''Epitheca'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

dragonflies A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of dragonflies are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threate ...

in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Corduliidae Corduliidae, also knowns as the emeralds, emerald dragonflies, or green-eyed skimmers, is a family of dragonflies. These dragonflies are usually black or dark brown with areas of metallic green or yellow, and most of them have large, emerald-green ...

. They are commonly known as baskettails. Baskettails' distinction is the specially adapted, upturned abdomen tip of the females which allows them to carry their egg masses in a small, orange-tinted globule. Some authorities spin off the North American baskettails into two new genera, ''Epicordulia'' and ''Tetragoneuria'', but this has not gained widespread acceptance and most references place them under this genus.

Species

The genus contains the following species:

Notes

References

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Genus ''Epitheca'' - Baskettails
BugGuide
Image of female baskettail sp. with egg mass on tip of tail
Corduliidae Anisoptera genera Taxa named by Hermann Burmeister {{Corduliidae-stub