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List of Odonata species of Australia facts for kids

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This is a list of species of damselflies and dragonflies recorded in Australia.

Common names of species are linked, beside their scientific names.

The list is split into two groups: damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) and other dragonflies (infraorder Anisoptera). Those groups are organized in Families and then Genera and Species.

Zygoptera (damselflies)

Coenagrionidae

genus: Aciagrion

genus: Agriocnemis

genus: Archibasis

  • Blue-banded longtail, Archibasis mimetes

genus: Argiocnemis

genus: Austroagrion

genus: Austrocnemis

genus: Caliagrion

genus: Ceriagrion

genus: Coenagrion

genus: Ischnura

genus: Pseudagrion

genus: Teinobasis

genus: Xanthagrion

  • Red and blue damsel, Xanthagrion erythroneurum

Hemiphlebiidae

genus: Hemiphlebia

Isostictidae

genus: Austrosticta

genus: Eurysticta

  • Pilbara pin, Eurysticta coolawanyah
  • Coomalie pin, Eurysticta coomalie
  • Kimberley pin, Eurysticta kununurra
  • Queensland pin, Eurysticta reevesi

genus: Labidiosticta

genus: Lithosticta

genus: Neosticta

  • Southern pinfly, Neosticta canescens
  • Tropical pinfly, Neosticta fraseri
  • Forest pinfly, Neosticta silvarum

genus: Oristicta

genus: Rhadinosticta

Lestidae

genus: Austrolestes

genus: Indolestes

genus: Lestes

Lestoideidae

genus: Diphlebia

genus: Lestoidea

Megapodagrionidae

genus: Archiargiolestes

genus: Austroargiolestes

genus: Griseargiolestes

genus: Miniargiolestes

genus: Podopteryx

Platycnemididae

genus: Nososticta

Synlestidae

genus: Chorismagrion

genus: Episynlestes

genus: Synlestes

Anisoptera (dragonflies)

Aeshnidae

genus: Adversaeschna

  • Blue-spotted hawker, Adversaeschna brevistyla (Coastal areas from Cooktown in northern Queensland, south to Victoria, and the Pilbara in Western Australia)

genus: Agyrtacantha

genus: Anaciaeschna

genus: Anax

genus: Austrogynacantha

genus: Gynacantha

Austrocorduliidae

genus: Apocordulia

genus: Austrocordulia

genus: Austrophya

genus: Hesperocordulia

genus: Lathrocordulia

genus: Micromidia

Austropetaliidae

genus: Archipetalia

genus: Austropetalia

  • Northern redspot, Austropetalia annaliese (Eastern New South Wales)
  • Waterfall redspot, Austropetalia patricia (Coastal New South Wales)
  • Alpine redspot, Austropetalia tonyana (Southern New South Wales and Victoria between 600–1800 metres elevation)

Brachytronidae

genus: Dendroaeschna

Cordulephyidae

genus: Cordulephya

  • Common shutwing, Cordulephya pygmaea (Coastal mid-southern Queensland to Victoria, also inland to 600 metres elevation)
  • Tropical shutwing, Cordulephya bidens (Coastal central Queensland)
  • Clubbed shutwing, Cordulephya divergens (Coastal southern New South Wales)
  • Mountain shutwing, Cordulephya montana (Coastal to alpine New South Wales)

Corduliidae

genus: Hemicordulia

  • Australian emerald, Hemicordulia australiae (Widespread in eastern and south-western Australia)
  • Fat-bellied emerald, Hemicordulia continentalis (Coastal Queensland)
  • Desert emerald, Hemicordulia flava (Central Australia)
  • Yellow-spotted emerald, Hemicordulia intermedia (Northern Australia)
  • Slender emerald, Hemicordulia kalliste (Northern Australia)
  • Pilbara emerald, Hemicordulia koomina (Pilbara, Western Australia)
  • Superb emerald, Hemicordulia superba (Northern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland)
  • Tau emerald, Hemicordulia tau (Widespread across Australia)

genus: Pentathemis

  • Metallic tigerhawk, Pentathemis membranulata (Northern Australia)

genus: Procordulia

  • Western swamp emerald, Procordulia affinis (South-western Western Australia)
  • Eastern swamp emerald, Procordulia jacksoniensis (Eastern New South Wales, Victoria, south-eastern South Australia, Tasmania)

