Alex C. 0 Report post Posted July 15, 2006 Can someone tell me how many abdominal segments a damselfly has? Looking at pictures it's tough to tell with the wingcase covering up some of them. Thanks Alex Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alex C. 0 Report post Posted July 15, 2006 Oh BTW, I'm refering to the damsel nymph not adult, but presume they both have the same number of segments Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taxon 0 Report post Posted July 16, 2006 OLB- It is my belief that both larval and adult damselfies have 10 abdominal segments, which are numbered (front to back) 1-10, or (perhaps more properly) I, II, III, IV, ... X. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ethan Bright 0 Report post Posted July 19, 2006 Actually, the adult odonate has 11 abdominals segments. Segments 1-10 are visible as segments, with side pleural membranes where the spiracles are located, and an 11th segment variously modified into an epiproct, a pair of paraprocts, and cerci. The groundplan for most insects is for 11 or even 12 (e.g., Protura) segments. This can be observed early on in embryogenesis, but the segments are often modified, reduced, or changed with an organism's developmental ontogeny. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taxon 0 Report post Posted July 19, 2006 Thanks Ethan. Was hoping you'd bail me out if the information wasn't accurate. The only references to number of damselfly abdominal segments I was able to find referred to 10 visible segments, but didn't provide any further explanation. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites