6 • University of Michigan 



On the Classification of the Gomphinae' 

 The Gomphinae, as used in this paper, is in the restricted sense 

 of modern authors, the latest of whom is Tillyard in the Biology of 

 Dragonflies, who states (p. 258) : "We still need a thorough study of 

 the Gomphinae, the present division into two tribes being only 

 tentative."' Needham (.4 Genealogic Sttidy of Dr agon-Fly Wing 

 Venation, pp. 737-38) says: "Variation from the tv-pe is slight 

 considering the large number of genera in the group, and such as 

 there is, it does not lend itself readily to serial arrangement." 

 And after discussing various characters which appear scattered 

 through the subfamily, he adds : 



Possibly these features indicate the tips of numerous short develop- 

 mental twigs. The brief records of the several parts are certainly contra- 

 dictory, and the parts themselves, which one might use as bases for the 

 j&rst divisions of the group, seem so nearly of equivalent importance that 

 one may hardly choose between them with assurance. Probably the 

 records of other organs will be more easy of interpretation. 



This was written sixteen years ago and no attempt has been made 

 by students to employ other organs in elucidating relationships 

 within the subfamily. Since figures of wings are more available 



* Figures of venation of many gomphines are found in the following papers: 

 James G. Needham, "A Genealogic Study of Dragon-Fly Wing Venation," 

 Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 1903; PhiUp P. Calvert, "On Some American Gomphinae 

 (Odonata)," Ent. News, XIV (1903); E. B. Williamson, "The DragonOies 

 (Odonata) of Burma and Lower Siam. 11. Subfamilies Cordulegasterinae, 

 Chlorogomphinae and Gomphinae," Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 1907; E. B. Wil- 

 liamson, "A New Cyanogomphus (Odonata)," Ent. News, XXVII (1916); 

 E. B. Williamson, "Two Interesting New Colombian Gomphines (Odonata)," 

 Occ. Papers Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, No. 52, 1918; E. B. 

 Williamson, "A New Species of Agriogomphus (Odonata)," op. cit., No. 59, 

 1918; E. B. Williamson, " Archaeogomphus, A New Genus of Dragonflies 

 (Odonata)," op. cit., No. 63, 1919. 



» Tillyard's use of size in defining the two tribes is not justified, as in the 

 Ictinini, "moderate to large-sized Gomphinae," occur many small species, 

 among them the smallest gomphine known, and in the Gomphini are a number 

 of large species. Under his series i, the Gomphoides series of the Ictinini, he 

 says "Larva with elongated abdomen," but the larva of Hagenius is circular. 



