Libelluloidea


Libelluloidea is a superfamily of dragonflies. It contains 13 families:

Some taxonomic history

In 2025 a significant revision of this superfamily using morphological and molecular techniques added three families and restored six families.
Since 2013 the following dragonfly families have been considered invalid or potentially disputed:

Fossils

The following extinct fossil taxa are also included in Libelluloidea:
  • Austrolibellula Petrulevičius & Nel, 2003
  • †Araripelibellulidae Bechly, 1996
  • †Araripephlebiidae Bechly, 1998
  • †Bolcacorduliidae Gentilini, 2002
  • †Eocorduliidae Bechly, 1996
  • †Palaeomacromiidae Petrulevičius, Nel & Muzón, 1999
  • †Valdicorduliidae Bechly, 1996
  • †Urolibellulidae Zeiri, Nel, & Garrouste, 2015
This superfamily is one of two extant groups in the large, ancient clade Cavilabiata, in addition to Cordulegastroidea. The oldest known member is Araripelibellula brittanica from the Berriasian of England.