Which physical features help identify an adult odonate?

Adult odonates—comprising dragonflies and damselflies—are characterized by several distinct physical features adapted for flight and predation. Key identifying traits include:12

• Wings: They possess two pairs of narrow, typically transparent wings. Dragonflies generally rest with their wings spread horizontally, whereas damselflies typically hold theirs vertically against each other.123
• Body Structure: Adults have a long, slender abdomen consisting of 10 segments, which is almost always longer than their wings. They also feature a tilted, sloping thorax that accommodates large wing muscles and positions their legs forward for grasping prey.12
• Head and Eyes: Odonates have prominent compound eyes and three tiny simple eyes called ocelli. In dragonflies, the large compound eyes often meet at the top of the head, while in damselflies, the eyes are well separated.1
• Appendages: A structural difference exists at the tip of the abdomen: male damselflies have four tail appendages, while dragonflies have only three.1

These insects are well adapted for perching, though their specialized anatomy makes them largely unable to walk on flat surfaces.1