''Libellula'' is a genus of

dragonflies A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonfly are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threa ...

, commonly called skimmers, in the family Libellulidae, distributed throughout the

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout ...

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.

Overview

The taxa ''Ladona'' (corporals) and ''Plathemis'' (whitetails) have been considered as synonyms of ''Libellula'', subgenera, or separate genera by different authorities. Recent

phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...

analysis has supported their status as either subgenera or full genera.

Species

List of species.''Libellula''
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Extant species

''Ladona''

''Plathemis''

Fossils

*''

Libellula brodieri ''Libellula'' is a genus of dragonfly, 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 ...

''† The Paleobiology Database
/ref> *''

Libellula calypso ''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 larg ...

''† *''

Libellula doris ''Libellula doris'' is an extinct species of dragonfly, dragonflies, commonly called skimmers, in the family Libellulidae. Larvae of these insects have been found in the Miocene of Germany, France and Italy. References * O. Heer. 1849. Die Inse ...

'' † *''

Libellula eusebioi ''Libellula'' is a genus of dragonfly, 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 ...

''† *''

Libellula kieseli ''Libellula'' is a genus of dragonfly, 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 ...

''† *''

Libellula martini ''Libellula'' is a genus of dragonfly, 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 ...

''† *''

Libellula melobasis ''Libellula'' is a genus of dragonfly, 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 ...

''† *''

Libellula pannewitziana ''Libellula'' is a genus of dragonfly, 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 ...

''† *''

Libellula perse ''Libellula'' is a genus of dragonfly, 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 ...

''† *''

Libellula sieboldiana ''Libellula'' is a genus of dragonfly, 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 ...

''† *''

Libellula thetis ''Libellula'' is a genus of dragonfly, 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 ...

''† *''

Libellula thoe ''Libellula'' is a genus of dragonfly, 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 ...

''† *''

Libellula ukrainensis ''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 lar ...

''†

References

External links

* * Libellulidae Anisoptera genera Odonata of Asia Odonata of Europe Odonata of North America Odonata of South America Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Taxa described in 1758 Animal migration {{libellulidae-stub