Biology:Isostictidae

Isostictidae is a family of small to medium-sized damselflies restricted to Australia, New Caledonia, and New Guinea. It contains 12 genera and more than 40 species. Members of this family resemble species in the former threadtail family (Protoneuridae).

Diagnosis

• Adult: The adults have a length of 15–40 mm. They have two antenodal crossveins, most postnodal crossveins aligned with crossveins behind them, quadrilateral cell almost rectangular, no supplementary intercalary longitudinal veins, and an anal vein fused with wing margin. Their antennae are seven-segmented.
• Larva: Larvae have a labial mask, with short flat palps and narrow palpal setae. Premental setae are variable, median lobe is shallowly cleft; caudal gills are saccular to triquetral and strongly nodate.

Ecology

Adults of Isostictidae have many common names, for example: narrow-wings, pinflies, pins, pondsitters, and wiretails.

• Instream habitat: Isostictid damselfly nymphs occur in streams, rivers, and riverine pools. The adults occur along these habitats. The nymphs are found on submerged vegetation, willow roots, leaf packs and detritus.
• Feeding ecology: Nymphs and adults are predators.
• Habits: Nymphs of these damselflies are clingers. Adults like to rest on many different plants.
• Life history: Some females of some species lay their eggs in dry twigs over lentic freshwater. Other female species may lay their eggs on the bare rocks of waterfalls.

Etymology

The family name Isostictidae is derived from the type genus Isosticta, with the standard zoological suffix -idae used for animal families. The genus name Isosticta is derived from the Greek ἴσος (isos, "equal") and στικτός (stiktos, "spotted" or "marked"), possibly referring to the similar pterostigma. The suffix -sticta is also common in names associated with the Protonerva group of subgenera.

See also

• List of damselflies of the world (Isostictidae)
• List of Odonata species of Australia

References

Template:Odonata Wikidata ☰ Q2005571 entry