last segment of body, the long and slender one, with 10 segments
Anisoptera
suborder to which "true" dragonflies belong
appendages
structures at the end of abdomen: 2 in females, 3 (2 superior, 1 inferior)
in male dragonflies, 4 (2 superior, 2 inferior) in male damselflies;
distinctive of species
caudal lamellae
three leafy appendages at rear of abdomen in damselflies, for respiration
and locomotion; also called caudal gills
copulation
act of fertilization, may be brief or lengthy; male holds female as in
tandem, but tip of female's abdomen swings up to contact second segment of
male, where accessory genitalia located (sperm transfer already accomplished)
cuticle
outermost covering of insect
damselfly
member of suborder Zygoptera, characterized by narrow wings, fore and hind
identical, usually folded over abdomen; small, widely separated eyes; and
small size and slender body
dragonfly
member of suborder Anisoptera, characterized by broad wings, fore and hind
different, held out from body; large eyes, touching in most groups; and
typically large size and bulky body; also used to refer to the entire order
emerge
to leave water and undergo metamorphosis into an adult; emergence is thus
both from water and from exuviae
endophytic oviposition
laying eggs into plant tissue
exophytic oviposition
laying eggs onto water or land
exoskeleton
outer hard part of an insect, including legs & wings
exuviae
(sing. pl.) cast skin from any larval molt (including transformation into
adult)
femur
first (basal) large leg segment
flight season
period during which adults occur
guarding
behavior by male to keep other males away from ovipositing female he has
fertilized
hamules
paired structures that project from pocket under second segment and hold
female abdomen in place during copulation
imago
sometimes-used term for adult stage
immature
adult past teneral stage but still not with mature coloration; usually not
at water
in copula
collected while copulating
instar
a larval stage; most larvae go through 10-13 of them
interspecific
between different species
labium
lower "lip" of larva that is extended during prey capture
larva
(pl. larvae) immature stage of Odonata
maiden flight
first flight of teneral away from water
mandibles
what dragonfly bites with
mature
of reproductive age, fully colored
metamorphosis
process of changing from larva to adult; happens within larval exoskeleton
molt
each time exuviae is shed; larval growth can take place only when larva is
briefly soft at this time
naiad
another term for larva, not much used
nymph
another term for larva, commonly used
ocellus
(pl. ocelli) simple eyes between the large compound eyes
Odonata
order to which dragonflies/damselflies belong
odonate
another term for dragonfly/damselfly
ommatidium
(pl. ommatidia) one division of compound eye
oviposit
to lay eggs
oviposition
act of laying eggs
ovipositor
complex structure at posterior end of female damselflies, darners, and
petaltails that functions in endophytic oviposition
pruinose
with powdery bloom that exudes from cuticle and turns it light blue, gray
or white
pruinosity
powdery bloom deposited on mature odonates of some species
pterostigma
thickened structure at front of wingtip in most Odonata; function still in
question; often called "stigma," but that is the term for the holes in the
side of an insect through which aerial respiration takes place
sexual patrol flight
characteristic flight of male odonates at water; either actively searching
for females or defending a territory into which females may enter
sperm transfer
when male transfers sperm from tip of abdomen to accessory genitalia on
2nd abdominal segment
tandem
when male and female are linked either in flight or at rest; male
damselfly's 4 appendages clasp female at junction of prothorax and thorax;
male dragonfly's 3 appendages clasp female at back and top of head
tarsus
third leg segment, made up of several short segments
teneral
adult after it has just emerged, soft and not definitively colored
territoriality
active defense of a small area
thorax
second section of body, bulky part bearing wings and legs
tibia
second leg segment, usually longer and thinner than femur
vulvar lamina
plate under 9th abdominal segment of female odonates that serves to hold
eggs in place during exophytic oviposition; distinctive of species
wing sheaths
contain developing wings on thorax of larva; swollen when emergence is
near