Isostictidae

Isostictidae is a family of small to medium-sized damselflies restricted to Australia, New Caledonia, and New Guinea.^[2] It contains 12 genera and more than 40 species.^[3] Members of this family resemble species in the former threadtail family (Protoneuridae).

Isostictidae
Oristicta filicicola
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Odonata
Suborder:	Zygoptera
Superfamily:	Coenagrionoidea
Family:	Isostictidae Fraser, 1955[1]
Genera
Austrosticta Cnemisticta Eurysticta Isosticta Labidiosticta Lithosticta Neosticta Oristicta Rhadinosticta Selysioneura Tanymecosticta Titanosticta

Diagnosis

• Adult: The adults have a length of 15–40 mm. They have two antenodal crossveins, most postnodal crossveins aligned with crossveins behind them, quadrilateral cell almost rectangular, no supplementary intercalary longitudinal veins, and an anal vein fused with wing margin. Their antennae are seven-segmented.
• Larva: Larvae have a labial mask, with short flat palps and narrow palpal setae. Premental setae are variable, median lobe is shallowly cleft; caudal gills are saccular to triquetral and strongly nodate.^[4]

Ecology

Adults of Isostictidae have many common names, for example: narrow-wings, pinflies, pins, pondsitters, and wiretails.

• Instream habitat: Isostictid damselfly nymphs occur in streams, rivers, and riverine pools. The adults occur along these habitats. The nymphs are found on submerged vegetation, willow roots, leaf packs and detritus.
• Feeding ecology: Nymphs and adults are predators.
• Habits: Nymphs of these damselflies are clingers. Adults like to rest on many different plants.
• Life history: Some females of some species lay their eggs in dry twigs over lentic freshwater. Other female species may lay their eggs on the bare rocks of waterfalls.^[4]

See also

• List of damselflies of the world (Isostictidae)

References

1. Fraser, F.C. (1955). "A new isostictine dragonfly from Australia with some remarks on the subfamily Isostictinae nov. (Odon., Protoneuridae)". Entomologist's Monthly Magazine. 91: 227-230 [227].
2. "Family ISOSTICTIDAE". Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Biological Resources Study. 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
3. Dijkstra, K.D.B.; et al. (2013). "The classification and diversity of dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata). In: Zhang, Z.-Q. (Ed.) Animal Biodiversity: An Outline of Higher-level Classification and Survey of Taxonomic Richness (Addenda 2013)". Zootaxa. 3703 (1): 36–45. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3703.1.9. hdl:10072/61365. Archived from the original on 2018-08-14. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
4. Centre for Freshwater Ecosystems. "Isostictidae". Identification and Ecology of Australian Freshwater Invertebrates. Retrieved 1 September 2024.