Etymology of scientific names
On this page we attempt to explain the etymologies of the scientific names of the 40 genera and 133 species on our European checklist.
The list below draws heavily on the 1997 publication Die Bedeutung der wissenschaftlichen Namen europäischer Libellen by Heinrich Fliedner. We would like to thank the author of that publication for his very generous support and kind assistance in improving the accuracy of the list below. It goes without saying that any remaining inaccuracies are entirely our own responsibility. (Rev. 1.3; 13 January 2018)
| # | Species | Name: Genus | Name: Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calopteryx splendens | Calopteryx: Leach, 1815 from Grk. καλός = beautiful + πτέρυξ = wing | Calopteryx splendens (Harris, 1782) from Lat. splendere, pres. part. splendens = shining, glittering ⮎ for the glittering blue/green body colours |
| 2 | Calopteryx xanthostoma | Calopteryx xanthostoma (Charpentier, 1825) from Grk. ξανθός, -ή, -όν = yellow + στόμα = mouth ⮎ for the yellow mouth parts (as opposed to white, as in all other Calopteryx species then known to Charpentier) | |
| 3 | Calopteryx virgo | Calopteryx virgo (Linnaeus, 1758) from Lat. virgo = maiden, virgin | |
| 4 | Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis | Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis (Vander Linden, 1825) from Grk. αἱμορροίδες = haemorrhoids [αἷμα = blood + ῥέω = to flow] + Lat. -alis, -alis, -ale = pertaining to ⮎ for the red underside of the male's last three abdominal segments | |
| 5 | Epallage fatime | Epallage: Charpentier, 1840 from Grk. ἐπαλλαγή = 'mutual connection' ⮎ regarded by Charpentier as a link between the families Calopterygidae and Gomphidae | Epallage fatime (Charpentier, 1840) after Fatimah (609-632), daughter of Muhammad |
| 6 | Lestes sponsa | Lestes: Leach, 1815 from Grk. λῃστής = robber, thief | Lestes sponsa (Hansemann, 1823) from Lat. sponsa = bride, betrothed |
| 7 | Lestes dryas | Lestes dryas Kirby, 1890 after Δρυάς, a tree nymph in Greek mythology | |
| 8 | Lestes barbarus | Lestes barbarus (Fabricius, 1798) after the Barbary coastal region of North Africa ('Barbaria' in Fabricius' description), from where the specimens he described originated | |
| 9 | Lestes virens | Lestes virens (Charpentier, 1825) from Lat. virere, pres. part. virens = (being) green | |
| 10 | Lestes macrostigma | Lestes macrostigma (Eversmann, 1836) from Grk. μακρός, -ά, -όν = long, large + στίγμα = mark, spot ⮎ for the large pterostigma | |
| 11 | Chalcolestes viridis | Chalcolestes: Kennedy, 1920 from Grk. χαλκός = copper, bronze + λῃστής = robber, thief | Chalcolestes viridis (Vander Linden, 1825) from Lat. viridis, -is, -e = green |
| 12 | Chalcolestes parvidens | Chalcolestes parvidens (Artobolevskii, 1929) from Lat. parvus, -a, -um = small + dens = tooth ⮎ for the male's small inner subapical tooth | |
| 13 | Sympecma fusca | Sympecma: Burmeister, 1839 misread from Charpentier's proposed name Sympycna from Grk. σύμπυκνος = pressed together ⮎ for the habit of folding the wings together when at rest (unlike Lestes species) | Sympecma fusca (Vander Linden, 1820) from Lat. fuscus, -a, -um = dark brown, tawny |
| 14 | Sympecma paedisca | Sympecma paedisca (Brauer, 1877) from Grk. παιδίσκη = young girl, maiden | |
| 15 | Ischnura elegans | Ischnura: Charpentier, 1840 from Grk. ἰσχνός = thin, slender + οὐρά = tail ⮎ for the slender abdomen (compared to e.g. Calopteryx species) | Ischnura elegans (Vander Linden, 1820) from Lat. elegans = elegant |
