Dragonfly Anatomy
Below is the external anatomy of an adult Dragonfly.
Below is the external anatomy of a Dragonfly Larvae
abdomen – The segmented tail-like section of the body.
antennae – A pair of sensory organs on top of the head.
cercus – The outer pair of anal appendages on anisopteran larvae.
costa – Major vein running along the leading edge of the wings.
epiproct – The middle anal appendage on anisopteran larvae.
femur – The first segment of the leg.
frons – The most prominent part of the face in anisopteran dragonflies.
lateral spine – Spine on the side of anisopteran larvae.
pterostigma – A colored, chitinous patch on the outer region of each wing.
tarsus – The three segments and a claw on the end of the leg.
thorax – The segment of the body between the head and the abdomen.
tibia – The second section of the leg.
wing node – A notch halfway along the leading edge of the wing.
wing sheath – A protective case for the wings.
Check out our guide on different Dragonfly Species here!