Scarlet Dragonfly

Scarlet Dragonfly
Crocothemis
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Suborder: Epiprocta
Infraorder: Anisoptera
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Crocothemis
Species: C. erythraea
Binomial name
Crocothemis erythraea
(Brullé, 1832)
Female

The Crocothemis erythraea is a member of the dragonfly genus Crocothemis. Its common names include Broad Scarlet, Common Scarlet-darter, Scarlet Darter and Scarlet Dragonfly.[1]

Contents

Description

The adult male Scarlet Dragonfly has a bright red, widened abdomen, and small amber patches at the bases of the hindwings. Females and immatures are yellow-brown and have a conspicuous pale stripe along the top of the thorax.[2]

Status and distribution

The Scarlet Dragonfly is a common species in southern Europe and north Africa.

Status in Britain

The Scarlet Dragonfly is a very rare vagrant in Britain.

The species was first recorded at Hayle Kimbro Pool, The Lizard, Cornwall on 7 August 1995 (Jones 1996). Since then there has been a small number of further records at scattered locations throughout Britain.[3]

References

  1. ^ Clausnitzer, V. (2006). "Crocothemis erythraea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.3. International Union for Conservation of Nature. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/59859. Retrieved 21 December 2010. 
  2. ^ "Scarlet Darter". British Dragonfly Society. http://www.british-dragonflies.org.uk/species/scarlet-darter. Retrieved 12 August 2011. 
  3. ^ Jones, Steven P. (1996), The first British record of the Scarlet Dragonfly Crocothemis erythraea (Brullé), Journal of the British Dragonfly Society Vol. 12 No. 1 pp. 11-12

External links


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