Aeshna
Encyclopedia
Aeshna is the scientific name of a genus
of dragonflies
from the family Aeshnidae
. They are also known as hawker dragonflies, or, in North America, as mosaic darners.
Natalia von Ellenrieder's 2003 paper demonstrated that the Holarctic
and Neotropic
al species placed in this genus did not share a common ancestor, and proposed the latter be placed in the genus Rhionaeschna
.
The name Aeshna was coined by the Danish entomologist Fabricius
in the 18th century. The name may have resulted from a printer's error in spelling the Greek Aechma, "a spear". The spelling 'Aeschna' has been intermittently used over a period of time, but is now abandoned for the original name 'Aeshna'. However, derived genus names (such as Rhionaeschna
) retain the 'sch' spelling, as this is how they were first cited.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of dragonflies
Dragonfly
A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...
from the family Aeshnidae
Aeshnidae
The hawkers include the largest dragonflies found in North America and Europe, and are among the largest of the dragonflies on the planet...
. They are also known as hawker dragonflies, or, in North America, as mosaic darners.
Description
These are relatively large dragonflies. Their thorax and abdomen have a brown color, with blue or yellow stripes or spots on the thorax, and yellow, blue or green spots on the abdomen.Natalia von Ellenrieder's 2003 paper demonstrated that the Holarctic
Holarctic
The Holarctic ecozone refers to the habitats found throughout the northern continents of the world as a whole. This region is divided into the Palearctic, consisting of Northern Africa and all of Eurasia, with the exception of Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent, and the Nearctic,...
and Neotropic
Neotropic
In biogeography, the Neotropic or Neotropical zone is one of the eight terrestrial ecozones. This ecozone includes South and Central America, the Mexican lowlands, the Caribbean islands, and southern Florida, because these regions share a large number of plant and animal groups.It is sometimes used...
al species placed in this genus did not share a common ancestor, and proposed the latter be placed in the genus Rhionaeschna
Rhionaeschna
Rhionaeschna is the scientific name of a genus of dragonflies from the family Aeshnidae. They are also known as Blue-eyed Darners.-Species:The genus includes the following species:-References:* , ITIS Report* , BugGuide...
.
The name Aeshna was coined by the Danish entomologist Fabricius
Johan Christian Fabricius
Johan Christian Fabricius was a Danish zoologist, specialising in "Insecta", which at that time included all arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and others...
in the 18th century. The name may have resulted from a printer's error in spelling the Greek Aechma, "a spear". The spelling 'Aeschna' has been intermittently used over a period of time, but is now abandoned for the original name 'Aeshna'. However, derived genus names (such as Rhionaeschna
Rhionaeschna
Rhionaeschna is the scientific name of a genus of dragonflies from the family Aeshnidae. They are also known as Blue-eyed Darners.-Species:The genus includes the following species:-References:* , ITIS Report* , BugGuide...
) retain the 'sch' spelling, as this is how they were first cited.
Species
The genus Aeshna includes the following species:- Aeshna affinisAeshna affinisThe Southern Migrant Hawker or Blue-eyed Hawker is a dragonfly found in southern Europe and Asia. It is in the family Aeshnidae and is very similar in appearance to A. mixta.-Identification:...
– Southern Migrant Hawker, Blue-eyed Hawker - Aeshna athalia
- Aeshna baicalensis
- Aeshna caerulea – Azure Hawker
- Aeshna canadensisAeshna canadensisCanada Darner is a species of dragonfly in family Aeshnidae. It is common throughout southern Canada and the northern United States.-External links:*, NJOdes*, eNature.com*, Talk about Wildlife...
– Canada Darner - Aeshna clepsydra – Mottled Darner
- Aeshna constricta – Lance-tipped Darner
- Aeshna crenataAeshna crenataSiberian Hawker is a species of dragonfly in family Aeshnidae. It is found in Belarus, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Russia. Its natural habitats are freshwater lakes and freshwater marshes.-References:...
– Siberian Hawker - Aeshna cyanea – Blue Hawker, Southern Hawker
- Aeshna elliotiAeshna elliotiHighland Hawker or Elliot's Hawker is a species of dragonfly in family Aeshnidae. It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and possibly Burundi...
– Elliot's Hawker or Highland Hawker - Aeshna eremitaAeshna eremitaLake Darner is a species of dragonfly in family Aeshnidae. It is found in Alaska and northern United States and across Canada.-External links:*, Talk about Wildlife*, BugGuide*, Montana Field Guide*, Ecobirder*, AeserePhoto...
– Lake Darner - Aeshna flavifrons
- Aeshna frontalis
- Aeshna grandis – Brown Hawker
- Aeshna interrupta – Variable Darner
- Aeshna isoceles - Norfolk Hawker
- Aeshna juncea – Common Hawker, Sedge Darner, Moorland Hawker
- Aeshna lucia
- Aeshna meruensisAeshna meruensisAeshna meruensis is a species of dragonfly in family Aeshnidae. It is found in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, rivers, and intermittent...
- Aeshna minuscula – Friendly Hawker
- Aeshna mixta – Migrant Hawker
- Aeshna moori
- Aeshna nigroflava
- Aeshna osiliensisAeshna osiliensisAeshna osiliensis is a species of dragonfly in family Aeshnidae. It is found in Estonia, Finland, and Sweden. Its natural habitats are intermittent freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, and saline lakes.-References:...
- Aeshna palmata – Paddle-tailed Darner
- Aeshna persephoneAeshna persephonePersephone's Darner is a species of dragonfly in family Aeshnidae. It is found in Mexico and the United States. Its natural habitats are rivers and intermittent rivers.-References:...
– Persephone's Darner - Aeshna petalura
- Aeshna rileyiAeshna rileyiThe Riley's Hawker is a species of dragonfly in family Aeshnidae. It is found in Angola, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and possibly Burundi...
- Aeshna scotiasAeshna scotiasAeshna scotias is a species of dragonfly in family Aeshnidae. It is found in Cameroon, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and rivers.-References:...
- Aeshna septentrionalis – Azure Darner
- Aeshna serrata – Baltic Hawker
- Aeshna sitchensis – Zigzag Darner
- Aeshna subarctica – Bog Hawker, Subarctic Darner
- Aeshna subpupillata – Stream Hawker
- Aeshna tuberculifera – Black-tipped Darner
- Aeshna umbrosa – Shadow Darner
- Aeshna undulata
- Aeshna verticalisAeshna verticalisThe Green-striped Darner is a species of dragonfly in family Aeshnidae. Found in northeastern United States and southern Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick.-Description:...
– Green-striped Darner - Aeshna viridisAeshna viridisThe Green Hawker is a species of dragonfly in family Aeshnidae. It is found in Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Sweden, and Ukraine. Its natural habitats are rivers,...
– Green Hawker - Aeshna walkeri – Walker's Darner
- Aeshna williamsonianaAeshna williamsonianaWilliamson's Darner is a species of dragonfly in family Aeshnidae. It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, and possibly Honduras. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montanes and rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* von Ellenrieder, N. &...
– Williamson's Darner - Aeshna wittei
- Aeshna yemenensisAeshna yemenensisAeshna yemenensis is a species of dragonfly in family Aeshnidae. It is endemic to Yemen, where its natural habitat is mountain streams above 2000 metres. It is threatened by a loss of this habitat.-References:...
External links
- California Darners
- Aeshna, BugGuide