''Sympetrum'' is a genus of small to medium-sized skimmer

dragonflies 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 threaten ...

, known as darters in the UK and as meadowhawks in North America. The more than 50 species predominantly live in the

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

zone of the Northern Hemisphere; no ''Sympetrum'' species is native to Australia. Most North American darters fly in late summer and autumn, breeding in

pond A pond is an area filled with water, either natural or Artificiality, artificial, that is smaller than a lake. Defining them to be less than in area, less than deep, and with less than 30% Aquatic plant, emergent vegetation helps in disting ...

s and foraging over

meadow A meadow ( ) is an open habitat, or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non- woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as these areas maintain an open character. Meadows may be naturally occurring or artif ...

s. 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''). The

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

includes the following species: *''

Sympetrum ambiguum ''Sympetrum ambiguum'', the blue-faced meadowhawk, is a dragonfly of the family Libellulidae. Description The aqua blue face of the blue-faced, green/turquoise when dead, meadowhawk may not be obvious to a casual observer, but is an important fi ...

'' – blue-faced meadowhawk *''

Sympetrum anomalum ''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; no ''Symp ...

'' *'' Sympetrum arenicolor'' *'' Sympetrum baccha'' *'' Sympetrum chaconi'' *'' Sympetrum commixtum'' *'' Sympetrum cordulegaster'' *'' Sympetrum corruptum'' – variegated meadowhawk *'' Sympetrum costiferum'' – saffron-winged meadowhawk *'' Sympetrum croceolum'' *'' Sympetrum daliensis'' *'' Sympetrum danae'' – black darter, black meadowhawk *''

Sympetrum darwinianum ''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; no ''Symp ...

'' *''

Sympetrum depressiusculum ''Sympetrum depressiusculum'', or, the spotted darter, is a dragonfly species from the family Libellulidae, distributed across temperate parts of Eurasia. Description Adults reach 29 to 34 mm in body length, of which 20–24 mm is ab ...

'' – spotted darter *''

Sympetrum dilatatum The St. Helena Darter (''Sympetrum dilatatum'') was a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It was endemic to Saint Helena Saint Helena () is a British overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote vol ...

'' – St. Helena darter *'' Sympetrum durum'' *'' Sympetrum eroticum'' *'' Sympetrum evanescens'' *''

Sympetrum flaveolum The yellow-winged darter (''Sympetrum flaveolum'') is a dragonfly found in Europe and mid and northern China. Breeding is confined to stagnant water, usually in peat bogs. Although not resident in the United Kingdom it occasionally migrates th ...

'' – yellow-winged darter *''

Sympetrum fonscolombii The red-veined darter or nomad (''Sympetrum fonscolombii'') is a dragonfly of the genus ''Sympetrum''. Taxonomy There is genetic and behavioural evidence that ''S. fonscolombii'' is not closely related to the other members of the genus ''Sympetr ...

'' – red-veined darter, nomad *''

Sympetrum frequens The Autumn darter is a species of dragonfly endemic to Japan. It lives near grasslands and can grow up to 40 mm in length.''ふしぎがわかる　しぜん図鑑　こんちゅう'', page 36. Froebel-Kan CO., LTD., 1999 After emerging, t ...

'' *'' Sympetrum gilvum'' *'' Sympetrum gracile'' *''

Sympetrum haematoneura ''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; no ''Sympet ...

'' *''

Sympetrum haritonovi ''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; no ''Sympet ...

'' – dwarf darter *'' Sympetrum himalayanum'' *'' Sympetrum hypomelas'' *'' Sympetrum illotum'' – cardinal meadowhawk *''

Sympetrum imitans ''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; no ''Sympet ...

'' *''

Sympetrum infuscatum ''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; no ''Sympet ...

'' *'' Sympetrum internum'' – cherry-faced meadowhawk *'' Sympetrum kunckeli'' *''

Sympetrum maculatum ''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; no ''Sympet ...

'' *'' Sympetrum madidum'' – red-veined meadowhawk *''

Sympetrum meridionale ''Sympetrum meridionale'', the southern darter, is a species of dragonfly belonging to the Skimmer family Libellulidae. Description The adults grow up to long. The wingspan reaches . The abdomen of adult males is orange-reddish, without black ...

'' – southern darter *'' Sympetrum nigrifemur'' – island darter *'' Sympetrum nigrocreatum'' – Talamanca meadowhawk *'' Sympetrum nomurai'' *'' Sympetrum obtrusum'' – white-faced meadowhawk *''

Sympetrum orientale ''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; no ''Sympet ...

'' *''

Sympetrum pallipes ''Sympetrum pallipes'', the striped meadowhawk, is a species of skimmer in the dragonfly family Libellulidae The skimmers or perchers and their relatives form the Libellulidae, the largest dragonfly family in the world. It is sometimes conside ...

'' – striped meadowhawk *'' Sympetrum paramo'' *'' Sympetrum parvulum'' *'' Sympetrum pedemontanum'' – banded darter *''

Sympetrum risi ''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; no ''Sympet ...

'' *'' Sympetrum roraimae'' *'' Sympetrum rubicundulum'' – ruby meadowhawk *'' Sympetrum ruptum'' *'' Sympetrum sanguineum'' – ruddy darter *'' Sympetrum semicinctum'' – band-winged meadowhawk *'' Sympetrum signiferum'' *''

Sympetrum sinaiticum ''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; no ''Sympet ...

'' – desert darter *'' Sympetrum speciosum'' *''

Sympetrum striolatum The common darter (''Sympetrum striolatum'') is a dragonfly of the family Libellulidae native to Eurasia. It is one of the most common dragonflies in Europe, occurring in a wide variety of water bodies, though with a preference for breeding in s ...

'' – common darter *''

Sympetrum tibiale ''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; no ''Sympet ...

'' *'' Sympetrum uniforme'' *''

Sympetrum verum ''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; no ''Symp ...

'' *''

Sympetrum vicinum ''Sympetrum vicinum'', the yellow-legged meadowhawk or autumn meadowhawk, is a member of the Libellulidae family. It grows to 26–35 mm long. Description Naiad This species has a small naiad, with a length of . It is mottled green and b ...

'' – yellow-legged meadowhawk, autumn meadowhawk *'' Sympetrum villosum'' *''

Sympetrum vulgatum The vagrant darter (''Sympetrum vulgatum'') is a European 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, w ...

'' – vagrant darter, moustached darter *'' Sympetrum xiaoi''

References

Libellulidae Anisoptera genera Taxa named by Edward Newman Animal migration {{dragonfly-stub