Austrogomphus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Austrogomphus |
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| Austrogomphus guerini | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Infraorder: | Anisoptera |
| Family: | Gomphidae |
| Genus: | Austrogomphus Selys, 1854 |
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Austrogomphus is a genus of dragonflies in the family Gomphidae, endemic to Australia. Species of Austrogomphus are tiny to medium-sized dragonflies, black in colour with yellowish markings. They are commonly known as hunters.
Species
The genus Austrogomphus includes the following species in four subgenera:
Subgenus Austroepigomphus
- Austrogomphus (Austroepigomphus) praeruptus (Selys, 1857)
Subgenus Austrogomphus
- Austrogomphus angelorum Tillyard, 1913 - Murray River hunter
- Austrogomphus arbustorum Tillyard, 1906 - toothed hunter
- Austrogomphus australis Dale in Selys, 1854 - inland hunter
- Austrogomphus collaris Hagen in Selys, 1854 - western inland hunter
- Austrogomphus cornutus Watson, 1991 - unicorn hunter
- Austrogomphus doddi Tillyard, 1909 - northern river hunter
- Austrogomphus guerini (Rambur, 1842) - yellow-striped hunter
- Austrogomphus mjobergi Sjöstedt, 1917 - pimple-headed hunter
- Austrogomphus mouldsorum Theischinger, 1999 - Kimberley hunter
- Austrogomphus ochraceus (Selys, 1869) - jade hunter
- Austrogomphus pusillus Sjöstedt, 1917 - tiny hunter
Subgenus Pleiogomphus
- Austrogomphus (Pleiogomphus) amphiclitus (Selys, 1873) - pale hunter
- Austrogomphus (Pleiogomphus) bifurcatus Tillyard, 1909 - dark hunter
- Austrogomphus (Pleiogomphus) divaricatus Watson, 1991 - fork hunter
- Austrogomphus (Pleiogomphus) prasinus Tillyard, 1906 - lemon-tipped hunter
Subgenus Xerogomphus
- Austrogomphus (Xerogomphus) gordoni Watson, 1962 - western red hunter
- Austrogomphus (Xerogomphus) turneri Martin, 1901 - flame-tipped hunter
Etymology
The genus name Austrogomphus is derived from two words: the latin word auster meaning south wind, hence south; and the greek word gomphus (γόμφος) meaning peg or nail. It is suggested that the shape of the male tail is generally like that of a bolt used in ship building. Gomphus is also a genus of dragonfly, with some similarities to Austrogomphus, both belonging to the much larger family group, Gomphidae. In 1854 Edmond de Sélys Longchamps named the sub-genus Austrogomphus probably as a southern or Australian component of the gomphid group.
