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How do damselfly larvae breathe underwater?
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Odonata
Male jewelwing damselfly (Calopteryx splendens).
Damselfly larvae breathe underwater primarily through three external, leaflike gills located at the tip of the abdomen. These structures allow the larvae to extract oxygen directly from the water. In addition to their role in respiration, these leaflike plates are often used by the larvae for swimming, functioning much like a fish's tail.123
This respiratory method distinguishes damselfly larvae (suborder Zygoptera) from dragonfly larvae (suborder Anisoptera), which instead possess internal gills located within the rectum that are ventilated by pumping water in and out through the anus.1243