Azure Maidens

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Azure Maidens
Horseshoe Damselfly (Coenagrion puella)

Horseshoe Damselfly ( Coenagrion puella )

Systematics
Order : Dragonflies (Odonata)
Subordination : Dragonfly (Zygoptera)
Superfamily : Coenagrionoidea
Family : Dragonfly (Coenagrionidae)
Subfamily : Coenagrioninae
Genre : Azure Maidens
Scientific name
Coenagrion
Kirby , 1890

The azure damsel ( Coenagrion ) are a genus of the slender dragonflies (Coenagrionidae) within the dragonflies (Zygoptera). They are mostly small dragonflies with wingspans and body lengths of around five centimeters.

features

The Azure Maiden are usually very slender, almost needle-shaped. The males are usually glossy blue and black, with a characteristic black mark on the 2nd abdomen segment. The females can also be blue, but also brownish or green-black.

species

The following species of azure maiden can be found in Europe:

Non-European species (selection)

Similar species

In many older textbooks, two other slender dragonfly species also appear under the German name "Azurjungfer", but they belong to different genera: the cup azur damsel and the cup azur damsel. To avoid this misunderstanding, the first species, Enallagma cyathigerum, is now usually referred to as the common cup maiden . The second species Erythromma lindenii , which now bears the German name Pokaljungfer , can usually still be found under the scientific name Cercion lindenii . Due to the larval morphology and more recent molecular biological characteristics, however, it can be safely classified in the genus of garnet eyes ( Erythromma ).

literature

  • W. Stichmann, U. Stichmann-Marny, E. Kretzschmar: The great cosmos nature guide - animals and plants , Franckh-Kosmos Verlag GmbH & Co., Stuttgart 1996, ISBN 3-440-09454-5
  • H. Bellmann: Dragonflies watch - determine , Naturbuch Verlag Augsburg 1993, ISBN 3-89440-522-8
  • G. Jurzitza: The Kosmos Dragonfly Guide , Franckh-Kosmos Verlags GmbH & Co., Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-440-08402-7

Web links

Commons : Azurjungfern  - Collection of images, videos and audio files