestes, which, unlike Austrolestes, sit with their wings outspread.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d Tillyard, R.J. (1913). "On some new and rare Australian Agrionidae (Odonata)". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. 37 (1912): 404–479 [421]. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.22352 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  2. ^ "Genus Austrolestes Tillyard, 1913". Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Biological Resources Study. 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  3. ^ Martin Schorr; Martin Lindeboom; Dennis Paulson. "World Odonata List". University of Puget Sound. Archived from the original on 28 August 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  4. ^ Endersby, I. (2012). "Watson and Theischinger: the etymology of the dragonfly (Insecta: Odonata) names which they published". Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales. 145 (443 & 444): 34–53. ISSN 0035-9173 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  • Günther Theischinger; John Hawking (2006). The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia. CSIRO Publishing. ISBN 0-643-09073-8.
  • Annette Walker; et al. (2000). The Reed Handbook of Common New Zealand Insects. Raupo Publishing (NZ). ISBN 0-7900-0718-5.
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