Austrogomphus

Austrogomphus is a genus of dragonflies in the family Gomphidae,[3] endemic to Australia.[4] Species of Austrogomphus are tiny to medium-sized dragonflies, black in colour with yellowish markings.[5] They are commonly known as hunters.

Austrogomphus
Austrogomphus guerini
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Infraorder: Anisoptera
Family: Gomphidae
Genus: Austrogomphus
Selys, 1854[1][2]

Species
Pair of Austrogomphus guerini mating

The genus Austrogomphus includes the following species in four subgenera:[3][6]

Subgenus Austroepigomphus

Subgenus Austrogomphus

Subgenus Pleiogomphus

Subgenus Xerogomphus

Etymology

The genus name Austrogomphus is derived from two words: the latin word auster meaning south wind, hence south; and the greek word gomphus (γόμφος) meaning peg or nail. It is suggested that the shape of the male tail is generally like that of a bolt used in ship building.[7] Gomphus is also a genus of dragonfly, with some similarities to Austrogomphus, both belonging to the much larger family group, Gomphidae. In 1854 Edmond de Sélys Longchamps named the sub-genus Austrogomphus probably as a southern or Australian component of the gomphid group.[1]

See also

References
  1. Selys-Longchamps, E. (1854). Monographie des caloptérygines (in French). Brussels and Leipzig: C. Muquardt. p. 430. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.60461 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  2. Selys-Longchamps, E. (1854). "Synopsis des Gomphines". Bulletin de la Classe des Science, Académie Royale de Belgique (in French). 21 (7): 23–112 [63] – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  3. "Genus Austrogomphus Selys, 1854". Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Biological Resources Study. 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  4. Watson, J.A.L.; Theischinger, G.; Abbey, H.M. (1991). The Australian Dragonflies: A Guide to the Identification, Distributions and Habitats of Australian Odonata. Melbourne: CSIRO. ISBN 0643051368.
  5. Günther Theischinger; John Hawking (2006). The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia. CSIRO Publishing. ISBN 0-643-09073-8.
  6. 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.
  7. 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 [37]. ISSN 0035-9173 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
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