Libellula

Updated on Nov 15, 2023

Edit

Comment

Kingdom Animalia Family Libellulidae Higher classification Libellulidae Rank Genus		Order Odonata Scientific name Libellula Phylum Arthropoda

Lower classifications Libellula depressa, Four‑spotted chaser, Scarce chaser, Widow skimmer, Twelve‑spotted skimmer

Widow skimmer dragonfly libellulidae libellula luctuosa female on stick

Libellula is a genus of dragonflies, commonly called skimmers, in the family Libellulidae, distributed throughout the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Most species are found in the United States, where they are the best-known large dragonflies, often seen flying over freshwater ponds in summer. Many have showy wing patterns.

Libellula Libellulidae AL Digital Dragonflies

Dragonfly libellula depressa unfolding wings 720p

Overview

The taxa Ladona (corporals) and Plathemis (whitetails) have been considered as synonyms of Libellula, subgenera, or separate genera by different authorities. Recent phylogenetic analysis has supported their status as either subgenera or full genera.

Species

Except as otherwise noted, species are native to North America.

Libellula Simbologia della Libellula Eticamentenet Eticamentenet

Libellula angelina Selys, 1883 (North China, Japan)

Libellula auripennis Burmeister, 1839 – golden-winged skimmer (North and Central America)

Libellula axilena Westwood, 1837 – bar-winged skimmer

Libellula brodieri†

Libellula calypso†

Libellula comanche Calvert, 1907 – Comanche skimmer

Libellula composita Hagen, 1873 – bleached skimmer

Libellula croceipennis Selys, 1869 – neon skimmer (North and Central America)

Libellula cyanea Fabricius, 1775 – spangled skimmer

Libellula depressa Linnaeus, 1758 – broad-bodied chaser (Europe, West Asia). Sometimes included in the genus Ladona.

Libellula doris †

Libellula eusebioi†

Libellula flavida Rambur, 1842 – yellow-sided skimmer

Libellula foliata Kirby, 1889 (Mexico)

Libellula forensis Hagen, 1861 – eight-spotted skimmer

Libellula fulva Müller, 1764 – scarce chaser

Libellula gaigei Gloyd, 1938 (Central America)

Libellula herculea Karsch, 1889 (Central and South America)

Libellula incesta Hagen, 1861 – slaty skimmer

Libellula jesseana Williamson, 1922 – purple skimmer

Libellula kieseli†

Libellula luctuosa Burmeister, 1839 – widow skimmer

Libellula mariae Garrison, 1992 (Central America)

Libellula martini†

Libellula melli Schmidt, 1948 (China)

Libellula melobasis†

Libellula needhami Westfall, 1943 – Needham's skimmer

Libellula nodisticta Hagen, 1861 – hoary skimmer

Libellula pannewitziana†

Libellula perse†

Libellula pulchella Drury, 1773 – twelve-spotted skimmer

Libellula quadrimaculata Linnaeus, 1758 – four-spotted skimmer or four-spotted chaser (Europe and North America)

Libellula saturata Uhler, 1857 – flame skimmer

Libellula semifasciata Burmeister, 1839 – painted skimmer

Libellula sieboldiana†

Libellula thetis†

Libellula thoe†

Libellula ukrainensis†

Libellula vibrans Fabricius, 1793 – great blue skimmer

Ladona

Libellula Libellula vibrans female The Dragonfly Woman

Ladona deplanata (Rambur, 1842) – blue corporal

Ladona exusta (Say, 1839) – white corporal

Ladona julia (Uhler, 1857) – chalk-fronted corporal

Plathemis

Plathemis lydia (Drury, 1770) – common whitetail or long-tailed skimmer

Plathemis subornata (Hagen, 1861) – desert whitetail

Libellula Libellula Dragonfly photo WP04683

References

Libellula Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA