Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 10, 2026

Libelluloidea

Libelluloidea is the most species-rich superfamily of dragonflies, comprising 13 families.

Last revised
Jun 10, 2026
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≈ 3 min
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Wikipedia ↗
Libelluloidea
Temporal range:
Orthetrum sabina
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Infraorder: Anisoptera
Clade: Cavilabiata
Superfamily: Libelluloidea
Leach, 18151
Families

Libelluloidea is the most species-rich superfamily of dragonflies, comprising 13 families.23

The superfamily includes the skimmers, cruisers, emeralds and their relatives, and represents one of the most diverse evolutionary radiations within modern dragonflies.2

Recent phylogenetic studies using morphological and molecular data have substantially revised the classification of the group, including the recognition and restoration of several families.2

Taxonomic history

The superfamily Libelluloidea was established by Leach in 1815.1

Historically, the classification of libelluloid dragonflies has been unstable, particularly regarding the limits of Corduliidae, Synthemistidae and related families.45

In 2025, a major phylogenetic revision using morphological and molecular data recognised three new families and restored six previously synonymised families within Libelluloidea.2

Since 2013, the following family names have generally been treated as invalid, synonymised or disputed:4567

Alternative phylogenetic names proposed for libelluloid dragonflies by Bechly included Anauriculida and Italoansida in 1996, and Eurypalpidomorpha in 2003.78

Phylogeny

Phylogenetic studies support Libelluloidea as a natural evolutionary group of dragonflies closely related to Cordulegastroidea.942

Libelluloidea is generally recovered as the sister group to Cordulegastroidea.102

Cordulegastroidea

Libelluloidea

Etymology

The superfamily name Libelluloidea is derived from the type genus Libellula and the zoological suffix -oidea, used for superfamilies.

The genus name Libellula is the diminutive form of the Latin libella ("small balance" or "level"), possibly referring to the horizontal position of the wings.11

Families

Libelluloidea includes the following families:23

Fossil record

The superfamily includes numerous extinct fossil taxa known from the Cretaceous and later deposits, including:712

  • †Austrolibellula Petrulevičius & Nel, 200312
  • †Araripelibellulidae Bechly, 1996
  • †Araripephlebiidae Bechly, 1998
  • †Bolcacorduliidae Gentilini, 2002
  • †Eocorduliidae Bechly, 1996
  • †Palaeomacromiidae Petrulevičius, Nel & Muzón, 1999 (=Bolcathemidae Gentilini, 2002)
  • †Valdicorduliidae Bechly, 1996
  • †Urolibellulidae Zeiri, Nel & Garrouste, 2015

The oldest known member of Libelluloidea is Araripelibellula brittanica from the Berriasian of England.13

Libelluloidea and Cordulegastroidea together form a major evolutionary lineage of dragonflies.10

See also

See also

References

References

  1. Leach, W. E. (1815). "Entomology". In Brewster, D. (ed.). The Edinburgh Encyclopedia. Vol. 9 (reprint 1830 ed.). Edinburgh: William Blackburn. pp. 57–172 [136]. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.30911.
  2. Goodman, Aaron; Abbott, John C.; Bybee, Seth M.; Ehlert, Juliana; Frandsen, Paul B.; Guralnick, Rob; Kalkman, Vincent J.; Newton, Lacie; Pinto, Ângelo Parise; Ware, Jessica L. (2025-10-09). "Systematic and taxonomic revision of emerald and tigertail dragonflies (Anisoptera: Synthemistidae and Corduliidae)". Systematic Entomology. doi:10.1111/syen.70000.
  3. Paulson, D.; Schorr, M.; Abbott, J.; Bota-Sierra, C.; Deliry, C.; Dijkstra, K.-D.; Lozano, F. "World Odonata List". OdonataCentral. University of Alabama.
  4. Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B.; Bechly, Günter; Bybee, Seth M.; Dow, Rory A.; Dumont, Henri J.; Fleck, Günther; Garrison, Rosser W.; Hämäläinen, Matti; Kalkman, Vincent J.; Karube, Haruki; May, Michael L.; Orr, Albert G.; Paulson, Dennis R.; Rehn, Andrew C.; Theischinger, Günther; Trueman, John W. H.; Van Tol, Jan; von Ellenrieder, Natalia; Ware, Jessica (2013). "The classification and diversity of dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata). In: Zhang, Z.-Q. (Ed.) Animal Biodiversity: An Outline of Higher-level Classification and Survey of Taxonomic Richness (Addenda 2013)". Zootaxa. 3703 (1): 36–45. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3703.1.9. hdl:10072/61365. ISSN 1175-5334.
  5. Ware, J., May, M., & Kjer, K. (2007). Phylogeny of the higher Libelluloidea (Anisoptera: Odonata): an exploration of the most speciose superfamily of dragonflies. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 45(1), 289–310.
  6. Carle, F. L., Kjer, K. M., & May, M. L. (2008). Evolution of Odonata, with special reference to Coenagrionoidea (Zygoptera). Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny, 66(1), 37–44.
  7. Sroka, Steven D.; Howells, Thomas F.; Nel, André (2023). "A new transitional "libelluloid" family of odonates with Mesozoic affinities in the Eocene Green River Formation of Utah, USA". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 68 (2): 337–342. doi:10.4202/app.01072.2023.
  8. Petrulevicius, Julián F.; Nel, André (2002). "A new libelluloid dragonfly from late Paleocene deposits in Argentina (Odonata: Italoansida)". European Journal of Entomology. 99: 485–489. ISSN 1210-5759.
  9. Bybee, S.M.; Ogden, T.H.; Branham, M.A.; Whiting, M.F. (2008). "Molecules, morphology and fossils: a comprehensive approach to odonate phylogeny and the evolution of the odonate wing". Cladistics. 24 (4): 477–514. doi:10.1111/j.1096-0031.2007.00191.x. PMID 34879634.
  10. Lin, Qi-Bin; Huang, Di-Ying; Nel, A. (2007). "A new family of Cavilabiata from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation, China (Odonata: Anisoptera)". Zootaxa. 1469 (1): 59–64. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1469.1.4. ISSN 1175-5334.
  11. Endersby, Ian; Fliedner, Heinrich (2015). The Naming of Australia's Dragonflies. Eltham, Victoria, Australia: Busybird Publishing. ISBN 9781925260625.
  12. Petrulevičius, Julián F.; Nel, André (2003). "A new libelluloid dragonfly (Insecta: Odonata: Italoansida) from the late Paleocene of Argentina". Geobios. 36 (4): 401–406. doi:10.1016/S0016-6995(03)00039-1. ISSN 0016-6995.
  13. "PBDB Taxon". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-08-24.