Pseudagrion

Pseudagrion
Pseudagrion indicum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Suborder: Zygoptera
Family: Coenagrionidae
Genus: Pseudagrion
Selys, 1876[1]

Pseudagrion is the largest genus of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae,[2] with over 140 species. Its range includes most of Africa, much of Asia, and Australia. Africa holds most of the diversity with almost 100 species. It has occupied most of the freshwater habitats in its range, and dominates damselfly communities in habitats as different as desert pools, equatorial rainforests and montane streams.[3]

On the African continent, the genus comprises two distinct groups: The "A-group" has about 45 species - they are predominantly highland species and males lack spines on S10; The "B-group" has about 25 species - mainly from lowlands and males have spines on S10.[4] A third Afrotropical group comprises 31 species from the forest streams of Madagascar and the Comores.[3]

  1. ^ Selys-Longchamps, E. (1876). "Synopsis des Agrionines, (suite de genre Agrion)". Bulletin de la Classe des Science, Académie Royale de Belgique (in French). 42: 490–531, 952–991 [490] – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  2. ^ "Genus Pseudagrion Selys, 1876". Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Biological Resources Study. 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  3. ^ a b Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B.; Groeneveld, Linn F.; Clausnitzer, Viola; Hadrys, Heike (April 2007). "The Pseudagrion split: molecular phylogeny confirms the morphological and ecological dichotomy of Africa's most diverse genus of Odonata (Coenagrionidae)". International Journal of Odonatology. 10 (1): 31–41. Bibcode:2007IJOdo..10...31D. doi:10.1080/13887890.2007.9748286.
  4. ^ Dijkstra, K.-D.B.; Clausnitzer, V. (2014). The dragonflies and damselflies of eastern Africa. Tervuren: Royal Museum for Central Africa. ISBN 978-94-916-1506-1.