Odonata

Also known as dragonflies and damselflies

Odonata is an order of predatory flying insects that includes the dragonflies and damselflies (as well as the Epiophlebia damsel-dragonflies). The two major groups are distinguished with dragonflies (Anisoptera) usually being bulkier with large compound eyes together and wings spread up or out at rest, while damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) are usually more slender with eyes placed apart and wings folded together along body at rest. Adult odonates can land and perch, but rarely walk.

OverviewAI-generated

Odonata is an order within the kingdom Animalia, phylum Arthropoda, and class Insecta. The taxon is accepted and commonly referred to as dragonflies. These organisms inhabit brackish and freshwater environments.

Records of the group are extensive, with 16,491,252 occurrences documented. Scientific literature includes 1,999 publications querying the subject. Media coverage comprises 3,698 items held by institutions such as LACM and SDNHM in Germany and the United States. The topic is referenced by 2,798 other encyclopedia articles.

Synthesized by Vinony from 25 facts across 7 sources: Wikidata, GBIF, PubMed, Gbif Occ, WoRMS, iDigBio, Vinony graph. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.

Species

dragonflies

Odonata

ORDER

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderOdonata

Habitatbrackish, freshwater

Observations recorded16,491,252

蜻蛉目（學名：Odonata）的昆蟲主要包括蜻蜓和豆娘，又名丁蛵、虰蛵。這些昆蟲有著碩大的複眼、兩對強而有力的透明翅膀, 與及修長的腹部。蜻蛉目為肉食性昆蟲。頭部靈活，複眼發達，單眼3個。觸角短，4-7節。翅膀4翼，細長。腹部修長。為不完全變態，稚蟲水棲，無蛹期。蜻蛉目的昆蟲包含「豆娘」和「蜻蜓」二大類；細長的身體、二對透明的翅膀、一對大複眼是牠們的共同特徵。種類繁多，目前全世界已知約有5900種以上。Global Species Database of Odonata. Catalogue of Life. 2011-12-24 [2018-08-15].

via GBIF

Museum specimens

Specimen records: 14,707
With media: 3,698
Collections: LACM, SDNHM
Recorded in: Germany, United States

iDigBio →

Research

1,999 papers

Evolution of Odonata: genomic insights.ReviewCurrent opinion in insect science · 2023Newton L, Tolman E, Kohli M et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101073
Odonata.Current biology : CB · 2021Ware JLDOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.11.002
Pigmentation and color pattern diversity in Odonata.ReviewCurrent opinion in genetics & development · 2021Okude G, Futahashi RDOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2020.12.014
Dark diversity of Odonata in Amazonian streams.The Science of the total environment · 2024Pereira-Moura L, Viana CG, Juen L et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176556
Polarized vision in the eyes of the most effective predators: dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata).ReviewDie Naturwissenschaften · 2025Cezário RR, Lopez VM, Datto-Liberato F et al.DOI: 10.1007/s00114-025-01959-3
Review on the thorax musculature in Odonata (Insecta), including the 3D-anatomy of adult Epiophlebiasuperstes.ReviewArthropod structure & development · 2025Büsse SDOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2025.101478
Electroporation-mediated RNA Interference Method in Odonata.Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE · 2021Okude G, Fukatsu T, Futahashi RDOI: 10.3791/61952
Argia sertaneja sp. nov. (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) from Northern Minas Gerais state, Brazil.Zootaxa · 2024Vilela DS, Jacques GC, Souza MMDOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5471.1.8

via PubMed

~14 min read

Encyclopedic overview

15 sections

Contents

Etymology and terminology
External morphology
Size
Description
Evolution
Fossil history
Phylogeny
Taxonomy
Ecology and life cycle
Cannibalism
Gallery
See also
References
Cited sources
External links

All odonates have aquatic larvae called naiads or nymphs, and all of them, larvae and adults, are carnivorous and are almost entirely insectivorous, although at the larval stage they will eat anything that they can overpower, including small fish, tadpoles, and even adult newts. The adults are superb aerial hunters and their legs are specialised for catching prey in flight.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Odonata” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.