The chasers, darters, skimmers and perchers and their relatives form the Libellulidae, the largest family of dragonflies. It is sometimes considered to contain the Corduliidae as the subfamily Corduliinae and the Macromiidae as the subfamily Macromiinae. Even if these are excluded, there remains a family of over 1000 species. With nearly worldwide distribution, these are almost certainly the most often seen of all dragonflies.
Zyxomma is a genus of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. Species of Zyxomma are small to medium-sized, dully coloured, crepuscular insects. They are known as Duskdarters. Members of Zyxomma are found in India, Japan, Africa and Australia.
Elliot Charles Gordon Pinhey was an entomologist who worked in Africa and specialised in African Lepidoptera and Odonata. Born of British parents on holiday in Belgium, Pinhey made major contributions in entomology to the knowledge of butterflies, moths and dragonflies. Elliot Pinhey's interest in natural history first developed during his early education in England.
Atoconeura is a genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae.
Brachythemis is a genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae. They are commonly known as groundlings.
Neodythemis is a genus of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae, known as junglewatchers. It contains the following species:
Nesciothemis is a genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae. It contains the following species:
Onychogomphus is a genus of dragonflies in the family Gomphidae. They are commonly known as pincertails.
Paragomphus is a genus of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae. They are commonly known as hooktails.
Phyllomacromia a large genus of dragonflies in the family Macromiidae. They are commonly known as cruisers.
Platycypha is a genus of African damselflies in the jewel damselfly family (Chlorocyphidae).
Prodasineura, the Asian threadtails, is a genus of damselflies in the family Platycnemididae. All the Afrotropical species formerly in this genus are now placed in Elattoneura, the African threadtails. Dijkstra et al. (2014) moved the genus from Protoneuridae to Platycnemididae based on molecular phylogenetic research.
Pseudagrion is the largest genus of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae, with over 140 species. Its range includes most of Africa, much of Asia, and Australia. Africa holds most of the diversity with almost 100 species. It has occupied most of the freshwater habitats in its range, and dominates damselfly communities in habitats as different as desert pools, equatorial rainforests and montane streams.
Rhyothemis is a genus of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. They are commonly known as flutterers.
Tetrathemis is a genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae. Species of Tetrathemis are found in Africa, Madagascar, Asia, New Guinea and Australia.
Trithemis is a genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae. They are commonly known as dropwings. There are over 40 species, mainly from Africa; two are endemic to Madagascar, and five can be found in Asia. They are found in a wide variety of habitats; some species being adapted to permanent streams in forests, and others being capable of breeding in temporary pools in deserts.
Urothemis is a genus of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. Species of Urothemis can be medium-sized dragonflies which occur from Africa, across Asia to Indonesia and Australia.
Zygonoides is a genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae. There are large, spectacular species. Three species occur in continental Africa and one, F. lachesis, in Madagascar.
Zygonyx is a genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae. They are commonly known as cascaders because of their preference for living beside waterfalls and flying through the spray. They lay their eggs in wet dangling roots.
Diplacodes pumila, the dwarf percher, is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It is found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are grassy margins of wetlands in moist savanna and grassland.
