The skimmers or perchers and their relatives form the Libellulidae, the largest dragonfly family in the world. 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.
The common hawker, moorland hawker or sedge darner is one of the larger species of hawker dragonflies. It is native to Palearctic and northern North America. The flight period is from June to early October.
The black saddlebags is a species of skimmer dragonfly found throughout North America. It has distinctive wings with characteristic black blotches at their proximal ends, which make the dragonfly look as though it is wearing saddlebags.
The roseate skimmer is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It is native to the Americas, where its distribution extends from the United States to Brazil. It is common and widespread. It is an introduced species in Hawaii.
The obelisk posture is a handstand-like position that some dragonflies and damselflies assume to prevent overheating on sunny days. The abdomen is raised until its tip points at the sun, minimizing the surface area exposed to solar radiation. When the sun is close to directly overhead, the vertical alignment of the insect's body suggests an obelisk.
Tramea basilaris, also known as the keyhole glider, red marsh trotter, or wheeling glider, is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It is found throughout most of Africa, Arabia and in Asia. Capable of very long migration and nomadic flight, it reached Europe once, being recorded at the island of Linosa, Sicily (Italy) in 2016. Similarly, this species is able to use the trade winds to reach the Caribbean and South Americas, where it was caught in Suriname, "guadeloupe" and "martinique".
Tramea is a genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae, the skimmers and perchers. Species of Tramea are found in tropical and subtropical regions around the globe. They typically have colored bases to their otherwise translucent hindwings. In particular when they fly, this creates the impression of their carrying bags at the start of their abdomens. They are known commonly as saddlebags or saddlebags gliders.
Tramea limbata is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. Its common names include black marsh trotter, ferruginous glider and voyaging glider.
Austrophlebia costalis, the southern giant darner, is a species of dragonfly in the family Telephlebiidae endemic to eastern Australia.
Neurothemis is a genus of dragonflies in the family Libellulidae. They are found in India, Asia, Australia and the Pacific region. Most Neurothemis species are red in color.
Tramea carolina, the Carolina saddlebags, is a species of dragonfly native to eastern North America.
Tramea transmarina, known as the red glider or northern glider, is a species of dragonfly in the Libellulidae family. The type locality for Tramea transmarina is Fiji, but subspecies are found in the islands of the Pacific, north-eastern Australia and Southeast Asia.
Macrodiplax cora, the coastal glider, also known as wandering pennant, and Cora’s pennant, is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae.
Tramea loewii, the common glider, is a species of dragonfly in the Libellulidae family. It is found in the Cocos Islands, Moluccas, Lesser Sunda Islands, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Australia and the western Pacific. Since 2005, Tramea loewii has also been recorded in New Zealand.
Tramea stenoloba, the narrow-lobed glider, is a species of dragonfly in the Libellulidae family. It is found in the Cocos Islands, Lesser Sunda Islands, Java Sea and Australia.
Tramea eurybia is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae, known as the dune glider. It inhabits still waters on the Andaman Islands, Sumatra, Sulawesi, the Maluku Islands, New Guinea and Fiji; and can be found at dune lakes in eastern Australia. It is a medium-sized dragonfly with red, brown and black markings and a distinctive dark patch at the base of the hindwing.
Tramea insularis, the Antillean saddlebags, is a species of skimmer in the family Libellulidae. It is found in the Caribbean, Central America, and North America.
Tramea calverti, the striped saddlebags, is a species of skimmer in the dragonfly family Libellulidae. It is found in the Caribbean Sea, Central America, North America, and South America.
Tramea abdominalis, the vermilion saddlebags, is a species of skimmer in the dragonfly family Libellulidae. It is found in the Caribbean Sea, Central America, North America, Oceania, and South America.
