Which damselfly family has a very slender abdomen and transparent long wings that rest vertically above the body?

Which damselfly family has a very slender abdomen and transparent long wings that rest vertically above the body?

• A. Coenagrionidae
• B. Lestidae
• C. Gomphidae
• D. Libellulidae

Answer: (A)

At rest, damselfly wing position and body shape are key clues for identifying families. Coenagrionidae, the slender pond damselflies, have very slender abdomens and long, transparent wings. When they perch, they typically hold their wings closed together above the body, forming a neat vertical line along the abdomen. This combination of a fine, elongated abdomen and wings that stay clear and long at rest fits this family best. The other groups described either spread their wings more at rest or are dragonflies with broader bodies and different wing postures, not the slender damselflies that keep the wings vertical above the body. So the description matches Coenagrionidae.

At rest, damselfly wing position and body shape are key clues for identifying families. Coenagrionidae, the slender pond damselflies, have very slender abdomens and long, transparent wings. When they perch, they typically hold their wings closed together above the body, forming a neat vertical line along the abdomen. This combination of a fine, elongated abdomen and wings that stay clear and long at rest fits this family best. The other groups described either spread their wings more at rest or are dragonflies with broader bodies and different wing postures, not the slender damselflies that keep the wings vertical above the body. So the description matches Coenagrionidae.