Nighthawk facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nighthawk
Scientific classification

Apocordulia is a genus of dragonflies in the family Austrocorduliidae, endemic to the Murray-Darling Basin in eastern Australia.

Apocordulia is a monotypic genus with only one species, Apocordulia macrops, commonly known as a nighthawk. Apocordulia macrops is a medium-sized, dull coloured dragonfly with large eyes. It inhabits inland rivers and flies at dawn and dusk.

Etymology

The word Apocordulia is derived from two words: apo from the Greek ἀπό meaning from or away, and Cordulia the genus of dragonfly. Tony Watson described the dragonfly genus Apocordulia as appearing different to the normal appearance of a Cordulia dragonfly.

The species name macrops is derived from two Greek words makros (μακρός) meaning long, and ops (ὤψ) meaning eye, describing the long eye seam.

Gallery

• 

  Female Apocordulia macrops wings

• 

  Male Apocordulia macrops wings

Note about family

There are differing views as to the family that Apocordulia best belongs to:

• It is considered to be part of the family Austrocorduliidae at the Australian Faunal Directory
• It is considered to be part of the family Synthemistidae in the World Odonata List at the Slater Museum of Natural History
• It is considered to be part of the family Corduliidae at Wikispecies