| 16 | Ischnura genei | Ischnura genei (Rambur, 1842) after Carlo Giuseppe Genè (1800-1847), Italian naturalist | |
| 17 | Ischnura graellsii | Ischnura graellsii (Rambur, 1842) after Mariano de la Paz Graells y de la Agüera (1809-1898), the Spanish entomologist who discovered the species | |
| 18 | Ischnura saharensis | Ischnura saharensis Aguesse, 1958 after the Sahara desert | |
| 19 | Ischnura fountaineae | Ischnura fountaineae Morton, 1905 after Margaret Elizabeth Fountaine (1862-1940), English entomologist | |
| 20 | Ischnura pumilio | Ischnura pumilio (Charpentier, 1825) from Lat. pumilio = dwarf ⮎ the smallest species then known to Charpentier | |
| 21 | Ischnura intermedia | Ischnura intermedia Dumont, 1974 from Lat. intermedius, -a, -um = intermediate ⮎ for the species' characters which are intermediate between I. pumilio and I. forcipata | |
| 22 | Ischnura hastata | Ischnura hastata (Say, 1839) from Lat. hastatus, -a, -um = equipped with a spear ⮎ for the spear-shaped spots and lines on the male's S3-S7 | |
| 23 | Ischnura senegalensis | Ischnura senegalensis (Rambur, 1842) after the West-African country of Senegal | |
| 24 | Enallagma cyathigerum | Enallagma: Charpentier, 1840 from Grk. ἐνάλλαγμα = (risk of) confusion ⮎ originally intended as a genus to subsume all (potentially confusing) Bluet species | Enallagma cyathigerum (Charpentier, 1840) from Grk. κύαθος = cup, beaker + Lat. -ger, -gera, -gerum = -bearing ⮎ for the cup-shaped mark on the male's S2 |
| 25 | Coenagrion pulchellum | Coenagrion: Kirby, 1890 from Grk. κοινός = common, widespread + ἄγριος = wild, living in the fields | Coenagrion pulchellum (Vander Linden, 1825) from Lat. pulcher, dimin. pulchellus, -a, -um = pretty |
| 26 | Coenagrion puella | Coenagrion puella (Linnaeus, 1758) from Lat. puella = girl, maiden | |
| 27 | Coenagrion intermedium | Coenagrion intermedium Lohmann, 1990 from Lat. intermedius, -a, -um = intermediate ⮎ for the species' characters which are intermediate between C. ponticum and C. syriacum | |
| 28 | Coenagrion mercuriale | Coenagrion mercuriale (Charpentier, 1840) after the Mercury symbol (☿) ⮎ for the shape of the black mark on the male's S2 | |
| 29 | Coenagrion ornatum | Coenagrion ornatum (Selys, 1850) from Lat. ornatus, -a, -um = ornate, adorned | |
| 30 | Coenagrion scitulum | Coenagrion scitulum (Rambur, 1842) from Lat. scitus, dimin. scitulus, -a, -um = elegant, neat | |
| 31 | Coenagrion caerulescens | Coenagrion caerulescens (Fonscolombe, 1838) from Lat. caerulescere, pres. part. caerulescens = becoming blue, somewhat blue ⮎ for the paler blue colour in this species compared to e.g. C. pulchellum | |
| 32 | Coenagrion hastulatum | Coenagrion hastulatum (Charpentier, 1825) from Lat. hastulatus, -a, -um = equipped with a little spear ⮎ for the spear-shaped mark on the male's S2 | |
| 33 | Coenagrion lunulatum | Coenagrion lunulatum (Charpentier, 1840) from Lat. lunulatus, -a, -um = equipped with a little moon ⮎ for the crescent-shaped mark on the male's S2 | |
| 34 | Coenagrion hylas | Coenagrion hylas (Trybom, 1889) after Ὕλας, Heracles' companion and servant who was abducted by water nymphs in Greek mythology | |
| 35 | Coenagrion johanssoni | Coenagrion johanssoni (Wallengren, 1894) after Carl Hans Johanson (1828-1908), Swedish naturalist | |
| 36 | Coenagrion armatum | Coenagrion armatum (Charpentier, 1840) from Lat. armatus, -a, -um = armed ⮎ presumably for the male's very large lower appendages | |
