Libellula

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Skimmers or Perchers
Broad-bodied Chaser
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Suborder: Epiprocta
Infraorder: Anisoptera
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Libellula
Species

see text

Great Blue Skimmer (Libellula vibrans)
Great Blue Skimmer (Libellula vibrans)
Twelve Spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella)
Twelve Spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella)

Libellula is a genus of dragonflies 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.

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.

Contents

[edit] Species

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

  • Libellula angelina Selys, 1883 (North China, Japan)
  • Libellula auripennis Burmeister, 1839 (North and Central America)
  • Libellula axilena Westwood, 1837
  • Libellula comanche Calvert, 1907
  • Libellula composita (Hagen, 1873)
  • Libellula croceipennis Selys, 1869 (North and Central America)
  • Libellula cyanea Fabricius, 1775 - Spangled Skimmer
  • Libellula flavida Rambur, 1842
  • Libellula foliata (Kirby, 1889) (Mexico)
  • Libellula forensis Hagen, 1861
  • Libellula gaigei Gloyd, 1838 (Central America)
  • Libellula herculea Karsch, 1889 (Central and South America)
  • Libellula incesta Hagen, 1861 - Slaty Skimmer
  • Libellula jesseana Williamson, 1922 - Purple Skimmer
  • Libellula luctuosa Burmeister, 1839 - Widow Skimmer
  • Libellula mariae Garrison, 1992 (Central America)
  • Libellula melli Schmidt, 1948 (China)
  • Libellula needhami Westfall, 1943
  • Libellula nodisticta Hagen, 1861
  • Libellula pulchella Drury, 1770 - Twelve-spotted Skimmer
  • Libellula quadrimaculata Linnaeus, 1758 - Four-spotted Skimmer (Europe and North America)
  • Libellula saturata Uhler, 1857
  • Libellula semifasciata Burmeister, 1839 - Painted Skimmer
  • Libellula vibrans Fabricius, 1793 - Great Blue Skimmer

[edit] Ladona

  • Ladona deplanata (Rambur, 1842)
  • Ladona depressa (Linnaeus, 1758) - Broad bodied Chaser (Europe, West Asia)
  • Ladona exusta (Say, 1839)
  • Ladona fulva (Müller, 1764) (Europe, Middle East)
  • Ladona julia (Uhler, 1857)

[edit] Plathemis

[edit] References

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