The appendages on the posterior end of the abdomen, also known as 'claspers'. There are superior (upper) and inferior (lower) appendages. In male Dragonflies they are used to clasp the female around the head (dragonflies) or the pronotum (damselflies) during mating and when in tandem. An example can be found <a title="The general anatomy of a nymph" rel="lightbox" href="/dragonfly/diagrams/diagram_images/anatomy1.gif" class="link1">here</a>.