| 37 | Erythromma najas | Erythromma: Charpentier, 1840 from Grk. ἐρυθρός = red + ὄμμα = eye | Erythromma najas (Hansemann, 1823) after Ναιάς = Naiad, a freshwater nymph in Greek mythology |
| 38 | Erythromma viridulum | Erythromma viridulum (Charpentier, 1840) from Lat. viridulus, -a, -um = somewhat green ⮎ presumably for the greenish reflections on the black parts of the abdomen | |
| 39 | Erythromma lindenii | Erythromma lindenii (Selys, 1840) after Pierre Léonard Vander Linden (1797-1831), Belgian entomologist | |
| 40 | Pyrrhosoma nymphula | Pyrrhosoma: Charpentier, 1840 from Grk. πυρρός = fiery red + σῶμα = body | Pyrrhosoma nymphula (Sulzer, 1776) dimin. of Grk. νύμφη, Lat. nympha = little bride, newly-wed |
| 41 | Pyrrhosoma elisabethae | Pyrrhosoma elisabethae Schmidt, 1948 after Elisabeth Ris (1872-1959), sister of Friedrich Ris (1867-1931), Swiss entomologist | |
| 42 | Ceriagrion tenellum | Ceriagrion: Selys, 1876 probably a reference to the type species Agrion cerinorubellum Brauer, 1865 | Ceriagrion tenellum (de Villers, 1789) from Lat. tener, dimin. tenellus, -a, -um = delicate, tender |
| 43 | Ceriagrion georgifreyi | Ceriagrion georgifreyi Schmidt, 1953 after Georg Frey (1902-1976), German naturalist | |
| 44 | Nehalennia speciosa | Nehalennia: Selys, 1850 after Nehalennia, a fertility goddess of the Lower Rhine area in Roman times | Nehalennia speciosa (Charpentier, 1840) from Lat. speciosus, -a, -um = splendid, rich in appearance |
| 45 | Platycnemis pennipes | Platycnemis: Burmeister, 1839 from Grk. πλατύς = wide + κνημίς = greave, shin-pad | Platycnemis pennipes (Pallas, 1771) from Lat. penna = feather + pes = foot, leg ⮎ for the wide tibiae and bristly legs |
| 46 | Platycnemis acutipennis | Platycnemis acutipennis Selys, 1841 from Lat. acutus, -a, -um = pointed + penna = feather, wing ⮎ for the narrower and more pointed wings (compared to P. pennipes) | |
| 47 | Platycnemis latipes | Platycnemis latipes Rambur, 1842 from Lat. latus, -a, -um = broad + pes = foot, leg ⮎ for the noticeably broader shins, especially in the male (compared to P. pennipes) | |
| 48 | Aeshna mixta | Aeshna: Fabricius, 1775 of uncertain origin | Aeshna mixta Latreille, 1805 from Lat. mixtus, -a, -um = mixed ⮎ for the mixed colours of the spots on the male's abdomen |
| 49 | Aeshna affinis | Aeshna affinis Vander Linden, 1820 from Lat. affinis, -is, -e = similar, adjacent, akin ⮎ for its similarity to A. mixta | |
| 50 | Aeshna isoceles | Aeshna isoceles (Müller, 1767) from Grk. ἴσος, -η, -ον = same + σκέλος = leg ⮎ for the yellow mark on S2 in the shape of an isosceles triangle | |
| 51 | Aeshna grandis | Aeshna grandis (Linnaeus, 1758) from Lat. grandis, -is, -e = large, grand ⮎ the largest species described by Linnaeus | |
| 52 | Aeshna caerulea | Aeshna caerulea (Ström, 1783) from Lat. caeruleus, -a, -um = sky blue ⮎ for the blue spots on the male's abdomen | |
| 53 | Aeshna cyanea | Aeshna cyanea (Müller, 1764) from Lat. cyaneus, -a, -um = sea-blue ⮎ for the blue spots on the male's abdomen | |
| 54 | Aeshna viridis | Aeshna viridis Eversmann, 1836 from Lat. viridis, -is, -e = green ⮎ for the colour of the thorax | |
| 55 | Aeshna juncea | Aeshna juncea (Linnaeus, 1758) from Lat. junceus, -a, -um = having rushes [juncus = rush] ⮎ for the presence of rushes in the species' typical habitat | |
| 56 | Aeshna subarctica | Aeshna subarctica Walker, 1908 from Lat. sub- = below + arcticus, -a, -um = arctic ⮎ denotes the area below the arctic circle as the species' range | |
