Gomphidae

Gomphidae
The Gomphidae are a family of dragonflies commonly referred to as clubtails or club-tailed dragonflies. The family contains about 90 genera and 900 species found across North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The name refers to the club-like widening of the end of the abdomen (abdominal segments 7 through 9). However, this club is usually less pronounced in females and is entirely absent in some species.
Etymology
The name may be derived from Latin gomphus or gond meaning "hinge".
Characteristics
Clubtails have small, widely separated compound eyes, a trait they share with the Petaluridae and with damselflies. The eyes are blue, turquoise, or green. The thorax in most species is pale with dark stripes, and the pattern of the stripes is often diagnostic. They lack the bright metallic colors of many dragonfly groups and are mostly cryptically colored to avoid detection and little difference between the sexes is seen. Adults are usually from in length; there are 6 specific variations that are native to Africa alone, and vary from in length; there are also 97 varieties specific to North America as well.
Clubtails are fast-flying dragonflies with short flight seasons. They spend much time at rest, perching in a suitable position to dart forth to prey on flying insects. They tend to perch on the ground or on leaves with the abdomen sloping up and its tip curling down a little. Larger species may perch with a drooping abdomen or lie flat on a leaf. Another stance adopted by clubtails perching in the open is "obelisking", standing with the abdomen raised vertically, a posture adopted otherwise only by the skimmers.
Most clubtails breed in streams, rivers, or lakes. The nymphs are unusual in having a flat mentum, part of the mouthparts, and their antennae have only four segments. They burrow in the sediment at the bottom of the water body, with the nymphs of the dragonhunter (Hagenius brevistylus) living among damp bark and leaf litter at the edge of the water. Some larvae variations actually differ from this typical burrowing. Some will only come out during daytime, which differs from the predominant nighttime emergence. Some larvae also will lay on flat surfaces, whereas most larvae prefer a vertical-type surface.
Gallery
Genera
These genera belong to the family Gomphidae.
Acrogomphus Laidlaw, 1925
Agriogomphus Selys, 1869
Amphigomphus Chao, 1954
Anisogomphus Selys, 1858
Anomalophlebia Belle, 1995
Anormogomphus Selys, 1854
Antipodogomphus Fraser, 1951
Aphylla Selys, 1854
Archaeogomphus Williamson, 1919
Arigomphus Needham, 1897
Armagomphus Carle, 1986
Asiagomphus Asahina, 1985
Austrogomphus Selys, 1854
Brasiliogomphus Belle, 1995
Burmagomphus Williamson, 1907
Cacoides Cowley, 1934
Ceratogomphus Selys, 1854
Cinitogomphus Pinhey, 1964
Cornigomphus Martin, 1907
Crenigomphus Selys, 1892
Cyanogomphus Selys, 1873
Cyclogomphus Selys, 1854
Davidioides Fraser, 1924
Davidius Selys, 1878
Desmogomphus Williamson, 1920
Diaphlebia Selys, 1854
Diastatomma Burmeister, 1839
Dromogomphus Selys, 1854
Dubitogomphus Fraser, 1940
Ebegomphus Needham, 1944
Eogomphus Needham, 1941
Epigomphus Hagen in Selys, 1854
Erpetogomphus Selys, 1858
Euthygomphus Kosterin, 2016
Fukienogomphus Chao, 1954
Gastrogomphus Needham, 1941
Gomphidia Selys, 1854
Gomphidictinus Fraser, 1942
Gomphoides Selys, 1854
Gomphurus Needham, 1901
Gomphus Leach in Brewester, 1815
Hagenius Selys, 1854
Heliogomphus Laidlaw, 1922
Hemigomphus Selys, 1854
Hylogomphus Needham, Westfall & May, 2000
Ictinogomphus Cowley, 1934
Idiogomphoides Belle, 1984
Isomma Selys, 1892
Labrogomphus Needham, 1931
Lamelligomphus Fraser, 1922
Lanthus Needham, 1897
Leptogomphus Selys, 1878
Lestinogomphus Martin, 1911
Lindenia de Haan, 1826
Macrogomphus Selys, 1858
Malgassogomphus Cammaerts, 1987
Mastigogomphus Cammaerts, 2004
Megalogomphus Campion, 1923
Melanocacus Belle, 1986
Melligomphus Chao, 1990
Merogomphus Martin, 1904
Microgomphus Selys, 1858
Mitragomphus Needham, 1944
Neogomphus Selys, 1858
Nepogomphoides Fraser, 1934
Nepogomphus Fraser, 1934
Neurogomphus Karsch, 1890
Nihonogomphus Oguma, 1926
Notogomphus Selys, 1858
Nychogomphus Carle, 1986
Octogomphus Selys, 1873
Odontogomphus Watson, 1991
Onychogomphus Selys, 1854
Ophiogomphus Selys, 1854
Orientogomphus Chao & Xu, 1987
Paragomphus Cowley, 1934
Perigomphus Belle, 1972
Perissogomphus Laidlaw, 1922
Peruviogomphus Klots, 1944
Phaenandrogomphus Lieftinck, 1964
Phanogomphus Carle, 1986
Phyllocycla Calvert, 1948
Phyllogomphoides Belle, 1970
Phyllogomphus Selys, 1854
Platygomphus Selys, 1854
Praeviogomphus Belle, 1995
Progomphus Selys, 1854
Scalmogomphus Chao, 1990
Shaogomphus Chao, 1984
Sieboldius Selys, 1854
Sinictinogomphus Fraser, 1939
Sinogomphus May, 1935
Stenogomphurus Carle, 1986
Stylogomphus Fraser, 1922
Stylurus Needham, 1897
Tibiagomphus Belle, 1992
Tragogomphus Sjöstedt, 1899
Trigomphus Bartenev, 1911
Zonophora Selys, 1854
Fossil genera
†Auroradraco Archibald and Cannings 2019 Kamloops Group, Canada, Ypresian
†Gunterbechya Huang et al. 2019 Burmese amber, Cenomanian
†Nannogomphus Handlirsch 1906
References
External links
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
More information about clubtail dragonflies
Gomphidae, CLUBTAILS, Discover Life
Aeshnoidea
Odonata families
Taxa named by Jules Pierre Rambur