The neon skimmer (''Libellula croceipennis'') is a

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

of the

skimmer Skimmer may refer to: Animals *Skimmer (bird), a common name for birds in the genus ''Rynchops'' *Skimmer (dragonfly), a common name for dragonflies in the family Libellulidae *Water strider or skimmer, a common name for insects in the family Ge ...

family. It can be found near ponds, lakes and slow moving streams in the southwest United States, Central America, and northern South America.

Description

''L. croceipennis'' reaches a length of 54 to 59 millimeters, of which 32 to 39 millimeters is the abdomen. The species is colored bright red on the face, on the front of the thorax, on the abdomen and on the abdominal appendages. Seen from the side, the thorax is brownish with a slight tinge of red. Furthermore, it has no patterns. Young animals, on the other hand, are reddish-brown with a yellow stripe along the top of the abdomen. The hind wings reach a length of 35 to 47 millimeters. On both wings of the males there is an amber-yellow shadow at the base, which extends to the wing triangle. The wings of the females are transparent. The pterostigma is brown and about 6 millimeters long. The legs are brown and have black bristles. The eighth abdominal segment is significantly widened in females. File:SKIMMER, NEON (Libellula croceipennis) (9-20-10) pat lake state park, scc, az -06 (5010026362).jpg, Male File:LibellulaCroceipennis 6489.JPG, Female File:LibellulaCroceipennis 6561PMax.jpg, head File:LibellulaCroceipennis 8379.JPG, Molted Exoskeleton File:Libellula croceipennis (neon skimmer dragonfly) larva.jpg, Nymph

References

External links

Libellula croceipennis
on BugGuide.Net Libellulidae Odonata of North America Odonata of South America Insects of Central America Insects described in 1868 {{libellulidae-stub