| 57 | Aeshna serrata | Aeshna serrata Hagen, 1856 from Lat. serratus, -a, -um = serrated ⮎ for the row of teeth on the male's upper appendages | |
| 58 | Aeshna crenata | Aeshna crenata Hagen, 1856 from Lat. crenatus, -a, -um = notched, serrated [crena = notch] ⮎ for the row of teeth (notches) on the male's upper appendages | |
| 59 | Anax imperator | Anax: Leach, 1815 from Grk. ἄναξ = master, ruler, king | Anax imperator Leach, 1815 from Lat. imperator = commander, emperor |
| 60 | Anax parthenope | Anax parthenope (Selys, 1839) from Grk. Παρθενόπη, an ancient Greek name for today's city of Naples, near which the first specimens were collected | |
| 61 | Anax ephippiger | Anax ephippiger (Burmeister, 1839) from Grk. ἐφίππιον = (pad) saddle + Lat. -ger, -gera, -gerum = -bearing ⮎ for the (light-blue) saddle on S2 | |
| 62 | Anax immaculifrons | Anax immaculifrons Rambur, 1842 from Lat. immaculatus, -a, -um = unstained + frons = forehead ⮎ for the frons unmarked by black bars | |
| 63 | Brachytron pratense | Brachytron: Evans, 1845 from Grk. βραχύνω = to abbreviate + ἦτρον = abdomen ⮎ in allusion to the abdomen being short and stout | Brachytron pratense (Müller, 1764) from Lat. pratensis, -is, -e = found in meadows [pratum = meadow] ⮎ for the supposed typical habitat of the species |
| 64 | Boyeria irene | Boyeria: McLachlan, 1896 after Étienne Boyer de Fonscolombe (1772-1853), French entomologist | Boyeria irene (Fonscolombe, 1838) probably after Εἰρήνη, the Greek goddess of peace |
| 65 | Boyeria cretensis | Boyeria cretensis Peters, 1991 from Lat. cretensis, -is, -e = Cretan [Crete = Crete] ⮎ the species is endemic to Crete | |
| 66 | Caliaeschna microstigma | Caliaeschna: Selys, 1883 from Grk. καλός = beautiful + Aeschna: of uncertain origin | Caliaeschna microstigma (Schneider, 1845) from Grk. μικρός, -ά, -όν = small + στίγμα = mark, spot ⮎ for the small pterostigma |
| 67 | Gomphus vulgatissimus | Gomphus: Leach, 1815 from Grk. γόμφος = bolt, rivet, peg | Gomphus vulgatissimus (Linnaeus, 1758) from Lat. vulgatus, superl. vulgatissimus, -a, -um = most widespread, most familiar |
| 68 | Gomphus schneiderii | Gomphus schneiderii Selys, 1850 after Wilhelm Gottlieb Schneider (1814-1889), German entomologist | |
| 69 | Gomphus graslinii | Gomphus graslinii Rambur, 1842 after Adolphe Hercule de Graslin (1802-1882), French lepidopterist | |
| 70 | Gomphus simillimus | Gomphus simillimus Selys, 1840 from Lat. similis, superl. simillimus, -a, -um = most similar ⮎ considered by Selys to be most similar to G. pulchellus | |
| 71 | Gomphus pulchellus | Gomphus pulchellus Selys, 1840 from Lat. pulcher, dimin. pulchellus, -a, -um = pretty | |
| 72 | Gomphus flavipes | Gomphus flavipes (Charpentier, 1825) from Lat. flavus, -a, -um = yellow + pes = foot, leg ⮎ for the extensively yellow legs | |
| 73 | Ophiogomphus cecilia | Ophiogomphus: Selys, 1854 from Grk. ὄφις = snake + connecting vowel -ο-+ γόμφος = bolt, rivet, peg | Ophiogomphus cecilia (Geoffroy in Fourcroy, 1785) after the French girl's name Cécile, a name apparently randomly chosen by Geoffroy |
| 74 | Onychogomphus uncatus | Onychogomphus: Selys, 1854 from Grk. ὄνυξ (stem: ὀνυχ) = nail, claw, hook + connecting vowel -ο-+ γόμφος = bolt, rivet, peg ⮎ for the shape of the male's lower appendage | Onychogomphus uncatus (Charpentier, 1840) from Lat. uncatus, -a, -um = armed with a hook or hooks [uncus = hook] ⮎ for the shape of the male's appendages |
| 75 | Onychogomphus forcipatus | Onychogomphus forcipatus (Linnaeus, 1758) from Lat. forcipatus, -a, -um = armed with pincers [forceps = pincers] ⮎ for the shape of the male's appendages | |
| 76 | Onychogomphus costae | Onychogomphus: Selys, 1854 from Grk. ὄνυξ (stem: ὀνυχ) = nail, claw, hook ⮎ for the shape of the male's lower appendage + connecting vowel -ο-+ γόμφος = bolt, rivet, peg | Onychogomphus costae Selys, 1885 after Achille Costa (1823-1898), Italian entomologist |
| 77 | Paragomphus genei | Paragomphus: Cowley, 1934 from Grk. παρά = beside, close to + γόμφος = bolt, rivet, peg ⮎ for the close similarity to Gomphus species | Paragomphus genei (Selys, 1841) after Carlo Giuseppe Genè (1800-1847), Italian naturalist |
| 78 | Lindenia tetraphylla | Lindenia: de Haan, 1826 after Pierre Léonard Vander Linden (1797-1831), Belgian entomologist | Lindenia tetraphylla (Vander Linden, 1825) Latinized feminine form from Grk. τετρα- = four + -φυλλος, -ος, -ον = -leafed [φύλλον = leaf] ⮎ for the four broad flaps on the side of S7 and S8 |
| 79 | Cordulegaster boltonii | Cordulegaster: Leach, 1815 from Grk. κορδύλη = cudgel, club + γαστήρ = belly ⮎ for the club-shaped abdomen | Cordulegaster boltonii (Donovan, 1807) after Thomas Bolton (1722-1778), the English naturalist who first discovered the species in Yorkshire |
| 80 | Cordulegaster trinacriae | Cordulegaster trinacriae Waterston, 1976 gen. of Grk. Τρινακρία, an ancient Greek name for Sicily ⮎ the island from which the first specimen was described | |
| 81 | Cordulegaster heros | Cordulegaster heros Theischinger, 1979 from Grk. ἥρως = hero ⮎ for the species' enormous size | |
| 82 | Cordulegaster picta | Cordulegaster picta Selys, 1854 from Lat. pictus, -a, -um = painted | |
| 83 | Cordulegaster bidentata | Cordulegaster bidentata Selys, 1843 from Lat. bi- = twice + dentatus, -a, -um = toothed [dens = tooth] ⮎ for the two teeth underneath each of the male's upper appendages | |
| 84 | Cordulegaster insignis | Cordulegaster insignis Schneider, 1845 from Lat. insignis, -is, -e = conspicuous, distinguished | |
| 85 | Cordulegaster helladica | Cordulegaster helladica (Lohmann, 1993) from Grk. Ἑλλαδικός, -ή, -όν = of Greece, Greek (the species is endemic to southern Greece) | |
| 86 | Cordulia aenea | Cordulia: Leach, 1815 from Grk. κορδύλειος = clubbed [κορδύλη = cudgel, club] ⮎ for the club-shaped abdomen, especially of the male | Cordulia aenea (Linnaeus, 1758) from Lat. aeneus, -a, -um = of copper, bronze, bronze-coloured ⮎ for the extensive bronze-coloured reflections |
| 87 | Somatochlora metallica | Somatochlora: Selys, 1871 from Grk. σῶμα (stem: σωματ-) = body + χλωρός = green | Somatochlora metallica (Vander Linden, 1825) from Grk. μεταλλικός, -ή, -όν = of metal, metallic ⮎ for the extensive metallic reflections |
| 88 | Somatochlora meridionalis | Somatochlora meridionalis Nielsen, 1935 from Lat. meridionalis, -is, -e = southern ⮎ in reference to the species' southern European range | |
| 89 | Somatochlora flavomaculata | Somatochlora flavomaculata (Vander Linden, 1825) from Lat. flavus, -a, -um = yellow + maculatus, -a, -um = spotted ⮎ for the extensive yellow spots laterally on the abdomen | |
| 90 | Somatochlora arctica | Somatochlora arctica (Zetterstedt, 1840) from Lat. arcticus, -a, -um = arctic ⮎ in reference to the species' northerly range | |
| 91 | Somatochlora alpestris | Somatochlora alpestris (Selys, 1840) from Lat. alpestris, -is, -e = of the Alps ⮎ where the specimens described by Selys were taken | |
