Orthetrum trinacria
• English name: Long Skimmer
• German name: Langer Blaupfeil
• French name: Orthétrum de Sicile
• Dutch name: Lange oeverlibel
• Swedish name: N/A
• Norwegian name: N/A
• Finnish name: N/A
• Danish name: N/A
• Italian name: Frecciazzurra meridionale
• Czech name: N/A
• Slovenian name: N/A
• Bulgarian name: N/A
Orthetrum trinacria
Not present
Present before 1990
Present after 1990
Present before and after 1990
Present after 2015

Map data based on J.-P. Boudot & V. J. Kalkman (eds.),
Atlas of the European Dragonflies and Damselflies
General | ➤ a large, elongated species which in Europe occurs only in Iberia and on Sardinia and Sicily | |
Classification | • suborder: Anisoptera (dragonflies); family: Libellulidae | |
Conservation status | • IUCN Red List Europe: Least Concern | |
Scientific name | • Orthetrum trinacria (Selys, 1841) | |
Distribution | • click or tap the Map button above | |
Habitat | • large reed-bordered lakes | |
Dimensions | • typical body length: 51-67 mm; hindwing: 34-38 mm | |
Notes | • libellulids are 'sitters': males spend a lot of time perched at the water's edge, waiting for females | |
• an aggressive species which often preys on smaller dragonflies and damselflies | ||
Both sexes | Head | • in mature animals the eyes are blue-green; in immature animals they are beige-brown |
Abdomen | • the abdomen is long and slender | |
➤ S1-S3 are noticeably bulbous in shape | ||
• the appendages are long and black(-tipped) | ||
Male | Thorax | • in mature males the thorax is dark blue |
• in immature males the thorax (incl. the antehumeral stripe) is pale yellow, with black lines on the side | ||
Abdomen | • in mature males the abdomen is black with a thin layer of white pruinescence, especially on S2-S3 and S8-S10 | |
• in immature males the abdomen is white with extensive black markings | ||
Female | Thorax | • the thorax (incl. the antehumeral stripe) is yellow, with black lines on the side |
Abdomen | • the abdomen is white with extensive black markings | |
Photographs | • nearly all of our photos below were made in Spain and on Sardinia |
LineDrawing: the male's abdomen and the female's abdomen in dorsal view.