Blue Dasher

Taxobox
name = Blue Dasher

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regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
subphylum = Hexapoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Odonata
subordo = Anisoptera
familia = Libellulidae
genus = "Pachydiplax"
species = "P. longipennis"
binomial = "Pachydiplax longipennis"
binomial_authority = (Burmeister, 1839)

The Blue Dasher ("Pachydiplax longipennis") is a dragonfly of the skimmer family. It is common and widely distributed in the United States. cite book | last = Needham | first = James G. | authorlink = | coauthors = Minter J. Westfall, Jr. and Michael L. May | title = Dragonflies of North America (rev. ed.) | publisher = Scientific Publishers | date = 2000 | location = Gainesville, FL | pages = 762-763 | url = | id = ISBN 0-945417-94-2 ]

Mature males develop a bluish-white pruinescence on the back of the abdomen and, in western individuals, on the thorax. They display this pruinescence to other males as a threat while defending territories at the edge of the water. [ cite journal | last = Johnson | first = Clifford | title = A Study of Territoriality and Breeding Behavior in "Pachydiplax longipennis" Burmeister (Odonata:Libellulidae) | journal = The Southwestern Naturalist | volume = 7 | issue = 3/4 | pages = 191–197 | date = 1962 | doi = 10.2307/3668841 ]

Although the species name "longipennis" means "long wings", the wings are not particularly long. Females do, however, have a short abdomen that makes the wings look longer in comparison.

References