Austrolestes is a genus of medium to large-sized damselflies in the family Lestidae.[1] Austrolestes damselflies sit with their wings folded completely back.Males are usually bright blue and black, the females duller. Members of this genus are found in Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific islands.
The genus Austrolestes includes the following species:[2]
| Male | Female | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austrolestes aleison | Western ringtail | south-western Australia | ||
| Austrolestes analis | Slender ringtail | South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania. | ||
| Austrolestes annulosus | Blue ringtail | Australia | ||
| Austrolestes aridus | Inland ringtail | Australia | ||
| Austrolestes cingulatus | Metallic ringtail | Tasmania, Victoria and eastern New South Wales | ||
| Austrolestes colensonis | Blue damselfly, kekewai | New Zealand | ||
| Austrolestes insularis | Northern ringtail | northern Australia | ||
| Austrolestes io | Iota ringtail | south-western Australia and south-eastern Australia | ||
| Austrolestes leda | Wandering ringtail | eastern Australia | ||
| Austrolestes minjerriba | Dune ringtail | northern New South Wales and southern Queensland | ||
| Austrolestes psyche | Cup ringtail | south-eastern Australia | ||
The genus name Austrolestes is derived from the latin word auster meaning south wind, hence south; and the damselfly genus Lestes, which is from the Greek word λῃστής meaning a robber.[3] In 1913, Robin Tillyard described the genus Austrolestes as having characters similar to the very large genus Lestes, which, unlike Austrolestes, sit with their wings outspread.