Calopterygoidea
| Calopterygoidea | |
|---|---|
_male_3.jpg) | |
| Adult male Calopteryx virgo | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Suborder: | Zygoptera |
| Superfamily: | Calopterygoidea Selys, 1850[1] |
| Families[2] | |
 | |
| Distribution of Calopterygoidea | |
Calopterygoidea is a superfamily of damselflies comprising the families Calopterygidae and Chlorocyphidae.[2] Members are widely distributed, occurring on every continent except Antarctica.[3]
The superfamily was formerly much broader, but recent phylogenetic studies led to the redistribution of most constituent families into several separate superfamilies.[2]
Taxonomic history
Historically, Calopterygoidea served as a broad assemblage for many damselfly families that did not belong to the superfamilies Lestoidea, Platystictoidea or Coenagrionoidea.[4]
Molecular phylogenetic and phylogenomic studies during the early 21st century demonstrated that this traditional concept of Calopterygoidea comprised several unrelated evolutionary lineages rather than a single monophyletic group.[4][5][6]
In 2021, phylogenomic analyses by Bybee and colleagues resulted in the recognition of several new families and the reinstatement of others that had previously been included within broader concepts of Amphipterygidae and Megapodagrionidae.[6]
Building on these results, in 2026 Carter and colleagues recognised the separate superfamilies Amphipterygoidea, Euphaeoidea, Megapodagrionoidea, Mesopodagrionoidea and Polythoroidea, restricting Calopterygoidea to the families Calopterygidae and Chlorocyphidae.[2]
Phylogeny
Relationships among living damselfly superfamilies, based on Carter et al. (2026).[2]
Families
Calopterygoidea comprises two families:[2]
- Calopterygidae Selys, 1850
- Chlorocyphidae Cowley, 1937
Former constituent families
Historically, Calopterygoidea also included:
Fossil record
Fossils attributed to Calopterygoidea are known from the early Eocene onward, with records from Europe, Asia and North America.[7] Most fossils have been assigned to living families, Calopterygidae and Chlorocyphidae, although several extinct genera are also recognised.[7]
Fossil genera
The following fossil genera are currently assigned to Calopterygoidea:[7]
- †Guangxicalopteryx Huang et al., 2022
- †Sinocalopteryx Lin et al., 2010
- †Epallagites Cockerell, 1925
- †Protothore Cockerell, 1930
Etymology
The superfamily name Calopterygoidea is derived from the type genus Calopteryx and the zoological suffix -oidea, used for superfamilies.
The genus name Calopteryx is presumably derived from the Greek καλός (kalos, "beautiful") and πτέρυξ (pteryx, "wing"), likely referring to the broad and often brightly coloured wings of these damselflies.[8][9]
References
- ↑ Selys-Longchamps, E. (1850). "Revue des odonates ou libellules d'Europe". Mémoires de la Société Royale des Sciences de Liège (in French). 6: 1–408 [133] – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Carter, Payton; Goodman, Aaron; Abbott, John; Bota Sierra, Cornelio; Bybee, Seth M.; Dow, Rory A.; Fomekong Lontchi, Judicael; Frandsen, Paul B.; Gonzalez Mozo, Laura; Guralnick, Rob; Hämäläinen, Matti; Joshi, Shantanu; Kohli, Manpreet K.; Lupiyaningdyah, Pungki; Montana, Katherine O.; Newton, Lacie; Onsongo, Violet; Orr, Albert G.; Pinto, Ângelo Parise; Sanchez-Herrera, Melissa; Sutherland, Laura N.; Theischinger, Gunther; Ware, Jessica L.; Zhang, Haomiao; Kalkman, Vincent J. (2026). "The classification and diversity of extant dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata)". International Journal of Odonatology. 29: 95–124. doi:10.48156/1388.2026.1917385.
- ↑ Córdoba-Aguilar, Alejandro, and Adolfo Cordero-Rivera. “Evolution and Ecology of Calopterygidae (Zygoptera: Odonata): Status of Knowledge and Research Perspectives.” Neotropical Entomology, vol. 34, no. 6, Dec. 2005, pp. 861–879. https://doi.org/10.1590/s1519-566x2005000600001.
- 1 2 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.
- ↑ 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.
- 1 2 Bybee, S. M.; Kalkman, V. J.; Erickson, R. J.; Frandsen, P. B.; Breinholt, J. W.; Suvorov, A.; Ware, J. L. (2021). "Phylogeny and classification of Odonata using targeted genomics". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 160: 1–15. Bibcode:2021MolPE.16007115B. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107115. hdl:11093/2768. PMID 33609713.
- 1 2 3 "Paleobiology Database: Calopterygoidea". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
- ↑ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1954). Composition of Scientific Words: A Manual of Methods and a Lexicon of Materials for the Practice of Logotechnics. [Washington].
- ↑ Leach, W.E. (1815). "Entomology". In Brewster, D. (ed.). The Edinburgh Encyclopedia. Vol. 9 (reprint 1830 ed.). Edinburgh: William Blackburn. pp. 57-172 [137].
