Polythoroidea
| Polythoroidea | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Suborder: | Zygoptera |
| Superfamily: | Polythoroidea Munz, 1919 |
| Families | |
 | |
| Distribution of Polythoroidea | |
Polythoroidea is a superfamily of damselflies comprising the families Dicteriadidae, Heteragrionidae, Hypolestidae, Mesagrionidae, Philogeniidae, Polythoridae and Rimanellidae. Together they comprise more about 200 recognised species distributed throughout the Neotropical realm, with one family confined to the Greater Antilles.
Members of the superfamily are predominantly stream-dwelling damselflies. Many species rest with their wings partly or fully outspread, and several families possess distinctive larval gill structures and unusual wing venation that have long attracted taxonomic interest.
Taxonomic history
The families now placed in Polythoroidea have had varied taxonomic histories. Most were formerly included within broadly defined families such as Megapodagrionidae, Amphipterygidae or Pseudolestidae, whereas Dicteriadidae and Polythoridae have long been recognised as distinct lineages.
Morphological and molecular studies progressively demonstrated that these predominantly Neotropical families represent several closely related evolutionary lineages distinct from other damselflies. In 2026, Carter and colleagues recognised these lineages as the superfamily Polythoroidea.
Phylogeny
Relationships among living damselfly superfamilies, based on Carter et al. (2026).
Families
The following families are currently placed in Polythoroidea:
- Dicteriadidae Selys, 1853
- Heteragrionidae Rácenis, 1959
- Hypolestidae Tillyard & Fraser, 1938
- Mesagrionidae Kalkman & Sanchez Herrera, 2021
- Philogeniidae Rácenis, 1959
- Polythoridae Munz, 1919
- Rimanellidae Davies & Tobin, 1984
Etymology
The superfamily name Polythoroidea is derived from the genus Polythore, with the standard zoological suffix -oidea used for animal superfamilies.
The genus name Polythore was introduced by Calvert in 1917 as a replacement for Thore Selys, 1853, which was preoccupied by a name previously used for a genus of spiders. Calvert stated that the name Polythore refers to the denser wing venation of its members compared with other genera in the group.
References
- ↑ Munz, P.A. (1919). "A venational study of the suborder Zygoptera (Odonata) with keys for the identificaton of genera". Memoirs of the American Entomological Society. 3: 1–78 [9] – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
- 1 2 3 Paulson, D.; Schorr, M.; Abbott, J.; Bota-Sierra, C.; Deliry, C.; Dijkstra, K.-D.; Lozano, F. "World Odonata List". OdonataCentral. University of Alabama. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 Carter, Payton; Goodman, Aaron; Abbott, John; Bota Sierra, Cornelio; Bybee, Seth M.; Dow, Rory A.; Fomekong Lontchi, Judicael; Frandsen, Paul B.; Gonzalez Mozo, Laura; Guralnick, Rob; Hämäläinen, Matti; Joshi, Shantanu; Kohli, Manpreet K.; Lupiyaningdyah, Pungki; Montana, Katherine O.; Newton, Lacie; Onsongo, Violet; Orr, Albert G.; Pinto, Ângelo Parise; Sanchez-Herrera, Melissa; Sutherland, Laura N.; Theischinger, Gunther; Ware, Jessica L.; Zhang, Haomiao; Kalkman, Vincent J. (2026). "The classification and diversity of extant dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata)". International Journal of Odonatology. 29: 95–124. doi:10.48156/1388.2026.1917385.
- 1 2 3 4 Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B.; Kalkman, Vincent J.; Dow, Rory A.; Stokvis, Frank R.; Van Tol, Jan (2014). "Redefining the damselfly families: A comprehensive molecular phylogeny of Zygoptera (Odonata)". Systematic Entomology. 39 (1): 68–96. doi:10.1111/syen.12035.
- 1 2 Bybee, S. M.; Kalkman, V. J.; Erickson, R. J.; Frandsen, P. B.; Breinholt, J. W.; Suvorov, A.; Ware, J. L. (2021). "Phylogeny and classification of Odonata using targeted genomics". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 160 107115: 1–15. Bibcode:2021MolPE.16007115B. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107115. hdl:11093/2768. PMID 33609713.
- ↑ Fraser, F.C. (1957). A reclassification of the order Odonata. Handbook / Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales; 12. Sydney: Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. pp. 133 [60].
- ↑ Rehn, A.C. (2003). "Phylogenetic analysis of higher-level relationships of Odonata". Systematic Entomology. 28 (2): 181–239. Bibcode:2003SysEn..28..181R. doi:10.1046/j.1365-3113.2003.00210.x.
- ↑ Bybee, S.M.; Ogden, T.H.; Branham, M.A.; Whiting, M.F. (2008). "Molecules, morphology and fossils: a comprehensive approach to odonate phylogeny and the evolution of the odonate wing". Cladistics. 24 (4): 477–514. doi:10.1111/j.1096-0031.2007.00191.x. PMID 34879634.
- ↑ Calvert, Philip P. (1917). "Studies on Costa Rican Odonata. VIII. A new genus allied to Cora". Entomological News, and Proceedings of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 28: 259–263.