Gomphidae


The Gomphidae are a family of dragonflies commonly referred to as clubtails or club-tailed dragonflies. The family contains about 90 genera and 900 species found across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa. The name refers to the club-like widening of the end of the abdomen. However, this club is usually less pronounced in females and is entirely absent in some species.

Etymology

The name is from Greek gomphos, "bolt, nail", for the shape of the insect's abdomen.

Characteristics

Clubtails have small, widely separated compound eyes, a trait they share with the Petaluridae and with damselflies. The eyes are blue, turquoise, or green. The thorax in most species is pale with dark stripes, and the pattern of the stripes is often diagnostic. They lack the bright metallic colors of many dragonfly groups and are mostly cryptically colored to avoid detection and little difference between the sexes is seen. Adults are usually from in length; there are 6 specific variations that are native to Africa alone, and vary from in length; there are also 97 varieties specific to North America as well.
Clubtails are fast-flying dragonflies with short flight seasons. They spend much time at rest, perching in a suitable position to dart forth to prey on flying insects. They tend to perch on the ground or on leaves with the abdomen sloping up and its tip curling down a little. Larger species may perch with a drooping abdomen or lie flat on a leaf. Another stance adopted by clubtails perching in the open is "obelisking", standing with the abdomen raised vertically, a posture adopted otherwise only by the skimmers.
Most clubtails breed in streams, rivers, or lakes. The nymphs are unusual in having a flat mentum—part of the mouthparts—and their antennae have only four segments. They burrow in the sediment at the bottom of the water body, with the nymphs of the dragonhunter living among damp bark and leaf litter at the edge of the water. Some larvae variations actually differ from this typical burrowing. Some will only come out during daytime, which differs from the predominant nighttime emergence. Some larvae also will lay on flat surfaces, whereas most larvae prefer a vertical-type surface.

Taxonomy

Gomphidae has over 80 genera and includes more than 900 species, and is the only family in the superfamily Gomphoidea.

Genera

These genera belong to the family Gomphidae.Acrogomphus Laidlaw, 1925Agriogomphus Selys, 1869Amphigomphus Chao, 1954Anisogomphus Selys, 1858Anomalophlebia Belle, 1995Anormogomphus Selys, 1854Antipodogomphus Fraser, 1951Aphylla Selys, 1854Archaeogomphus Williamson, 1919Arigomphus Needham, 1897Armagomphus Carle, 1986Asiagomphus Asahina, 1985Austroepigomphus Fraser, 1951Austrogomphus Selys, 1854Brasiliogomphus Belle, 1995Burmagomphus Williamson, 1907Cacoides Cowley, 1934Ceratogomphus Selys, 1854Cinitogomphus Pinhey, 1964Cornigomphus Martin, 1907Crenigomphus Selys, 1892Cyanogomphus Selys, 1873Cyclogomphus Selys, 1854Davidioides Fraser, 1924Davidius Selys, 1878Desmogomphus Williamson, 1920Diaphlebia Selys, 1854Diastatomma Burmeister, 1839Dromogomphus Selys, 1854Dubitogomphus Fraser, 1940Ebegomphus Needham, 1944Eogomphus Needham, 1941Epigomphus Hagen in Selys, 1854Erpetogomphus Selys, 1858Euthygomphus Kosterin, 2016Fukienogomphus Chao, 1954Gastrogomphus Needham, 1941Gomphidia Selys, 1854Gomphidictinus Fraser, 1942Gomphoides Selys, 1854Gomphurus Needham, 1901Gomphus Leach in Brewester, 1815Hagenius Selys, 1854Heliogomphus Laidlaw, 1922Hemigomphus Selys, 1854Hylogomphus Needham, Westfall & May, 2000Ictinogomphus Cowley, 1934Idiogomphoides Belle, 1984Isomma Selys, 1892Labrogomphus Needham, 1931Lamelligomphus Fraser, 1922Lanthus Needham, 1897Leptogomphus Selys, 1878Lestinogomphus Martin, 1911Lindenia de Haan, 1826Macrogomphus Selys, 1858Malgassogomphus Cammaerts, 1987Mastigogomphus Cammaerts, 2004Megalogomphus Campion, 1923Melanocacus Belle, 1986Melligomphus Chao, 1990Merogomphus Martin, 1904Microgomphus Selys, 1858Mitragomphus Needham, 1944Neogomphus Selys, 1858Nepogomphoides Fraser, 1934Nepogomphus Fraser, 1934Neurogomphus Karsch, 1890Nihonogomphus Oguma, 1926Notogomphus Selys, 1858Nychogomphus Carle, 1986Octogomphus Selys, 1873Odontogomphus Watson, 1991Onychogomphus Selys, 1854Ophiogomphus Selys, 1854Orientogomphus Chao & Xu, 1987Paragomphus Cowley, 1934Perigomphus Belle, 1972Perissogomphus Laidlaw, 1922Peruviogomphus Klots, 1944Phaenandrogomphus Lieftinck, 1964Phanogomphus Carle, 1986Phyllocycla Calvert, 1948Phyllogomphoides Belle, 1970Phyllogomphus Selys, 1854Platygomphus Selys, 1854Praeviogomphus Belle, 1995Progomphus Selys, 1854Scalmogomphus Chao, 1990Shaogomphus Chao, 1984Sieboldius Selys, 1854Sinictinogomphus Fraser, 1939Sinogomphus May, 1935Stenogomphurus Carle, 1986Stylogomphus Fraser, 1922Stylurus Needham, 1897Tibiagomphus Belle, 1992Tragogomphus Sjöstedt, 1899Trigomphus Bartenev, 1911Zephyrogomphus Watson, 1991Zonophora Selys, 1854

Fossil genera

The following fossil families are also known in the Gomphoidea: