Friday 27 July 2007

Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Orthetrum (?) cancellatum ("latticed")
Adult Black-tailed Skimmer (subspecies O. c. cancellatum) at Rainham Marshes, London - July 2011

Featured Subspecies: Orthetrum cancellatum cancellatum
Length: 44-50mm  /  Wingspan: 77mm
UK Status: Not Evaluated / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The male is one of the attractive blue species of dragonfly found in this country, while the female is yellow and black. Differentiated from the other similarly coloured species by the specifics of the black and the bodyshape, it apparently favours bodies of water with open edges where it can land.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata 

Family: Libellulidae 
Genus: Orthetrum 
SUBSPECIES: O. c. cancellatum, O. c. kraepelini, O. c.orientale

- Sighting Locations -
UNITED KINGDOM A common resident species which is seen in Summer
 - Seen in Rainham Marshes and various other sites

Further Notes:  BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red ListRSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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