![]() They have a uniquely complex mode of reproduction involving indirect insemination, delayed fertilization, and sperm competition. They are fast, agile fliers capable of highly accurate aerial ambush, sometimes migrating across oceans, and often live near water. In some species, the nymphal stage lasts up to five years, and the adult stage may be as long as 10 weeks, but most species have an adult lifespan in the order of five weeks or less, and some survive for only a few days. ![]() Dragonflies are agile fliers, while damselflies have a weaker, fluttery flight.ĭragonflies are predatory insects, both in their aquatic nymphal stage (also known as "naiads") and as adults. An adult dragonfly's compound eyes have nearly 24,000 ommatidia each.ĭragonflies can be mistaken for the closely related damselflies, which make up the other odonatan infraorder ( Zygoptera) and are similar in body plan, though usually lighter in build however, the wings of most dragonflies are held flat and away from the body, while damselflies hold their wings folded at rest, along or above the abdomen. Many dragonflies have brilliant iridescent or metallic colours produced by structural colouration, making them conspicuous in flight. Adult dragonflies are characterized by a pair of large, multifaceted, compound eyes, two pairs of strong, transparent wings, sometimes with coloured patches, and an elongated body. Loss of wetland habitat threatens dragonfly populations around the world. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonflies are known. Thus the larvae stage comes to an end, and the adult dragonfly emerges out of this larval skin.A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. Then it anchors itself vertically with the help of its claw, and slowly its skin behind the head, starts to split. Later, it climbs on some emergent plant or reed and starts to molt. Gradually its respiratory organs start to breathe air, and its head alone stands out of the water. When the larva gets ready to transform into an adult dragonfly by the process of metamorphosis, it stops eating, and emerges from the water to the surface, mainly at night. In this stage, the larva molts around 6 to 15 times. They respire through the gills present in the rectum. At this stage, it feed on tadpoles, small fish and mosquito larvae with its toothed mouth part known as labium. This larval stage of dragonflies extends till five years in big species, and around two months to a period of three years in smaller types. In a single clutch of an adult dragonfly, around 1500 eggs are produced, which takes 7 days to hatch and evolve as an aquatic nymph. Lifecycle The discarded exoskeleton of dragonfly nymph. They stick to the bottom parts of wood or rock submerged in the water. They mostly prefer the areas where the water is still or slowly moving. The dragonfly larvae are aquatic in nature, and are found under the water in rivers, streams, lakes, ponds and wetlands.
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