Dragonflies and Damselflies of the World: A Guide to Their Diversity

A richly illustrated guide to the incredible diversity of dragonflies and damselflies around the world

Airily dancing over rivers and ponds, the thousands of colorful dragonfly and damselfly species that cohabit our planet may seem of little importance. Few life-forms, however, convey the condition of the most limiting resource on land and life’s most bountiful environment as well as they can: while the adults are exceptional aerial hunters, their nymphs are all confined to freshwater. Dragonflies and Damselflies of the World showcases their beauty and diversity while shedding light on how they evolved into the vital symbols of planetary health we celebrate today.

• Features stunning color photos of hundreds of species
• Characterizes all families and major subgroups
• Explores how their unique features and behavior led to today’s variety
• Shows how we contribute to their popularization and protection

Klaas-Douwe B. Dijkstra is one of the world’s leading experts on dragonflies and damselflies and the author of field guides for Europe and Africa. As an independent researcher, his focus is on the group’s global classification and African species diversity. He is an associate of Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the Netherlands and a member of the Freshwater Conservation Committee of the Switzerland-based International Union for Conservation of Nature.