Libellula is a genus of dragonflies 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.

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.

Species

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

• Libellula angelina Selys, 1883 (North China, Japan)
• Libellula auripennis Burmeister, 1839 (North and Central America)
• Libellula axilena Westwood, 1837
• Libellula comanche Calvert, 1907
• Libellula composita (Hagen, 1873)
• Libellula croceipennis Selys, 1869 (North and Central America)
• Libellula cyanea Fabricius, 1775 - Spangled Skimmer
• Libellula flavida Rambur, 1842
• Libellula foliata (Kirby, 1889) (Mexico)
• Libellula forensis Hagen, 1861
• Libellula fulva'' - Scarce Chaser
• Libellula gaigei Gloyd, 1838 (Central America)
• Libellula herculea Karsch, 1889 (Central and South America)
• Libellula incesta Hagen, 1861 - Slaty Skimmer
• Libellula jesseana Williamson, 1922 - Purple Skimmer
• Libellula luctuosa Burmeister, 1839 - Widow Skimmer
• Libellula mariae Garrison, 1992 (Central America)
• Libellula melli Schmidt, 1948 (China)
• Libellula needhami Westfall, 1943
• Libellula nodisticta Hagen, 1861
• Libellula pulchella Drury, 1770 - Twelve-spotted Skimmer
• Libellula quadrimaculata Linnaeus, 1758 - Four-spotted Skimmer (Europe and North America)
• Libellula saturata Uhler, 1857
• Libellula semifasciata Burmeister, 1839 - Painted Skimmer
• Libellula vibrans Fabricius, 1793 - Great Blue Skimmer

Ladona

• Ladona deplanata (Rambur, 1842)
• Ladona depressa (Linnaeus, 1758) - Broad bodied Chaser (Europe, West Asia)
• Ladona exusta (Say, 1839)
• Ladona fulva (Müller, 1764) (Europe, Middle East)
• Ladona julia (Uhler, 1857)

Plathemis

• Plathemis lydia (Drury, 1770)
• Plathemis subornata Hagen, 1861

References

• 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". Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 18 (3): 348–61.
• Kambhampati, Srinivas; Charlton, Ralph E. "Phylogenetic relationship among Libellula, Ladona and Plathemis (Odonata: Libellulidae) based on DNA sequence of mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene". Systematic Entomology 24 (1): 37–49.
• Needham, James G.; Minter J. Westfall, Jr. and Michael L. May Dragonflies of North America (rev. ed.). Gainesville, FL: Scientific Publishers. ISBN 0-945417-94-2.