Darters or
Meadowhawks
Sympetrum fonscolombii
White-faced Meadowhawks (Sympetrum obtrusum) in "wheel position", Shirleys Bay, Ottawa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Infraorder: Anisoptera
Family: Libellulidae
Subfamily: Sympetrinae
Genus: Sympetrum
Newman, 1833
Sympetrum commixtum, Nepal
Sympetrum vicinum mating

Sympetrum is a genus of small to medium-sized skimmer dragonflies, known as darters in the UK and as meadowhawks in North America. The more than 50 species predominantly live in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere; 15 species are native to North America. No Sympetrum species is native to Australia.

Most North American darters fly in late summer and autumn, breeding in ponds and foraging over meadows. Commonly, they are yellow-gold as juveniles, with mature males and some females becoming bright red on part or all of their bodies. An exception to this color scheme is the black darter (Sympetrum danae).[1]

The genus includes the following species:[2]

References

  1. ^ Needham, James G.; Minter J. Westfall Jr.; Michael L. May (2000). Dragonflies of North America (rev. ed.). Gainesville, FL: Scientific Publishers. p. 795. ISBN 0-945417-94-2.
  2. ^ Paulson, D.; Schorr, M.; Abbott, J.; Bota-Sierra, C.; Deliry, C.; Dijkstra, K.-D.; Lozano, F. (2023). "World Odonata List". OdonataCentral, University of Alabama. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "North American Odonata". University of Puget Sound. 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Checklist of UK Species". British Dragonfly Society. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  5. ^ a b c d "Checklist, English common names". DragonflyPix.com. Archived from the original on 4 December 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  6. ^ Suhling, F. & Martens, A. (2011). "Sympetrum dilatatum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T21226A9259879. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T21226A9259879.en.
  7. ^ Samways, Michael J. (2008). Dragonflies and damselflies of South Africa (1st ed.). Sofia: Pensoft. ISBN 978-9546423306.
  8. ^ Autumn Darter, Kochi
  9. ^ Clausnitzer, V. (2009). "Sympetrum haritonovi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2009: e.T158697A5261939. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009-2.RLTS.T158697A5261939.en.
  10. ^ Clausnitzer, V.; Kalkman, V.J. (2020). "Sympetrum nigrifemur". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T60292A140601430. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T60292A140601430.en.
  11. ^ Paulson, D. R. (2009). "Sympetrum nigrocreatum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2009: e.T164924A5939416. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009-2.RLTS.T164924A5939416.en.
  12. ^ Dunkle, S. W. (2000). Dragonflies through Binoculars. OUP.

External links


Taxon identifiers
Authority control databases: National
Categories