Checklist of UAE damselflies and dragonflies

There are 26 species of damselflies and dragonflies known to occur in UAE.

This checklist, including its notes is built on 'An Updated Illustrated Checklist of Dragonflies and Damselflies of the UAE' by Gary R. Feulner, Robert W. Reimer and Richard J. Hornby - Tribulus: Vol 17 2007 Download Tribulus article, 7 MB in size

Most of the common names are takes from Dijkstra & Lewington (2006) or Walker & Pittaway (1987). Names from the latter is shown in parenthesis ( ).

Domain: Eukaryota - Whittaker & Margulis,1978

Kingdom: Animalia - Linnaeus, 1758 - animals

Subkingdom: Bilateria - (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983

Branch: Protostomia - Grobben, 1908

Infrakingdom: Ecdysozoa - Aguinaldo Et Al., 1997 Ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998

Superphylum: Panarthropoda - Cuvier

Phylum: Arthropoda - Latreille, 1829 - arthropods

Subphylum: Mandibulata - Snodgrass, 1938

Infraphylum: Atelocerata - Heymons, 1901

Superclass: Panhexapoda

Epiclass: Hexapoda

Class: Insecta - C. Linnaeus, 1758 - Insects

Subclass: Dicondylia

Infraclass: Pterygota

Superorder: Odonatoptera

Order: Odonata - Fabricius, 1793 - Dragonflies and Damselflies

Suborder: Zygoptera - Damselflies

Family Protoneuridae

Arabineura khalidi - Hajar Wadi Damsel
- World range; Northern Oman and UAE

Family Platycnemididae

Arabicnemis caerulea - Powder Blue Damsel

Family Coenagrionidae - Bluetails

Ceriagrion glabrum - Olive-eyes Damsel

Ischnura evansi - Evan's Bluetail (Blue-banded Damsel)

Ischnura senegalensis - Senegal Bluetail

Pseudagrion decorum - Elegant Sprite

Suborder: Anisoptera - Dragonflies

Family Gomphidae - Clubtails

Lindenia tetraphylla - Bladetail (Arabian Lobetail) - no known photos from the UAE.

Paragomphus genei - Green Hooktail

Paragomphus sinaiticus - Sinai Hooktail

Family Aeshnidae - True Dragonflies

Anax imperator - Blue Emperor

Anax parthenope - Lesser Emperor

Anax ephippiger - Vagrant Emperor

Family Libellulidae - Chasers

Crocothemis erythraea - Broad Scarlet (Carmine Darter)

Crocothemis sanguinolenta - Bloody Scarlet

Diplacodes lefebvrei - Black Percher (Purple Darter)

Orthetrum chrysostigma - Epaulet Skimmer (Girdled Skimmer)

Orthetrum ransonneti

Orthetrum sabina - Slender Skimmer (Oasis Skimmer)

Orthetrum taeniolatum - Small Skimmer (Azure Skimmer) - no known photos in the UAE!

Pantala flavescens - Wandering Glider (Globe Skimmer)

Selysiothemis nigra - Black Pennant (Desert Darter)

Sympetrum fonscolombii - Red-veined Darter

Trithemis annulata - Violet Dropwing (Purple-blushed Darter)

Trithemis arteriosa - Red-veined Dropwing (Gulley Darter)

Trithemis kirbyi - Orange-winged Dropwing (Orange Darter)

Zygonyx torridus - Ringed Cascader