Phylogenetic Systematics of Odonata

† Camptotaxineuridae TILLYARD, 1937
(Type genus: † Camptotaxineura TILLYARD, 1937)
Maybe belonging to † Protanisoptera.
† Kaltanoneuridae ROHDENDORF, 1961
(Type genus: † Kaltanoneura ROHDENDORF, 1961)
Probably belonging to † Protozygoptera.
† Liadotypidae MARTYNOV, 1937
(Type genus: † Liadotypus MARTYNOV, 1937)
Still classified as † Meganisoptera by ZESSIN (1983), but excluded from Odonatoptera by BRAUCKMANN & ZESSIN (1989). According to NEL (pers. comm., 1998), who re-examined the holotype, it is most likely an Isophlebioptera, thus not a "protodonate" at all, but a true crown-group Odonata.
† Malmagrion eichstaettense (HAGEN, 1962)
This tiny fossil damselfly from the Solnhofen limestone was generally regarded as a † Protomyrmeleontidae (e.g. BRIDGES, 1994), but was transferred to Odonatoptera incertae sedis by NEL (1992). However a rexamination of the holotype (BECHLY, unpubl.) suggests that it could indeed be a protomyrmeleontid and even a senior synonym of † Protomyrmeleon jurassicus NEL, 1992.
† Palaeophlebiinae
(Type genus: † Palaeophlebia BRAUER, 1889, nec Palaeophlebia SELYS, 1889)
Belonging to Stigmoptera incertae sedis.
† Perissophlebia multiseriata TILLYARD, 1918
This species was placed in Odonata incertae sedis by TILLYARD (1918, 1923), PRITYKINA (1981), and ROZEFELDS (1985). It was even regarded as a Palaeoptera incertae sedis by CARPENTER (1992). BECHLY (1997i) regarded it as an Odonatoptera - Stigmoptera incertae sedis, because of the odonatoid-like pattern of the main longitudinal veins, the polyneural cross-venation, and the presence of a pterostigma. Quite unique autapomorphies of this genus are the very oblique distal margin of the pterostigma, and the presence of more than one row of cells between the costal margin and RA and between RA and RP distal of the pterostigma. The dense venation might be correlated with the probable very large total size of the wing.
{Protokennedya TILLYARD, 1928 (nomen nudum)}
An invalid name coined by Tillyard for the hypothetical ancestor of Odonata sensu Tillyard.
† Samarurinae TILLYARD, 1917
(Type genus: † Samarura BRAUER, REDTENBACHER, & GANGLBAUER, 1889)
This taxon traditionally incorporated a probably polyphyletic assemblage of Mesozoic fossil odonatoid larvae with synlestine habitus. The material of the type species † Samarura gigantea at PIN in Moscow was recently re-examined by NEL, FLECK and MARTÍNEZ-DELCLÒS (in prep.), who could definitely confirm its attribution to † Isophlebioidea, since the typical derived wing venation is visible on the larval wing sheaths of one specimen. This attribution is also confirmed by the extremely large size of the larvae (length about 12 cm!) and the ocurence of adult isophlebiids as only fossil odonates in the same layers.
† Triassophlebia stigmatica TILLYARD, 1922
Classified in † Mesophlebiidae by TILLYARD (1922, 1923) (followed by FRASER, 1957), but later regarded by CARPENTER (1992) and BRIDGES (1994) as an "Anisozygoptera" incertae sedis, possibly related to † Triassolestes, while ROZEFELDS (1985) and NEL et al.(1993) regarded † Triassophlebia as an Odonatoptera incertae sedis. BECHLY (1997i) regarded this species as a Stigmoptera incertae sedis, although it is quite possible that it belongs to † Parazygoptera.
† Schlechtendaliola nympha HANDLIRSCH, 1919
(= Schlechtandaliana nympha sensu BRIDGES, 1994, incorr. subseq. spell.)
This fossil was regard as nymphal wing of a "protodonate" larva by HANDLIRSCH (1919). BRAUCKMANN & ZESSIN (1989) and BRIDGES (1994) regarded its position as uncertain, and indeed its odonatoid affinities are at least doubtful.

