Britannica
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How do taxonomists classify adult odonates?
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Odonata
Male jewelwing damselfly (Calopteryx splendens).
Taxonomists classify adult members of the order Odonata by examining several specific physical characteristics. These diagnostic features include:
- The structure of the male sex organs1
- The shape and vein patterns of the wings1
- The distance between the compound eyes1
- The form and development of rear appendages1
- The presence of an ovipositor1
These criteria help distinguish between the two primary suborders, Zygoptera (damselflies) and Anisoptera (dragonflies), which represent the over 5,000 living species within the order.1