Checklist, English common names
Below is a checklist of all the European dragonfly and damselfly species, with their English common names, if available. It's largely based on Dijkstra, Schröter and Lewington's excellent Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Britain and Europe, 2nd edition (2020). For a list of the species which we have excluded from our European checklist, please click here.
We now have photographs available of all of the 134 species listed below.
If you would like to see the checklist with the common names in a different language, click on the corresponding flag below. And you can also see the checklist with only the scientific names.
| # | Suborder | Family | Genus | Species | English common name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zygoptera | Lestidae | Lestes | Lestes sponsa (Hansemann, 1823)   | Common Spreadwing |
| 2 | Lestes dryas Kirby, 1890  | Robust Spreadwing | |||
| 3 | Lestes macrostigma (Eversmann, 1836)  | Dark Spreadwing | |||
| 4 | Lestes barbarus (Fabricius, 1798)  | Migrant Spreadwing | |||
| 5 | Lestes virens (Charpentier, 1825)  | Small Spreadwing | |||
| 6 | Chalcolestes | Chalcolestes viridis (Vander Linden, 1825)  | Western Willow Spreadwing | ||
| 7 | Chalcolestes parvidens (Artobolevsky, 1929)  | Eastern Willow Spreadwing | |||
| 8 | Sympecma | Sympecma fusca (Vander Linden, 1820)  | Common Winter Damsel | ||
| 9 | Sympecma paedisca (Brauer, 1877)  | Siberian Winter Damsel | |||
| 10 | Calopterygidae | Calopteryx | Calopteryx splendens (Harris, 1780)  | Banded Demoiselle | |
| 11 | Calopteryx xanthostoma (Charpentier, 1825)  | Western Demoiselle | |||
| 12 | Calopteryx virgo (Linnaeus, 1758)  | Beautiful Demoiselle | |||
| 13 | Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis (Vander Linden, 1825)  | Copper Demoiselle | |||
| 14 | Euphaeidae | Epallage | Epallage fatime (Charpentier, 1840)  | Odalisque | |
| 15 | Platycnemididae | Platycnemis | Platycnemis pennipes (Pallas, 1771)  | Blue Featherleg | |
| 16 | Platycnemis acutipennis Selys, 1841  | Orange Featherleg | |||
| 17 | Platycnemis latipes Rambur, 1842  | White Featherleg | |||
| 18 | Coenagrionidae | Ischnura | Ischnura elegans (Vander Linden, 1820)  | Common Bluetail | |
| 19 | Ischnura genei (Rambur, 1842)  | Island Bluetail | |||
| 20 | Ischnura graellsii (Rambur, 1842)  | Iberian Bluetail | |||
| 21 | Ischnura saharensis Aguesse, 1958  | Sahara Bluetail | |||
| 22 | Ischnura fountaineae Morton, 1905  | Oasis Bluetail | |||
| 23 | Ischnura senegalensis (Rambur, 1842)  | Marsh Bluetail | |||
| 24 | Ischnura pumilio (Charpentier, 1825)  | Small Bluetail | |||
| 25 | Ischnura intermedia Dumont, 1974  | Persian Bluetail | |||
| 26 | Ischnura hastata (Say, 1839)  | Citrine Forktail | |||
| 27 | Enallagma | Enallagma cyathigerum (Charpentier, 1840)  | Common Bluet | ||
| 28 | Coenagrion | Coenagrion pulchellum (Vander Linden, 1825)  | Variable Bluet | ||
| 29 | Coenagrion puella (Linnaeus, 1758)  | Azure Bluet | |||
| 30 | Coenagrion intermedium Lohmann, 1990  | Cretan Bluet | |||
| 31 | Coenagrion mercuriale (Charpentier, 1840)  | Mercury Bluet | |||
| 32 | Coenagrion ornatum (Selys, 1850)  | Ornate Bluet | |||
| 33 | Coenagrion scitulum (Rambur, 1842)  | Dainty Bluet | |||
| 34 | Coenagrion caerulescens (Fonscolombe, 1838)  | Mediterranean Bluet | |||
| 35 | Coenagrion hastulatum (Charpentier, 1825)  | Spearhead Bluet | |||
| 36 | Coenagrion lunulatum (Charpentier, 1840)  | Crescent Bluet | |||
| 37 | Coenagrion hylas (Trybom, 1889)  | Siberian Bluet | |||
| 38 | Coenagrion johanssoni (Wallengren, 1894)  | Arctic Bluet | |||