Gomphidae

genus: Antipodogomphus

  • Southern dragon, Antipodogomphus acolythus Queensland except for Cape York and south-west, New South Wales except south-east and Victoria
  • Top End dragon, Antipodogomphus dentosus Top End of Northern Territory
  • Cape York dragon, Antipodogomphus edentulus Cape York, Queensland
  • Pilbara dragon, Antipodogomphus hodgkini Pilbara region of Western Australia
  • Northern dragon, Antipodogomphus neophytus Northern Australia, from Western Australia to Queensland
  • Spinehead dragon, Antipodogomphus proselythus Coastal Queensland

genus: Armagomphus

  • Armourtail, Armagomphus armiger South-western Western Australia.

genus: Austrogomphus

subgenus Austroepigomphus
subgenus Austrogomphus
  • Murray River hunter, Austrogomphus angelorum (South-eastern South Australia, Victoria, western New South Wales)
  • Toothed hunter, Austrogomphus arbustorum (Northern Queensland)
  • Inland hunter, Austrogomphus australis (Victoria, south-eastern South Australia, southern Queensland, north-eastern and western New South Wales)
  • Western inland hunter, Austrogomphus collaris (South-western Western Australia)
  • Unicorn hunter, Austrogomphus cornutus (Victoria, eastern New South Wales, mid- and southern Queensland)
  • Northern river hunter, Austrogomphus doddi (North-eastern Queensland)
  • Yellow-striped hunter, Austrogomphus guerini (South-eastern Queensland, eastern New South Wales, Victoria, south-eastern South Australia, Tasmania)
  • Pimple-headed hunter, Austrogomphus mjobergi (Northern Northern Territory, north-western Western Australia, north-eastern Queensland)
  • Kimberly hunter, Austrogomphus mouldsorum (North-western Western Australia)
  • Jade hunter, Austrogomphus ochraceus (South-eastern Queensland, eastern New South Wales, southern Victoria)
  • Tiny hunter, Austrogomphus pusillus (North-western Western Australia)
subgenus Pleiogomphus
  • Pale hunter, Austrogomphus amphiclitus (Eastern New South Wales, eastern and south-western Queensland)
  • Dark hunter, Austrogomphus bifurcatus (North-eastern Queensland)
  • Fork hunter, Austrogomphus divaricatus (Eastern Queensland)
  • Lemon-tipped hunter, Austrogomphus prasinus (North-eastern Queensland)
subgenus Xerogomphus
  • Western red hunter, Austrogomphus gordoni (Western Australia except the Kimberleys and central Australia)
  • Flame-tipped hunter, Austrogomphus turneri (Northern Australia, from Western Australia to Queensland)

genus: Hemigomphus

  • Black vicetail, Hemigomphus atratus Mid coastal Queensland
  • Zebra vicetail, Hemigomphus comitatus Mid and north coastal Queensland
  • Wallum vicetail, Hemigomphus cooloola Coastal New South Wales
  • Southern vicetail, Hemigomphus gouldii Coastal South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, southern Queensland
  • Stout vicetail, Hemigomphus heteroclytus Coastal South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, southern Queensland
  • Kakadu vicetail, Hemigomphus magela Northern Territory
  • Rainforest vicetail, Hemigomphus theischingeri Mid and northern coastal Queensland

genus: Odontogomphus

  • Pinchtail, Odontogomphus donnellyi (Northern coastal Queensland)

genus: Zephyrogomphus

  • Lilac hunter, Zephyrogomphus lateralis (South-western Western Australia)
  • Rainforest hunter, Zephyrogomphus longipositor (North-eastern Queensland)

Gomphomacromiidae

genus: Archaeophya

Libellulidae

genus: Aethriamanta

genus: Agrionoptera

  • Red swampdragon, Agrionoptera insignis allogenes (Northern New South Wales, eastern Queensland, Northern Territory)
  • Striped swampdragon, Agrionoptera longitudinalis biserialis (North-eastern Queensland)

genus: Austrothemis

genus: Brachydiplax

genus: Camacinia

genus: Crocothemis

genus: Diplacodes

genus: Huonia

  • Forestwatcher, Huonia melvillensis

genus: Hydrobasileus

genus: Lathrecista

genus: Macrodiplax

genus: Nannodiplax

genus: Nannophlebia

  • Elusive archtail, Nannophlebia eludens
  • Pilbara archtail, Nannophlebia injibandi
  • Top End archtail, Nannophlebia mudginberri
  • Common archtail, Nannophlebia risi

genus: Nannophya

  • Australian pygmyfly, Nannophya australis
  • Eastern pygmyfly, Nannophya dalei
  • Artesian pygmyfly, Nannophya fenshami
  • Western pygmyfly, Nannophya occidentalis
  • Scarlet pygmyfly, Nannophya paulsoni

genus: Neurothemis

genus: Notolibellula

genus: Orthetrum

genus: Pantala

genus: Potamarcha

genus: Raphismia

genus: Rhodothemis

genus: Rhyothemis

genus: Tetrathemis

genus: Tholymis

genus: Tramea

Tramea loewii - Darwin
Male common glider - Darwin

genus: Urothemis

genus: Zyxomma

  • Short-tailed duskdarter, Zyxomma elgneri
  • Large duskdarter, Zyxomma multinervorum
  • Long-tailed duskdarter, Zyxomma petiolatum

Lindeniidae

genus: Ictinogomphus

Macromiidae

genus: Macromia

Petaluridae

genus: Petalura

Pseudocorduliidae

genus: Pseudocordulia

Synthemistidae

genus: Archaeosynthemis

genus: Austrosynthemis

  • Turquoise tigertail, Austrosynthemis cyanitincta

genus: Choristhemis

genus: Eusynthemis

  • Variable tigertail, Eusynthemis aurolineata
  • Mount Lewis tigertail, Eusynthemis barbarae
  • Small tigertail, Eusynthemis brevistyla
  • Cooloola tigertail, Eusynthemis cooloola
  • Carnarvon tigertail, Eusynthemis deniseae
  • Southern tigertail, Eusynthemis guttata
  • Pretty tigertail, Eusynthemis netta
  • Black tigertail, Eusynthemis nigra
  • Swift tigertail, Eusynthemis rentziana
  • Rainforest tigertail, Eusynthemis tenera
  • Mountain tigertail, Eusynthemis tillyardi
  • Barrington tigertail, Eusynthemis ursa
  • Beech tigertail, Eusynthemis ursula
  • Golden tigertail, Eusynthemis virgula

genus: Parasynthemis

genus: Synthemiopsis

genus: Synthemis

genus: Tonyosynthemis

Telephlebiidae

genus: Acanthaeschna

  • Thylacine darner, Acanthaeschna victoria (Coastal southern Queensland and northern New South Wales)

genus: Antipodophlebia

genus: Austroaeschna

Lesser Tasmanian Darner Austroaeschna hardyi female
Lesser Tasmanian darner Austroaeschna hardyi
  • Western darner, Austroaeschna anacantha (Coastal south-western Western Australia)
  • Mountain darner, Austroaeschna atrata (Australian Alps)
  • S-spot darner, Austroaeschna christine (Central coast of Queensland)
  • Wallum darner, Austroaeschna cooloola Southern coast of Queensland
  • Eungella darner, Austroaeschna eungella (Central coast of Queensland)
  • Alpine darner, Austroaeschna flavomaculata (Australian Alps)
  • Lesser Tasmanian darner, Austroaeschna hardyi (Tasmania)
  • Whitewater darner, Austroaeschna inermis (Coastal south-eastern Australia)
  • Grampians darner, Austroaeschna ingrid (Western Victoria)
  • Carnarvon darner, Austroaeschna muelleri (Inland southern Queensland)
  • Multi-spotted darner, Austroaeschna multipunctata (Southern coastal New South Wales to Victoria)
  • Sydney mountain darner, Austroaeschna obscura (Mountains around Sydney)
  • Swamp darner, Austroaeschna parvistigma (Coastal New South Wales, Victoria, southern South Australia and Tasmania)
  • Inland darner, Austroaeschna pinheyi (Carnarvon Gorge, Queensland)
  • Forest darner, Austroaeschna pulchra (Coastal southern Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria)
  • Sigma darner, Austroaeschna sigma (Coastal southern Queensland and New South Wales)
  • Tropical unicorn darner, Austroaeschna speciosa (Central coast of Queensland)
  • Conehead darner, Austroaeschna subapicalis (Coastal New South Wales and Victoria)
  • Tasmanian darner, Austroaeschna tasmanica (Tasmania)
  • Unicorn darner, Austroaeschna unicornis (Southern Queensland to coastal New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia)

genus: Austrophlebia

genus: Dromaeschna

genus: Notoaeschna

genus: Spinaeschna

  • Southern cascade darner, Spinaeschna tripunctata
  • Tropical cascade darner, Spinaeschna watsoni

genus: Telephlebia

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Especies de Odonata de Australia para niños

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List of Odonata species of Australia Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.