Libellula

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]

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

See text

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.[2][3]

Species

Slaty Skimmer, Libellula incesta
Twelve-spotted Skimmer, Libellula pulchella

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

Ladona

Plathemis

References

  1. Needham, James G.; Minter J. Westfall Jr; Michael L. May (2000). Dragonflies of North America (rev. ed.). Gainesville, FL: Scientific Publishers. pp. 700–702. ISBN 0-945417-94-2.
  2. Artiss T, Schultz TR, Polhemus DA, Simon C (2001). "Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the dragonfly genera Libellula, Ladona, and Plathemis (Odonata: Libellulidae) based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and 16S rRNA sequence data". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 18 (3): 348–61. doi:10.1006/mpev.2000.0867. PMID 11277629.
  3. Kambhampati, Srinivas; Charlton, Ralph E. (1999). "Phylogenetic relationship among Libellula, Ladona and Plathemis (Odonata: Libellulidae) based on DNA sequence of mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene". Systematic Entomology. 24 (1): 37–49. doi:10.1046/j.1365-3113.1999.00066.x.
  4. Libellula, funet.fi
  5. The Paleobiology Database

Data related to Libellula at Wikispecies


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