Dragonfly Topography

Glossary of Terms

Compound Eye - The dragonflies eyes are made up of many thousands of lenses.

Costa - A vein in the front edge of the wings. In some species this may be coloured.

Frons - A large and often coloured frontal part of the face. In the Golden Ringed Dragonfly this is a bright yellow.

Pterostigma - An coloured patch on the front edge of each wing. This can be elongated or fairly short and can range from black through various shades of brown to red.

Antehumeral Region - The upper surface of the thorax. Many species have coloured stripes in this region which are an aid to species identification.

Abdominal Segments - The abdomen is divided into clear segments which are also an aid to species identification. A segment may contain areas of unique marking or colour.

Superior Anal Appendage - Also known as claspers and used in the mating process.