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Body Parts of a Dragonfly Nymph

Dragonflies go through a nymph stage, rather than larva and pupa phrases. Nymphs live and prey in the water, moving to land and air when their wings have fully developed. Like all insects, dragonfly nymphs have six legs and their bodies are divided into head, thorax and abdomen.

Head
- Dragonfly nymphs have two compound eyes.
  
  A dragonfly nymph, like adult dragonflies and other insects, possesses a pair of antennae on its head to help it sense its environment. It also has two large compound eyes, each made up of approximately 28,000 individual eyes, according to the University of California Museum of Paleontology. The nymph's labium, or prehensile lower jaw, thrusts forward to catch prey.
Thorax
- The thorax, the middle part of a dragonfly nymph's body, is the segment to which the legs and wing sheath are attached. The sheath serves as a protective covering for the developing wings, according to the National Museums Northern Ireland.
Legs
- A dragonfly nymph leg consists of three main sections: the femur, the tibia and the tarsus. The tarsus also includes three sections and a claw at the tip.
Abdomen
- The abdomen houses dragonfly nymphs' gills, which enable them to breathe in the water. According to the University of California Museum of Paleontology, they can squirt water out of their gills to move quickly through their aquatic environment.

Insects & Science