| 92 | Somatochlora sahlbergi | Somatochlora sahlbergi Trybom, 1889 after Johan Reinhold Sahlberg (1845-1920), Finnish entomologist | |
| 93 | Somatochlora borisi | Somatochlora borisi Marinov, 2001 after Boris Marinov, son of Milen Marinov who described the species | |
| 94 | Epitheca bimaculata | Epitheca: Burmeister, 1839 from Grk. ἐπί = on, over + θήκη = sheath, scabbard ⮎ for the female's very large vulvar scale | Epitheca bimaculata (Charpentier, 1825) from Lat. bi- = twice + maculatus, -a, -um = spotted ⮎ for the two large dark spots at the hindwing bases |
| 95 | Oxygastra curtisii | Oxygastra: Selys, 1870 Latinized feminine form from Grk. ὀξύς = sharp, pointed + -γαστρος = -bellied ⮎ for the male's elongated, downward-pointed abdominal segment 10 | Oxygastra curtisii (Dale, 1834) after John Curtis (1791-1862), English entomologist |
| 96 | Macromia splendens | Macromia: Rambur, 1842 Latinized feminine form from Grk. μακρός = long, large + -ώμιος = -shouldered | Macromia splendens (Pictet, 1843) from Lat. splendere, pres. part. splendens = shining, glittering ⮎ for the green metallic sheen on the side of the thorax |
| 97 | Libellula quadrimaculata | Libellula: Linnaeus, 1758 dimin. of Lat. libella, the word which in Linnaeus' time was used for dragonflies in general | Libellula quadrimaculata Linnaeus, 1758 from Lat. quadri- = four times + maculatus, -a, -um = spotted ⮎ for the four spots at the wing nodes |
| 98 | Libellula depressa | Libellula depressa Linnaeus, 1758 from Lat. deprimere, past part. depressus, -a, -um = flattened ⮎ for the broad, flattened shape of the abdomen | |
| 99 | Libellula fulva | Libellula fulva Müller, 1764 from Lat. fulvus, -a, -um = tawny, reddish yellow ⮎ for the colouration of females and immature animals; mature, pruinescent males were initially believed to be a separate species | |
| 100 | Orthetrum cancellatum | Orthetrum: Newman, 1833 from Grk. ὀρθός = straight, parallel + ἦτρον = abdomen ⮎ Newman described Orthetrum species as having the 'abdomen laterally parallel' (as distinct from Sympetrum species, which have the 'abdomen laterally compressed') | Orthetrum cancellatum (Linnaeus, 1758) from Lat. cancellatus, -a, -um = latticed, grated [cancellus = grid, lattice, grate] ⮎ for the criss-cross pattern of black stripes on the yellow abdomen in females and immature males |
| 101 | Orthetrum albistylum | Orthetrum albistylum (Selys, 1848) from Lat. albus, -a, -um = white + stilus = pointed stick, pen, stylus (the latter word is used in entomology to refer to the upper appendages) ⮎ for the male's white upper appendages | |
| 102 | Orthetrum coerulescens | Orthetrum coerulescens (Fabricius, 1798) from Lat. caerulescere, pres. part. caerulescens = becoming blue, somewhat blue ⮎ probably in reference to the increase in blue pruinescence in maturing males | |
| 103 | Orthetrum brunneum | Orthetrum brunneum (Fonscolombe, 1837) from Lat. brunneus, -a, -um = brown ⮎ for the colouration of immature animals; mature, pruinescent males were initially believed to be a separate species. | |
| 104 | Orthetrum nitidinerve | Orthetrum nitidinerve (Selys, 1841) from Lat. nitidus, -a, -um = bright, shining + -nervis, -is, -e = veined [nervus = tendon, vein] ⮎ for the bright yellow radial between the wing base and the node | |
| 105 | Orthetrum chrysostigma | Orthetrum chrysostigma (Burmeister, 1839) from Grk. χρυσός = gold + στίγμα = mark, spot ⮎ for the golden pterostigma (rather than the yellow spot at the base of the hindwing) | |
| 106 | Orthetrum taeniolatum | Orthetrum taeniolatum (Schneider, 1845) from Lat. taeniolatus, -a, -um = adorned with a small ribbon [taeniola = small ribbon] ⮎ in reference to the 'embossed' ring around the frons, which Schneider considered characteristic of the species | |
| 107 | Orthetrum trinacria | Orthetrum trinacria (Selys, 1841) from Grk. Τρινακρία, an ancient Greek name for Sicily ⮎ the island from which the first specimen was described | |
| 108 | Orthetrum sabina | Orthetrum sabina (Drury, 1773) from Lat. Sabina = a Sabine woman (the Sabines were a people neighbouring the newly-founded city of Rome in Roman legend) | |
| 109 | Leucorrhinia dubia | Leucorrhinia: Brittinger, 1850 feminine form of an artificial adjective derived from Grk. λευκός = white + ῥίς; ῥινός = nose | Leucorrhinia dubia (Vander Linden, 1825) from Lat. dubius, -a, -um = doubtful, uncertain ⮎ in reference to Vander Linden's doubt whether or not this species was the same as Linnaeus' L. rubicunda |
| 110 | Leucorrhinia rubicunda | Leucorrhinia rubicunda (Linnaeus, 1758) from Lat. rubicundus, -a, -um = suffused with red, ruddy ⮎ for the red spots dorsally on the male's abdomen | |
| 111 | Leucorrhinia pectoralis | Leucorrhinia pectoralis (Charpentier, 1825) from Lat. pectoralis, -is, -e = concerning the breast [pectus = breast] ⮎ Charpentier believed the coloured spots on the thorax to be diagnostic (considering Linnaeus had described L. rubicunda as having a black thorax) | |
| 112 | Leucorrhinia albifrons | Leucorrhinia albifrons (Burmeister, 1839) from Lat. albus, -a, -um = white + frons = forehead | |
| 113 | Leucorrhinia caudalis | Leucorrhinia caudalis (Charpentier, 1840) from Lat. caudalis, -is, -e = concerning the tail [cauda = tail] ⮎ for the male's flattened and club-shaped abdomen | |
| 114 | Sympetrum danae | Sympetrum: Newman, 1833 from Grk. συμπιέζω = to squeeze together + ἦτρον = abdomen ⮎ Newman described Sympetrum species as having the 'abdomen laterally compressed' (as distinct from Orthetrum species, which have the 'abdomen laterally parallel') | Sympetrum danae (Sulzer, 1776) after Δανάη, daughter of Akrisios and mother of Perseus in Greek mythology |
| 115 | Sympetrum pedemontanum | Sympetrum pedemontanum (Müller in Allioni, 1766) after the Italian region of Piemonte (from Lat. ad pedes montium, adj. pedemontanus), where the species was first discovered | |
| 116 | Sympetrum sanguineum | Sympetrum sanguineum (Müller, 1764) from Lat. sanguineus, -a, -um = blood-red [sanguis = blood] ⮎ for the blood-red colour of the male's abdomen | |
| 117 | Sympetrum depressiusculum | Sympetrum depressiusculum (Selys, 1841) from Lat. depressus, -a, -um = low, flattened (comparative: depressior, -or, -ius) + connecting consonant -c- + dimin. suffix -ulus, -a, -um = somewhat, a little ⮎ for the somewhat more flattened shape of the male's abdomen | |
| 118 | Sympetrum flaveolum | Sympetrum flaveolum (Linnaeus, 1758) from Lat. flaveolus, -a, -um = somewhat golden yellow [flavus = golden yellow] ⮎ for the large yellow wing patches | |
| 119 | Sympetrum fonscolombii | Sympetrum fonscolombii (Selys, 1840) after Étienne Boyer de Fonscolombe (1772-1853), French entomologist | |
| 120 | Sympetrum striolatum | Sympetrum striolatum (Charpentier, 1840) from Lat. striolatus, -a, -um = with little furrows [stria = furrow] ⮎ presumably for the furrowed underside of the abdomen | |
| 121 | Sympetrum vulgatum | Sympetrum vulgatum (Linnaeus, 1758) from Lat. vulgatus, -a, -um = common, widespread, familiar | |
