List of dragonflies of Minorca
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Menorca Menorca or Minorca (from la, Insula Minor, , smaller island, later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Its capi ...
is a small island in the
Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...
belonging to
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
. Along with
Majorca Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean. The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Bal ...
,
Ibiza Ibiza (natively and officially in ca, Eivissa, ) is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea off the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. It is from the city of Valencia. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, in Spain. Its l ...
, and
Formentera Formentera (, ) is the smallest and most southerly island of the Pityusic Islands group (comprising Ibiza and Formentera, as well as various small islets), which belongs to the Balearic Islands autonomous community (Spain). It covers an area of ...
it is part of the Balearic Islands. It has a population of approximately 88,000. It is located 39°47' to 40°00'N, 3°52' to 4°24'E. It is a dry island without many wetlands or river systems; many of the wetlands in Menorca were drained to provide agricultural land. Despite this dragonflies are abundant on Menorca and in summer any pool of water will be alive with them. The best months to see dragonflies are May to September. The taxonomy follows that of Dijkstra, K-D.B & Lewington, R. (2006).


Suborder Zygoptera (damselflies)

Family Calopterygidae (demoiselles) *''
Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis ''Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis'' is a species of damselfly in the family Calopterygidae known by the common names copper demoiselle and Mediterranean demoiselle. Subspecies Subspecies include: * '' Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis haemorrhoidalis'' (Va ...
'', copper demoiselle - locally abundant in the right habitat Family Lestidae (emerald damselflies or spreadwings) *'' Sympecma fusca'', winter damselfly - can be found in the winter months as ''S. fusca'' overwinters as an adult. *''
Lestes viridis ''Chalcolestes viridis'', formerly ''Lestes viridis'', is a damselfly of the family Lestidae. It has a metallic green body and at rest it holds its wings away from its body. Its common name is the willow emerald damselfly, the green emerald damse ...
'' ('' Chalcolestes viridis''), willow emerald damselfly - locally abundant *''
Lestes barbarus ''Lestes barbarus'' is a species of damselfly of the family Lestidae, the spreadwings. Its common names in English include southern emerald damselfly, shy emerald damselfly, and migrant spreadwing.Clausnitzer, V. 2009''Lestes barbarus''.The IUCN ...
'', southern emerald damselfly - scarce Family Coenagrionidae (blue, blue-tailed and red damselflies) *''
Ischnura elegans The blue-tailed damselfly or common bluetail (''Ischnura elegans'') is a damselfly, belonging to the family Coenagrionidae. Subspecies and varieties Subspecies and varieties include: *''Ischnura elegans ebneri'' Schmidt, 1938 *''Ischnura elega ...
'', blue-tailed damselfly - common all over the island. *''
Ceriagrion tenellum The small red damselfly (''Ceriagrion tenellum'') is a small damselfly flying in heathland bogs and streams. It is in the family Coenagrionidae. Identification ''Ceriagrion tenellum'' is only long. It is a lot shorter than the large red damself ...
'', small red damselfly - local *''
Coenagrion caerulescens ''Coenagrion'' is a genus of damselflies in the family Coenagrionidae, commonly called the Eurasian Bluets (although three species are found in North America: '' Coenagrion angulatum'', '' Coenagrion interrogatum'', and '' Coenagrion resolutum' ...
'', Mediterranean bluet - rare *''
Erythromma lindenii The goblet-marked damselfly (''Erythromma lindenii'') is a medium-sized blue-and-black (or green-and-black) damselfly in the pond damselfly family (Coenagrionidae). It's a fairly common species in the South and West of Europe but is not found in ...
'' ('' Cercion lindenii''), blue-eye, also called the goblet-marked damselfly.


