Orthemis

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Orthemis
Orthemis ferruginea, male

Orthemis ferruginea , male

Systematics
Order : Dragonflies (Odonata)
Subordination : Dragonflies (Anisoptera)
Superfamily : Libelluloidea
Family : Libellulidae (Libellulidae)
Subfamily : Libellulinae
Genre : Orthemis
Scientific name
Orthemis
Hagen , 1861

Orthemis is a genus of dragonflies consisting of 17 species. The genus belongs to the subfamily Sympetrinae and wasdescribedby Hermann August Hagen in 1861 . A dragonfly previously known as Libellula ferruginea servedas the generotype . The distribution area extends in South America from the height of Buenos Aires to North America to the height of San Diego .

features

Orthemis species are comparatively large dragonflies and reach lengths between 45 and 55 millimeters. The males are mainly colored red, while the females tend to be more orange. With the aging process, the males turn bluish or purple in color. The wings are transparent and, as Hagen noted when setting up the genus, have a large wing mark ( pterostigma ), which spans five of the wing cells below. On the nodus as well as on the tip of the wing there are small brown spots in some species. The dark markings of the light pterothorax often disappear with the change of color in the blue. The face is brownish to bluish-purple. The abdomen is flattened, but the fourth and fifth segments are longer than they are wide.

Habitat

The adults of the genus Orthemis can be found from small ponds and small streams to lakes and slowly flowing rivers. The larvae live half-buried at the bottom of the water.

Way of life

The males sit on the vegetation of the bank and defend their territory against conspecifics. They guard the female when laying eggs.

Systematics

The systematics of the species is by no means fully clarified and many species are still unclear as to whether they really represent independent species. More species will likely be added in the future. At least one other species is still awaiting description. Very few of the larvae are also described. The following species are included in the genus Orthemis :

credentials

  1. ^ A b c d e Garrison, von Ellenrieder , Louton: Dragonfly Genera of the New World. [S. 2764f], The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore 2006, ISBN 0801884462
  2. ↑ a b from Ellenrieder , Garrison: Libélulas de las Yungas (Odonata). [S. 81], Pensoft, 2007, ISBN 954-642-305-X
  3. ^ Hermann August Hagen : Synopsis of the Neuroptera of North America. [S. 160], Smithsonian institution, 1861, [1]