| 39 | Coenagrion armatum (Charpentier, 1840)  | Dark Bluet | |||
| 40 | Erythromma | Erythromma najas (Hansemann, 1823)  | Large Redeye | ||
| 41 | Erythromma viridulum (Charpentier, 1840)  | Small Redeye | |||
| 42 | Erythromma lindenii (Selys, 1840)  | Blue-Eye | |||
| 43 | Pyrrhosoma | Pyrrhosoma nymphula (Sulzer, 1776)  | Large Red Damsel | ||
| 44 | Pyrrhosoma elisabethae Schmidt, 1948  | Greek Red Damsel | |||
| 45 | Ceriagrion | Ceriagrion tenellum (de Villers, 1789)  | Small Red Damsel | ||
| 46 | Ceriagrion georgifreyi Schmidt, 1953  | Turkish Red Damsel | |||
| 47 | Nehalennia | Nehalennia speciosa (Charpentier, 1840)  | Sedgling | ||
| 48 | Anisoptera | Aeshnidae | Aeshna | Aeshna mixta Latreille, 1805  | Migrant Hawker |
| 49 | Aeshna affinis Vander Linden, 1820  | Blue-Eyed Hawker | |||
| 50 | Aeshna isoceles (Müller, 1767)  | Green-Eyed Hawker | |||
| 51 | Aeshna grandis (Linnaeus, 1758)  | Brown Hawker | |||
| 52 | Aeshna caerulea (Ström, 1783)  | Azure Hawker | |||
| 53 | Aeshna cyanea (Müller, 1764)  | Blue Hawker | |||
| 54 | Aeshna viridis Eversmann, 1836  | Green Hawker | |||
| 55 | Aeshna juncea (Linnaeus, 1758)  | Moorland Hawker | |||
| 56 | Aeshna subarctica Walker, 1908  | Bog Hawker | |||
| 57 | Aeshna serrata Hagen, 1856  | Baltic Hawker | |||
| 58 | Aeshna crenata Hagen, 1856  | Siberian Hawker | |||
| 59 | Anax | Anax imperator Leach, 1815  | Blue Emperor | ||
| 60 | Anax parthenope (Selys, 1839)  | Lesser Emperor | |||
| 61 | Anax ephippiger (Burmeister, 1839)  | Vagrant Emperor | |||
| 62 | Anax immaculifrons Rambur, 1842  | Magnificent Emperor | |||
| 63 | Brachytron | Brachytron pratense (Müller, 1764)  | Hairy Hawker | ||
| 64 | Boyeria | Boyeria irene (Fonscolombe, 1838)  | Western Spectre | ||
| 65 | Boyeria cretensis Peters, 1991  | Cretan Spectre | |||
| 66 | Caliaeschna | Caliaeschna microstigma (Schneider, 1845)  | Eastern Spectre | ||
| 67 | Gomphidae | Gomphus | Gomphus vulgatissimus (Linnaeus, 1758)  | Common Clubtail | |
| 68 | Gomphus schneiderii Selys, 1850  | Turkish Clubtail | |||
| 69 | Gomphus graslinii Rambur, 1842  | Pronged Clubtail | |||
| 70 | Gomphus simillimus Selys, 1840  | Yellow Clubtail | |||
| 71 | Gomphus pulchellus Selys, 1840  | Western Clubtail | |||
| 72 | Stylurus | Stylurus flavipes (Charpentier, 1825)  | River Clubtail | ||
| 73 | Ophiogomphus | Ophiogomphus cecilia (Fourcroy, 1785)  | Green Snaketail | ||
| 74 | Onychogomphus | Onychogomphus uncatus (Charpentier, 1840)  | Large Pincertail | ||
| 75 | Onychogomphus forcipatus (Linnaeus, 1758)  | Small Pincertail | |||
| 76 | Onychogomphus cazuma Barona, Cardo & Díaz, 2020  | Cazuma Pincertail | |||
| 77 | Onychogomphus costae Selys, 1885  | Faded Pincertail | |||
| 78 | Paragomphus | Paragomphus genei (Selys, 1841)  | Green Hooktail | ||
| 79 | Lindenia | Lindenia tetraphylla (Vander Linden, 1825)  | Bladetail | ||
| 80 | Cordulegastridae | Cordulegaster | Cordulegaster boltonii (Donovan, 1807)  | Common Goldenring | |
| 81 | Cordulegaster trinacriae Waterston, 1976  | Italian Goldenring | |||
| 82 | Cordulegaster heros Theischinger, 1979  | Balkan Goldenring | |||
| 83 | Cordulegaster picta Selys, 1854  | Turkish Goldenring | |||
| 84 | Cordulegaster bidentata Selys, 1843  | Sombre Goldenring | |||
| 85 | Cordulegaster insignis Schneider, 1845  | Blue-Eyed Goldenring | |||
| 86 | Cordulegaster helladica (Lohmann, 1993)  | Greek Goldenring | |||
| 87 | Incertae sedis | Oxygastra | Oxygastra curtisii (Dale, 1834)  | Orange-Spotted Emerald | |
| 88 | Macromiidae | Macromia | Macromia splendens (Pictet, 1843)  | Splendid Cruiser | |
| 89 | Corduliidae | