Coenagrionidae

Coenagrionidae
The insect family Coenagrionidae is placed in the order Odonata and the suborder Zygoptera.
The Zygoptera are the damselflies, which although less known than the dragonflies, are no less common. More than 1,300 species are in this family, making it the largest damselfly family. The family Coenagrionidae has six subfamilies: Agriocnemidinae, Argiinae, Coenagrioninae, Ischnurinae, Leptobasinae, and Pseudagrioninae.
This family is referred to as the narrow-winged damselflies or the pond damselflies. The Coenagrionidae enjoy a worldwide distribution, and are among the most common of damselfly families. This family has the smallest of damselfly species. More than 110 genera of the family Coenagrionidae are currently accepted.
Etymology
The name may be derived from Greek coen meaning shared or common and agrio meaning fields or wild.
Characteristics
Usually have a black pattern
Ground color may be green, blue, yellow, orange, or purple
Narrow, stalked, usually colorless and clear wings
Two antenodal cross veins
Vein M3 arising nearer to nodus than arculus
Adults are seen around various habitats including ponds and wetlands. The females lay their eggs among living or dead submerged vegetation, and in some species, even crawl about underwater depositing their eggs. The nymphs are usually found in debris or among living or dead submerged plant material.
Genera
These genera belong to the family Coenagrionidae:
Acanthagrion Selys, 1876
Acanthallagma Williamson & Williamson, 1924
Aceratobasis Kennedy, 1920
Aciagrion Selys, 1891
Aeolagrion Williamson, 1917
Africallagma Kennedy, 1920
Agriocnemis Selys, 1877
Amazoneura Machado, 2004
Amphiagrion Selys, 1876 (red damsels)
Amphiallagma Kennedy, 1920
Amphicnemis Selys, 1863
Andinagrion Bulla, 1973
Angelagrion Lencioni, 2008
Anisagrion Selys, 1876
Anomisma McLachlan, 1877
Antiagrion Ris, 1904
Apanisagrion Kennedy, 1920
Archibasis Kirby, 1890
Argentagrion Fraser, 1948
Argia Rambur, 1842 (dancers)
Argiocnemis Selys, 1877
Austroagrion Tillyard, 1913
Austroallagma Lieftinck, 1953
Austrocnemis Tillyard, 1913
Austrocoenagrion Kennedy, 1920
Austrotepuibasis Machado & Lencioni, 2011
Azuragrion May, 2002
Bromeliagrion De Marmels, 2005
Caliagrion Tillyard, 1913
Calvertagrion St. Quentin, 1960
Ceriagrion Selys, 1876
Chromagrion Needham, 1903 (aurora damsels)
Coenagriocnemis Fraser, 1949
Coenagrion Kirby, 1890 (Eurasian bluets)
Coryphagrion Morton, 1924
Cyanallagma Kennedy, 1920
Denticulobasis Machado, 2009
Diceratobasis Kennedy, 1920
Dolonagrion Garrison & von Ellenrieder, 2008
Drepanoneura von Ellenrieder & Garrison, 2008
Enacantha Donnelly & Alayo, 1966
Enallagma Charpentier, 1840 (American bluets)
Epipleoneura Williamson, 1915
Epipotoneura Williamson, 1915
Erythromma Charpentier, 1840
Fluminagrion Anjos-Santos, Lozano & Costa, 2013
Forcepsioneura Lencioni, 1999
Franciscagrion Machado & Bedê, 2016
Franciscobasis Machado & Bedê, 2016
Hesperagrion Calvert, 1902 (painted damsels)
Hivaagrion Hämäläinen & Marinov, 2014
Homeoura Kennedy, 1920
Huosoma Guan, Dumont, Yu, Han & Vierstraete, 2013
Hylaeonympha Rácenis, 1968
Idioneura Selys, 1860
Inpabasis Santos, 1961
Ischnura Charpentier, 1840 (forktails)
Junix Rácenis, 1968
Lamproneura De Marmels, 2003
Leptagrion Selys, 1876
Leptobasis Selys, 1877 (swamp damsels)
Leptocnemis Selys, 1886
Leucobasis Rácenis, 1959
Luzonobasis Villanueva, 2012
Mecistogaster Rambur, 1842
Megalagrion McLachlan, 1883
Megaloprepus Rambur, 1842
Melanesobasis Donnelly, 1984
Mesamphiagrion Kennedy, 1920
Mesoleptobasis Sjöstedt, 1918
Metaleptobasis Calvert, 1907
Microstigma Rambur, 1842
Millotagrion Fraser, 1953
Minagrion Santos, 1965
Mortonagrion Fraser, 1920
Nehalennia Selys, 1850 (sprites)
Neoerythromma Kennedy, 1920 (yellowfaces)
Neoneura Selys, 1860 (robust threadtails)
Nesobasis Selys, 1891
Oreiallagma von Ellenrieder & Garrison, 2008
Oreocnemis Pinhey, 1971
Oxyagrion Selys, 1876
Oxyallagma Kennedy, 1920
Pacificagrion Fraser, 1926
Pandanobasis Villanueva, 2012
Papuagrion Ris, 1913
Paracercion Weekers & Dumont, 2004
Pericnemis Selys, 1863
Peristicta Hagen in Selys, 1860
Phasmoneura Williamson, 1916
Phoenicagrion von Ellenrieder, 2008
Pinheyagrion May, 2002
Plagulibasis Lieftinck, 1949
Platystigma Kennedy, 1920
Proischnura Kennedy, 1920
Proneura Selys, 1889
Protallagma Kennedy, 1920
Protoneura Selys in Sagra, 1857
Psaironeura Williamson, 1915
Pseudagrion Selys, 1876
Pseudostigma Selys, 1860
Pyrrhosoma Charpentier, 1840
Roppaneura Santos, 1966
Sangabasis Villanueva, 2012
Schistolobos von Ellenrieder & Garrison, 2008
Stenagrion Laidlaw, 1915
Teinobasis Kirby, 1890
Telagrion Selys, 1876
Telebasis Selys, 1865 (firetails)
Tepuibasis De Marmels, 2007
Thaumatagrion Lieftinck, 1932
Tigriagrion Calvert, 1909
Tuberculobasis Machado, 2009
Tukanobasis Machado, 2009
Vanuatubasis Ober & Staniczek, 2009
Xanthagrion Selys, 1876
Xanthocnemis Tillyard, 1913
Xiphiagrion Selys, 1876
Zoniagrion Kennedy, 1920
See also
List of damselflies of the world (Coenagrionidae)
References
External links
Info and Photos at BugGuide
Images from Georgia, US
Odonata families
Odonata of Australia
Odonata of Oceania
Odonata of Asia
Odonata of Africa
Odonata of North America
Taxa named by William Forsell Kirby
Insects described in 1890
Damselflies