Calopteryx (damselfly) explained

Calopteryx is a genus of large damselflies belonging to the family Calopterygidae. The colourful males often have coloured wings whereas the more muted females usually have clear wings although some develop male (androchrome) wing characteristics. In both sexes, there is no pterostigma.^[1]

Nomenclature

It was only in 1890, many years after Leach named the genus Calopyteryx, that it was widely recognized that Leach's name was a junior synonym of the Fabrician genus Agrion, established 40 years prior. The controversy surrounding which genus name has nomenclatural priority has never been formally resolved; the ICZN mandates that Fabricius' name has priority, but the majority of the world's odonate researchers maintain the use of Calopteryx.^[2]

Species

The genus contains the following species:^{[3] [4]}

• Calopteryx aequabilis – River Jewelwing^[5]
• Calopteryx amata – Superb Jewelwing^[5]
• Calopteryx angustipennis – Appalachian Jewelwing^[5]
• Calopteryx balcanica
• Calopteryx coomani
• Calopteryx cornelia
• Calopteryx dimidiata – Sparkling Jewelwing^[5]
• Calopteryx exul – Glittering Demoiselle^[6]
• Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis – Copper Demoiselle
• Calopteryx hyalina – Clear-winged Demoiselle^[6]
• Calopteryx intermedia
• Calopteryx japonica
• Calopteryx laosica
• Calopteryx maculata – Ebony Jewelwing^[5]
• Calopteryx melli
• Calopteryx mingrelica
• Calopteryx oberthuri
• Calopteryx orientalis
• Calopteryx samarcandica
• Calopteryx splendens – Banded Demoiselle,^[7] Banded Agrion,^[8] Banded Jewelwing^[9] (inc. Calopteryx splendens taurica)
• Calopteryx syriaca – Syrian Demoiselle^[6]
• Calopteryx transcaspica
• Calopteryx virgo – Beautiful Demoiselle,^[7] Beautiful Jewelwing^[9]
• Calopteryx waterstoni
• Calopteryx xanthostoma – Western Demoiselle^[10]

Notes and References

1. Book: Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B. . Field Guide to the Dragonflies of Britain and Europe . 2006 . 65 . 0-9531399-4-8.
2. Web site: When ‘a few trifling alterations’ became ultra-radical changes in the nomenclature of Odonata – W.F. Kirby’s (1890) catalogue of the World Odonata seen through the eyes of Edmond de Selys Longchamps. pages 6-13 in Agrion vol. 25, WORLDWIDE DRAGONFLY ASSOCIATION. 9 July 2021. Hämäläinen, M.. 2021.
3. Web site: World Odonata List. University of Puget Sound. 11 August 2010. Martin Schorr . Martin Lindeboom . Dennis Paulson .
4. Lam, Ed. Damselflies of the Northeast. Forest Hills, NY:Biodiversity Press, 2004.
5. Web site: North American Odonata. University of Puget Sound. 5 August 2010. 2009.
6. Book: The Status and Distribution of Dragonflies of the Mediterranean Basin. 2009. IUCN. 978-2-8317-1161-4.
7. Web site: Checklist of UK Species. British Dragonfly Society. 5 August 2010.
8. Book: Manning, Stanley Arthur. The naturalist in south-east England: Kent, Surrey and Sussex. 1974. David & Charles. 164. 9780715361092.
9. Book: The Natural History of Ireland's Dragonflies. 2004. Ulster Museum. 978-0-900761-45-4. Brian Nelson . Robert Thompson .
10. Web site: Checklist, English common names . DragonflyPix.com . 5 August 2010 . dead . https://archive.today/20121204160258/http://www.dragonflypix.com/checklist.html . 4 December 2012 .