† Palaeodictyopteroida that had once been classified as fossil Odonatoptera:

† Calvertiellidae MARTYNOV, 1931
(Type genus: † Calvertiella TILLYARD, 1925)
† Permothemistidae sensu ROHDENDORF, 1962 nom. correct. pro Permothemidae MARTYNOV, 1938 ( nom. subst. pro Palaeothemidae MARTYNOV, 1932)
(Type genus: † Permothemis MARTYNOV, 1934, nom. subst. pro † Palaeothemis MARTYNOV, 1932, nec Palaeothemis FRASER, 1923)
Classified within † Protodonata in a separate suborder † Archodonata by MARTYNOV (1932), followed by TILLYARD & FRASER (1938) and FRASER (1957). Transferred by SINITSHENKOVA (1980) to a separate suborder † Permothemistida within † Palaeodictyopteroida. CARPENTER (1992) synonymised † Archodonata with † Palaeodictyopteroida.
† Protagrionidae HANDLIRSCH, 1906
(Type genus: † Protagrion BRONGNIART, 1893)
This family was classified within † Protodonata in a separate suborder † Palaeodonata by TILLYARD & FRASER (1938) and FRASER (1957).
† Spilapteridae HANDLIRSCH, 1906 (= † Dunbariidae HANDLIRSCH, 1937; = † Doropteridae ZALESSKY, 1946)
(Type genus: † Spilaptera BRONGNIART, 1885)
The genus † Dunbaria (= † Doropteron) was classified by ZALESSKY (1946) in a separate suborder † Hemiodonata, that was synonymised by CARPENTER (1992) with † Palaeodictyoptera.
† Thuringopteryx gimmi KUHN, 1937
This taxon was classified by KUHN (1937) and MÜLLER (1965) as † Protodonata, but was regarded by ZEUNER (1939) and CARPENTER (1992) as Saltatoria - Ensifera. Finally it was transferred to † Spilapteridae by BECHLY (1997i), as first known Triassic representative of † Palaeodictyoptera.

Fossil Neoptera (and other taxa) that had once been classified as Odonatoptera:

† Aeroplana mirabilis TILLYARD, 1918
This species was originally described in a new family and suborder of "Protodonata". TILLYARD (1923) elevated † Aeroplanoptera to a separate order, but † Aeroplana was later generally considered to be a Phasmatodea (MARTYNOV, 1928; RIEK, 1956; CARPENTER, 1992).
† Antitaxineura anomala TILLYARD, 1935
This fossil species has erroneously been indicated to be of Triassic age in CARPENTER (1992) although it was described from the Upper Permian of New South Wales. It was regarded as Odonata incertae sedis by CARPENTER (1992) and BRIDGES (1994), but shall represent a Plecoptera according to Riek in ROZEFELDS (1985).
† Austrolestidion duaringae TILLYARD, 1916
This fossil was originally described as "two damselfly larvae", but turned out to be a single crustacean (ROZEFELDS, 1985).
† "Cordulagomphus" santanensis CARLE & WIGHTON, 1990
The holotype was originally described as a dragonfly larva, but was recently demonstrated to represent an adult earwig by BECHLY (in press a) who therefore transferred this species to Dermaptera incertae sedis.
† Tcholmanvissiidae ZALESSKY, 1934 (= † Tillyardiellidae HANDLIRSCH, 1937)
(Type genus: † Pinegia MARTYNOV, 1928; = † Thnetodes MARTYNOV, 1928; = † Tcholmanvissia ZALESSKY, 1929; = † Tillyardiella MARTYNOV, 1930)
† Tillyardiella was erroneously classified within Protodonata / Palaeodonata by TILLYARD & FRASER (1938), but was transferred to Saltatoria: "Ensifera" by SHAROV (1968) and CARPENTER (1992).

Last Update: 27th November, 2007