PSEUDOSTIGMATIDAE - GIANT HELICOPTER DAMSELFLIES
A family of extremely large, forest-dwelling damselflies occurring, with the exception of one species, only in the Neotropics. The members of this family are refered to as Helicopter damselflies for their slow, hovering flight. Many species show pale patches at the tips of the wing which, in the dim light of the forest are more visible than the body of the animal, attracting predators away from areas that could potentially threaten the life of the animal. Typically these species prey on web-building spiders, making them the only specialist predators in the order and breed in water that gathers in arboreal plants such as bromeliads.
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Thanks to Natalia Ellenrieder for her help in identifying the Odonata images on the site!
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FIGURE 1

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1 - Mecistogaster sp. - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (David Gill March 2008 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).