The Upper Miocene aeshnids of Monte Castellaro, central Italy, and their relationships to extant species (Anisoptera: Aeshnidae)

30 wings and 3 abdominal segments from the Lower Messinian "Strato degli insetti" nr Pesaro are described, analysed and compared with the extant taxa. Anas cryptus sp.n., Aeshna ghiandonii sp.n., A. messiniana sp.n. and A. multicellulata sp.n. are described and illustrated. 5 out of 10 more or less entire Anax wings are indistinguishable from Anax imperator, but the majority of the Anax and Aeshna fragments could not be assigned to a definite sp. – The monophyletic nature of the Anax group is emphasised, and the genus-group name Hemianax Selys, 1883 suppressed.