Etymology of the Dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata) named by R.J. Tillyard, F.R.S.

Abstract

Given a few taxonomic and distributional uncertainties, the odonate fauna of Australia comprises 325 species in 113 genera Theischinger and Endersby 2009). The discovery and naming of these dragonflies falls roughly into three discrete time periods. During the first of these, all Australian Odonata were referred to European experts, while the second era was dominated by Robin John Tillyard, an Australian based entomologist who described 87 species and 21 genera. Tillyard also described Odonata from New Zealand, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea and, if ranks lower than species are included, 26 genera and 130 specific, subspecific or infrasubspecific taxa can be attributed to him.