What Is Zygoptera? Damselflies Explained and How They Differ from Dragonflies

Updated

Zygoptera is the scientific name for the damselfly suborder of Odonata, the insect order that also contains dragonflies (suborder Anisoptera). If you see a slender, long-bodied insect resting with its wings folded along its back near still or slow-moving water, it is almost certainly a damselfly. This article explains what the name means, how damselflies differ from dragonflies, and how to tell them apart in the field.

Zygoptera and Anisoptera: Two Halves of Odonata

Odonata is divided into two suborders:

  • Zygoptera — damselflies
  • Anisoptera — dragonflies

The names describe the wings. "Zygoptera" means "paired wings" (zygon = yoke or pair, ptera = wings), referring to the fact that the forewings and hindwings of a damselfly are similar in shape and size. "Anisoptera" means "unequal wings," because a dragonfly's hindwings are broader at the base than its forewings.

Zygoptera is not a single species. It is a large grouping containing many families and hundreds of species worldwide. On DragonflyPix, for example, damselfly photographs carry PhotoID codes beginning with "Da" and dragonfly photographs begin with "Dr" — a simple convention that reflects this two-part division of Odonata.

The Main Visual Differences

The table below summarizes the features most useful for telling the two groups apart.

Feature Damselfly (Zygoptera) Dragonfly (Anisoptera)
Body shape Slender, thin, needle-like Stouter, more robust
Eyes Widely separated on the sides of the head Usually meet at the top of the head or close together
Wings at rest Held folded together above the back, or slightly spread Held open and flat, perpendicular to the body
Wing shape Forewings and hindwings similar Hindwings broader at the base
Flight Weaker, more fluttery Stronger, faster, often sustained

The wing position at rest is the quickest field mark. A dragonfly perched on a reed holds its four wings out to the sides like an aircraft. A damselfly at rest typically folds its wings back along the abdomen, so the insect looks like a thin needle — which is why some damselflies are called "needleflies" in parts of Europe.

Behavior and Habitat

Damselflies are tied to water, but they favor calmer conditions than many dragonflies. They are typically found near ponds, lakes, canals, ditches, and slow-flowing streams, where they breed and where their aquatic larvae develop. Adults often perch on emergent vegetation close to the water's edge, and many species fly low among reeds and grasses rather than high in open air.

Their flight is less powerful than that of dragonflies, and they are more easily observed at rest. This makes them relatively approachable subjects for close observation and photography — the kind of small, still subject that rewards patience rather than speed.

Identifying a Damselfly in the Field

A practical sequence for distinguishing the two groups:

  1. Watch it land. If the wings close together over the back, it is a damselfly. If they stay spread flat, it is a dragonfly.
  2. Look at the eyes. Separated, bulging eyes on either side of the head point to Zygoptera; eyes that meet or nearly meet point to Anisoptera.
  3. Check the build. A very thin, elongated abdomen suggests a damselfly; a thicker, more muscular thorax and abdomen suggest a dragonfly.
  4. Note the habitat and height. Low perching among reeds at a pond margin is typical damselfly behavior.

Once you are confident it is a damselfly, narrowing it to a species requires closer attention to color patterns, the shape of the wing spots, and the markings on the thorax and abdomen. Many species are blue, green, red, or black, and some are best separated by examining the appendages at the tip of the abdomen.

Where to See Examples

DragonflyPix hosts photographs of European and Australian dragonflies and damselflies. Each species page shows thumbnails that open into larger images, and beneath each photograph is a line of metadata — date, time, country, aperture, shutter speed, focal length, ISO, camera model, and crop and flash notes — which is useful if you want to see how a particular damselfly was captured or compare species side by side. Small versions of the photographs (1200 x 800 pixels) may be downloaded for personal reference, but the site asks that they not be redistributed, modified, or republished without written permission, and the same applies to its text.

If your goal is simply to learn the difference, start with the wing position at rest and the eye spacing. Those two observations will separate Zygoptera from Anisoptera in almost every encounter.