Suborder Anisoptera (dragonflies)

Family
Aeshnidae The Aeshnidae, also called aeshnids, hawkers, or darners, is a family of dragonflies. The family includes the largest dragonflies found in North America and Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its o ...
(hawkers and emperors) *''
Aeshna affinis ''Aeshna affinis'', the southern migrant hawker or blue-eyed hawker, is a dragonfly found in southern Europe and Asia. It is in the family Aeshnidae and is very similar in appearance to '' A. mixta''. Identification ''Aeshna affinis'' is a smal ...
'', blue-eyed hawker *''
Aeshna mixta The migrant hawker (''Aeshna mixta'') is one of the smaller species of hawker dragonflies. It can be found away from water but for breeding it prefers still or slow-flowing water and can tolerate brackish sites. The flight period is from July to ...
'', migrant hawker ''A. affinis'' and ''A. mixta'' are very alike in appearance. Blue ''aeshna'' are frequently seen in late summer but there are not many positive identifications of either species on record. *'' Aeshna isoceles'' often put into the genus ''
Anaciaeschna ''Anaciaeschna'' is a genus of dragonflies in the family Aeshnidae. Species of ''Anaciaeschna'' are found in Africa, Asia and Australia. ''Anaciaeschna'' are large, tawny brown dragonflies. They are nomadic and crepuscular. Species The genus '' ...
'', green-eyed hawker - this species flies early in the year and is the only brown ''
aeshna ''Aeshna'', or the mosaic darners, is a genus of dragonflies from the family Aeshnidae. Species within this genus are generally known as "hawkers" (Old World) or "darners" (New World). Description These are relatively large dragonflies. T ...
'' found on Menorca. Can be seen in the Algendar gorge. *'' Anax imperator'', emperor dragonfly also called blue emperor - common *''
Anax parthenope ''Anax parthenope'', the lesser emperor, is a dragonfly of the family Aeshnidae. It is found in Southern Europe, North Africa, Middle East and Asia. Description It is a crepuscular dragonfly, active in the dusk. This species can be easily dist ...
'', lesser emperor Family
Libellulidae The skimmers or perchers and their relatives form the Libellulidae, the largest dragonfly family in the world. It is sometimes considered to contain the Corduliidae as the subfamily Corduliinae and the Macromiidae as the subfamily Macromiinae. Ev ...
(chasers, skimmers and darters) *''
Libellula depressa ''Libellula depressa'', the broad-bodied chaser or broad-bodied darter,Hart. M., et al, (1978), ''The Naturetrail Omnibus'', London: Usborne Publishing Limited, page 157 is one of the most common dragonflies in Europe and central Asia. It is ve ...
'', broad-bodied chaser *'' Orthetrum cancellatum'', black-tailed skimmer - fairly common *'' Orthetrum coerulescens'', keeled skimmer - fairly common *'' Sympetrum striolatum'', common darter - common *'' Sympetrum fonscolombii'', red-veined darter - common *'' crocothemis erythraea'', scarlet dragonfly or broad scarlet - fairly common Most darters seen in Menorca with a very red colouring are ''S. fonscolombii'' but some are ''C. erythraea'' which occurs in many of the same locations. On close observation these two species can be told apart as they have quite different body shapes. Also ''S. fonscolombii'' usually oviposits in tandem whereas female ''C. erythraea'' oviposit solo.


See also

*
List of butterflies of Menorca {{short description, None Menorca is a small island in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain, with a population of approximately 88,000. It is located 39°47' to 40°00'N, 3°52' to 4°24'E. There is good data on the butterflies of Menorca altho ...


References

* Askew, R.R. (2004) The Dragonflies of Europe. (revised ed.) Harley Books. . * d'Aguilar, J., Dommanget, JL., and Prechac, R. (1986) A field guide to the Dragonflies of Britain, Europe and North Africa. Collins. . *Boudot JP., ''et al''. (2009) Atlas of the Odonata of the Mediterranean and North Africa. ''Libellula'' Supplement 9:1-256. * Dijkstra, K-D.B & Lewington, R. (2006) Field Guide to the Dragonflies of Britain and Europe. British Wildlife Publishing. {{ISBN, 0-9531399-4-8. * Ocharan, F.J., (1987) Neuvos datos sobre los odonatos de Menorca (Espana). ''Bol. R. Soc. Espanola Hist. Nat. (Biol.). 83 (1-4):155-161


External links

* http://www.iberianwildlife.com/spain/dragonflies-damselflies-spain.htm
Images of the wildlife of Menorca
Fauna of the Balearic Islands Environment of Menorca Dragonflies, Menorca