Helicopter damselfly | |
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Microstigma rotundatum. Museum specimen | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Subphylum: | Hexapoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Odonata |
Suborder: | Zygoptera |
Family: | Pseudostigmatidae |
Genus: | Microstigma |
Species: | M. rotundatum |
Binomial name | |
Microstigma rotundatum Selys, 1860 |
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Synonyms | |
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Microstigma rotundatum, the helicopter damselfly, is a species of damselflies belonging to the family Pseudostigmatidae.
Microstigma rotundatum is the most common species within the family. These damselflies have a long, thin body and large wings with a dense venation. The apex of the forewings has large yellow flecks and the pseudostigma shows many cells.
These damselflies mainly prey on web-building spiders. Larvae develop in water-filled crevices of fallen trees and in phytotelmata, the bodies of water held by some plants (bromeliads).
This species is present in South America (Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Amazonas). It lives in tropical primary lowland forests.