Libellula

Skimmers
Broad-bodied Chaser
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Odonata
Family:	Libellulidae
Genus:	Libellula Linnaeus, 1758
Species
See text

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.^[1]

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.^[2][3]

Species

Slaty Skimmer, Libellula incesta

Twelve-spotted Skimmer, Libellula pulchella

Except as otherwise noted, species are native to North America.^[4]

• 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† ^[5]
• Libellula calypso† ^[5]
• 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 †^[5]
• Libellula eusebioi† ^[5]
• 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† ^[5]
• Libellula luctuosa Burmeister, 1839 – Widow Skimmer
• Libellula mariae Garrison, 1992 (Central America)
• Libellula martini† ^[5]
• Libellula melli Schmidt, 1948 (China)
• Libellula melobasis†
• Libellula needhami Westfall, 1943 – Needham's Skimmer
• Libellula nodisticta Hagen, 1861 – Hoary Skimmer
• Libellula pannewitziana† ^[5]
• Libellula perse† ^[5]
• 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† ^[5]
• Libellula thetis† ^[5]
• Libellula thoe† ^[5]
• Libellula ukrainensis† ^[5]
• Libellula vibrans Fabricius, 1793 – Great Blue Skimmer

Ladona

• 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

References