page_title: Libellula
section_title: Species
hierarchical_section_title: Libellula / Species
caption_attribution_description: Twelve Spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella) photographed at Head of the Rapids Group Camp in Saint Croix State Park during the Edgewood High School 2006 Field Education Course
context_page_description: 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.
context_section_description: Except as otherwise noted, species are native to North America.
  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† 
  Libellula calypso† 
  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 †
  Libellula eusebioi† 
  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† 
  Libellula luctuosa Burmeister, 1839 – widow skimmer
  Libellula mariae Garrison, 1992 (Central America)
  Libellula martini† 
  Libellula melli Schmidt, 1948 (China)
  Libellula melobasis†
  Libellula needhami Westfall, 1943 – Needham's skimmer
  Libellula nodisticta Hagen, 1861 – hoary skimmer
  Libellula pannewitziana† 
  Libellula perse† 
  Libellula pontica Selys, 1887 – red chaser (Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Syria, Turkey)
  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† 
  Libellula thetis† 
  Libellula thoe† 
  Libellula ukrainensis† 
  Libellula vibrans Fabricius, 1793 – great blue skimmer
caption: Twelve-spotted Skimmer, Libellula pulchella
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