Belongs within: Eteoanisoptera.
Contains: Brachystigmata.
The Cavilabiata are a clade of dragonflies uniting the Cordulegastridae, Libellulidae and related families. Other than the basal Cordulegastridae, most members of this clade belong to the subclade Cristotibiata, united by a rather stout pterostigma that is not parallel-sided, a shortened hindwing CuA, and an enlarged anal loop (Bechly & Ueda 2002). Species of the families Neopetaliidae, Archipetalia and Austropetalia have the front part of each pair of wings marked with a series of rounded, reddish brown spots.
Synapomorphies (from Bechly & Ueda 2002): Discoidal triangles at least somewhat longitudinal elongate in both wings, especially in the hind wing; distal part of antesubnodal area free of crossveins (“cordulegastrid gap”); “gaff” (basal CuA before its branching) of hindwing at least slightly prolonged; RP3/4 and MA slightly undulating in both pairs of wings.
<==Cavilabiata |--CordulegasterI92 [CordulegastridaBU02, Cordulegastridae, Cordulegastroidea] | `--C. boltoniI92 `--CristotibiataBU02 |--BrachystigmataBU02 `--+--PhyllopetaliaWO91 [NeopetaliidaeBU02] |--ArchipetaliaWO91 [ArchipetaliidaeTH06] | `--A. auriculata Tillyard 1917TH06 `--AustropetaliaWO91 [AustropetaliidaeTH06] |--A. patricia (Tillyard 1910)TH06 `--A. tonyana Theischinger 1995TH06
*Type species of generic name indicated
References
[BU02] Bechly, G., & K. Ueda. 2002. The first fossil record and first New World record for the dragonfly clade Chlorogomphida (Insecta: Odonata: Anisoptera: Araripechlorogomphidae n. fam.) from the Crato Limestone (Lower Cretaceous, Brazil). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde Serie B (Geologie und Paläontologie) 328: 1–11.
[I92] Imes, R. 1992. The Practical Entomologist. Aurum Press: London.
[TH06] Theischinger, G., & J. Hawking. 2006. The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia. CSIRO Publishing: Collingwood (Victoria).
[WO91] Watson, J. A. L., & A. F. O’Farrell. 1991. Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies). In: CSIRO. The Insects of Australia: A textbook for students and research workers 2nd ed. vol. 1 pp. 294–310. Melbourne University Press: Carlton (Victoria).