Family AESHNIDAE
Compiler and date details
W.W.K. Houston, Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra, ACT, Australia J.A.L. Watson, CSIRO Entomology, Canberra, ACT, Australia Updated (1999) by A.A. Calder, CSIRO Entomology, Canberra, ACT, Australia
Introduction
The Aeshnidae is a large, cosmopolitan family with about 50 genera and perhaps 450 species (Davies 1981; Bridges 1994). Subfamilial classification is generally agreed upon. Included in the Australian fauna are the Aeshninae (Aeshna), Anactinae (Anaciaeschna, Anax, Hemianax), Gynacanthaginae (Agyrtacantha, Austrogynacantha, Gynacantha) and Brachytroninae which includes the remaining genera and is the dominant subfamily in Australia. The fauna is well documented. Tillyard (1916) provided a comprehensive revision, with descriptions of larvae. Gynacantha sp. "n" of Watson (1974) has been described as G. nourlangie by Theischinger & Watson (1991). Hawking & Theischinger (1999) give an illustrated key to the three species of aeshnid larvae found in New South Wales.
The correct (and original) spelling Aeshna differs from that of the stem form in derivative names, '-aeschna'. Illiger (1801) amended Fabricius' spelling (of 1775) to Aeschna (Anon. 1801), to make it of Greek form, was unjustified (see below, under Aeshna). Aeschna, however, has always been used as the stem in derivative names.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Günther Theischinger for providing data and for checking the manuscript; the many colleagues and librarians for assistance with literature; and Dr A. Moffatt for advice on classical languages. We also wish to thank Dr B.J. Richardson and Dr D.W. Walton of the Bureau of Flora and Fauna for editorial advice; and Ha Diep for prompt and competent typing. Preparation of the Odonata section of the Catalogue was assisted by a grant from the Australian Biological Resources Study to W.W.K.H., without which the work would not have been possible.
Diagnosis
Adult: eyes confluent; primary antenodal crossveins strongly differentiated, secondary antenodals not necessarily aligned; median space free or crossed; triangular spaces closely similar in fore and hind wing, triangles elongate along wing axis; anal loop small, well defined; base of hindwing strongly angulated to rounded in male, auricles correspondingly well developed to absent; ovipositor complete, endophytic.
Larva: prementum flat, lying below head when closed, often elongate, usually lacking setae; premental ligula convex with median cleft; labial palps narrow with end-hook; palpal setae absent or present; no spine at base of movable hook, dorsal surface setose; antennae 7-segmented; no distal tibial spurs or hooks; abdomen very elongate; sharp lateral spines on some segments, including segment 9; mid-dorsal spines absent; epiproct bifid (Hawking & Theischinger 1999).
General References
Anon. 1801. Namen der Insekten-Gattungen, ihr Genitiv, ihr grammatisches Geschlecht, ihr Silbenmass, ihre Herleitung; zugleich mit den Deutschen Benennungen. pp. 125–155 in Illiger, K. (ed.) Magazin für Insektenkunde. Vol. 1. Braunschweig : K. Reichard
Bridges, C.A. 1994. Catalogue of the family-group, genus-group and species-group names of the Odonata of the world. Urbana, Illinois : C.A. Bridges xiv 951 pp.
Davies, D.A.L. 1981. A synopsis of the extant genera of the Odonata. Societas Internationalis Odonatologica, Rapid Communications 3: i-xiv 1-59
Fabricius, J.C. 1775. V. Vnogata. pp. 420–426 in, Systema Entomologiae, sistens Insectorum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, adiectis Synonymis, Locis, Descriptionibus, Observationibus. Flensburgi et Lipsiae [= Flensburg & Leipzig] : Kortius
Hawking, J. & Theischinger, G. 1999. Dragonfly larvae (Odonata). A guide to the identification of larvae of Australian families and to the identification and ecology of larvae from New South Wales. Albury : Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology Vol. 24 iv 218 pp.
Theischinger, G. & Watson, J.A.L. in Watson, J.A.L. et al. 1991. New genera, species and subspecies. pp. 21-51 in Watson, J.A.L., Theischinger, G. & Abbey, H.M. (eds). The Australian Dragonflies. Melbourne : CSIRO vii 278 pp.
Tillyard, R.J. 1916. Life-histories and descriptions of Australian Aeschninae, with a description of a new form of Telephlebia by Herbert Campion. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology Zool. 33: 1-83 pls 1-9
Watson, J.A.L. 1974. The distributions of the Australian dragonflies (Odonata). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 13: 137-149