| 122 | Sympetrum meridionale | Sympetrum meridionale (Selys, 1841) from Lat. meridionalis, -is, -e = southern ⮎ in reference to the species' southern European range | |
| 123 | Sympetrum sinaiticum | Sympetrum sinaiticum Dumont, 1977 after Mount Sinai / the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, from where two females used in Dumont's description were taken | |
| 124 | Crocothemis erythraea | Crocothemis: Brauer, 1868 from Grk. κρόκος = saffron-coloured + Θέμις or θέμις = (Greek Titaness of) divine order, law as established by custom | Crocothemis erythraea (Brullé, 1832) from Grk. ἐρυθραῖος, -α, -ον = red ⮎ for the mature male's body colour |
| 125 | Trithemis annulata | Trithemis: Brauer, 1868 from Grk. τρίς, τρί- = three times, tri- ⮎ for the tri-lobed hind margin of the prothorax + Θέμις or θέμις = (Greek Titaness of) divine order, law as established by custom | Trithemis annulata (Palisot de Beauvois, 1807) from Lat. annulatus, -a, -um = adorned with rings [annulus; = ring, ringlet] ⮎ refers to the black front and hind margins of the abdominal segments (Palisot probably had not yet seen other species of the same genus - e.g. Trithemis arteriosa - in which these black margins are actually more obvious) |
| 126 | Trithemis arteriosa | Trithemis arteriosa (Burmeister, 1839) from Lat. arteriosus, -a, -um = richly veined [arteria = artery, vein] ⮎ for the extensively red wing venation | |
| 127 | Trithemis kirbyi | Trithemis kirbyi (Selys, 1891) after William Forsell Kirby (1844-1912), English entomologist | |
| 128 | Trithemis festiva | Trithemis festiva (Rambur, 1842) from Lat. festivus, -a, -um = festive, pretty [festum = feast] | |
| 129 | Brachythemis impartita | Brachythemis: Brauer, 1868 from Grk. βραχύς = short ⮎ for the short abdomen + Θέμις or θέμις = (Greek Titaness of) divine order, law as established by custom | Brachythemis impartita (Burmeister, 1839) from Lat. im- = un- + partitus, -a, -um = divided ⮎ "referring originally to the condition of the Fw triangles and subtriangles" |
| 130 | Diplacodes lefebvrii | Diplacodes: Kirby, 1889 from Grk. δίπλαξ = double, two-sided + -ώδης = resembling, -like ⮎ resembling (the previously named genus) Diplax | Diplacodes lefebvrii (Rambur, 1842) after Alexandre Louis Lefèbvre de Cérisy (1798-1867), French entomologist |
| 131 | Selysiothemis nigra | Selysiothemis: Ris, 1897 after Michel Edmond de Sélys Longchamps (1813-1900), Belgian entomologist + Grk. Θέμις or θέμις = (Greek Titaness of) divine order, law as established by custom | Selysiothemis nigra (Vander Linden, 1825) from Lat. niger, -gra, -grum = black ⮎ Vander Linden's description is based solely on mature (black) males |
| 132 | Pantala flavescens | Pantala: Hagen, 1861 from Grk. πᾶς, παντός = all, every + ἄλη = wandering or roaming without home or hope of rest ⮎ in reference to the species' wandering behaviour | Pantala flavescens (Fabricius, 1798) from Lat. flavescere, pres. part. flavescens = becoming yellow, being yellowish ⮎ Fabricius' description is probably based on immature animals; it contains no reference to the darker, orange-red colouration of the abdomen in mature males |
| 133 | Zygonyx torridus | Zygonyx: Selys in Hagen, 1867 from Grk. ζύγον = yoke, homogeneous pair + ὄνυξ = nail, claw, hook ⮎ in reference to the shape of the tarsi | Zygonyx torridus (Kirby, 1889) from Lat. (zona) torrida = torrid, tropical (region) ⮎ the species was first described from Sierra Leone, in the West-African tropics |