Abstract
Although the Petalurida make up what is probably one of the most inclusive anisopteran clades (Bybee et al., 2008; Dumont et al., 2010), fossils of this group are rarer than other taxa of dragonflies. No Cenozoic and only eight Mesozoic Petalurida have been described from Europe, Central Asia, China, and South America (Nel & Paicheler, 1992; Nel et al., 1998, 2001; Petrulevičius & Nel, 2003; Huang et al., 2006). The Aktassiidae Pritykina, 1968 is a strictly Mesozoic family divided into the two subfamilies Aktassiinae Nel et al., 1998 (Middle-Late Jurassic), and Pseudocymatophlebiinae Nel et al., 1998 (Early Cretaceous).
References
Bechly, G. (1996) Morphologische Untersuchungen am Flügelgeäder der rezenten Libellen und deren Stammgruppenvertreter (Insecta; Pterygota; Odonata), unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Phylogenetischen Systematik und des Grundplanes der *Odonata. Petalura, (Special Volume), 2, 1–402.
Bechly, G. (2000) Two new fossil dragonfly species (Insecta: Odonata: Pananisoptera: Aeschnidiidae and Aktassiidae) from the Solnhofen lithographic limestones (Upper Jurassic, Germany). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde, (B), 288, 1–9.
Bybee, S. M., Ogden, T. H., Branham, M. A. & Whiting, M. F. (2008) Molecules, morphology and fossils: a comprehensive approach to odonate phylogeny and the evolution of the odonate wing. Cladistics, 23, 1–38.
Dumont, H. J., Vierstraete, A. & Vanfleteren, J. R. (2010) A molecular phylogeny of the Odonata (Insecta). Systematic Entomology, 35, 6–18.
Fabricius, J. C. (1793) Entomologia systematica emendata et aucta, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, adjectis synonymis, locis, observationibus, descriptionibus. C.G. Proft, Hafniae [= Copenhagen], 3, 1–487 and 1–349.
Handlirsch, A. (1906–1908) Die fossilen Insekten und die Phylogenie der rezenten Formen. Ein Handbuch für Paläontologen und Zoologen. 1430 pp. (Engelman, V.W. publ., Leipzig) [published in parts between 1906 and 1908 as follows: pp. i–vi, 1–160, pls. 1–9 (May 1906); pp. 161–320, pls. 10–18 (June 1906); pp. 321‑480, pls. 19–27 (August 1906); pp. 481–640, pls. 28–36 (October 1906); pp. 641–800, pls. 37–45 (February 1907); pp. 801–960, pls. 46–51 (June 1907); pp. 961–1120 (November 1907); pp. 1121–1280 (January 1908); pp. vii–ix, 1281–1430 (July 1908). Dated from publication information given on p. ix.]
Huang, D.-y., Nel, A., Shen, Y.-b., Selden, P. A. & Lin, Q.-b. (2006) Discussions on the age of the Daohugou fauna – evidence from invertebrates. Progress in Natural Science, 16 (Special Issue), 308–312.
Needham, J. G. (1903) A genealogic study of dragonfly wing venation. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 26, 703–764.
Nel, A., Bechly, G., Jarzembowski, E. A. & Martínez-Delclòs, X. (1998) A revision of the fossil petalurid dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata: Anisoptera: Petalurida). Paleontologia Lombarda, Milano, (N.S.), 10, 1–68.
Nel, A., Bechly, G. & Martínez-Delclòs, X. (2001) A new fossil dragonfly from the Upper Jurassic of Germany (Odonata: Anisoptera: Protolindeniidae). Revue Française d’Entomologie, 23 (4), 257–261.
Nel, A., Martίnez-Delclòs, X., Paicheler, J.-C. & Henrotay, M. (1993) Les ‘Anisozygoptera’ fossiles. Phylogénie et classification (Odonata). Martinia Numéro Hors Série, 3, 1–311.
Nel, A. & Paicheler, J.-C. (1992) Les Odonata fossiles: état actuel des connaissances. Deuxième partie: les Petaluridae et Cordulegastridae fossiles (Odonata, Anisoptera, Petaluroidea). Nouvelle Revue d'Entomologie, (N.S.), 9, 305–323.
Petrulevičius, J. F. & Nel, A. (2003) Oldest petalurid dragonfly (Odonata: Insecta): a Lower Cretaceous specimen from south Patagonia, Argentina. Cretaceous Research, 24, 31–34.
Pritykina, L. N. (1968) Strekozy Karatau (Odonata). [Dragonflies from Karatau (Odonata)]. p. 26–55. In: Panfilov, D.V. (coord.), Yurskie Nasekomye Karatau. [Fossil insects from Karatau]. Academy of Sciences of the S.S.S.R., Nauka, Moscow: 252 pp. [in Russian.]
Riek, E. F. (1976) A new collection of insects from the Upper Triassic of South Africa. Annals of the Natal Museum, 22, 791–820.
Riek, E. F. & Kukalová-Peck, J. (1984) A new interpretation of dragonfly wing venation based upon Early Carboniferous fossils from Argentina (Insecta: Odonatoidea) and basic characters states in pterygote wings. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 62, 1150–1166.
Zhang, J.-F. (1999) Aeschnidiid nymphs from the Jehol biota (latest Jurassic-Early Cretaceous), China, with a discussion of the family Aeschnidiidae (Insecta, Odonata). Cretaceous Research, 20, 813–827.