Protolestidae Dijkstra & Bybee, 2021

Bybee, Seth M., Kalkman, Vincent J., Erickson, Robert J., Frandsen, Paul B., Breinholt, Jesse W., Suvorov, Anton, Dijkstra, Klaas-Douwe B., Cordero-Rivera, Adolfo, Skevington, Jeffrey H., Abbott, John C., Herrera, Melissa Sanchez, Lemmon, Alan R., Lemmon, Emily Moriarty & Ware, Jessica L., 2021, Phylogeny and classification of Odonata using targeted genomics, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 160, pp. 107115-107115 : 10

Protolestidae Dijkstra & Bybee fam.n.

(type genus: Protolestes Forster ¨, 1899)

— medium-sized to fairly large (hindwing 21–32 mm) damselflies restricted to eastern Madagascar. Wings clear with two Ax and at most with intercalated vein between R3 and IR3; arculus roughly at two-thirds of distance between wing base and node; quadrangle without cross-veins; R4 originates roughly half a cell proximal to subnode and IR3 four to five cells distal to that; proximal supplementary cross-vein between median vein and R4 present; pterostigma swollen with very oblique proximal border. Adult variably perches with wings closed or half open, abdomen held roughly horizontal. Adult body red to black, often with bright and contrasting yellow to rufous markings, but never metallic or pruinose. Head notably wide, recalling some members of (unrelated) Platycnemididae . Genital ligula without setae on shaft, ending in two horn-like flagella. Adult male cerci forcipate, slender and rather smooth and simple, slightly widened subapically; paraprocts strongly reduced. The only available description of a nymph of Protolestes suggests that they have flat caudal gills which are held in a horizontal position. Included genera: Protolestes .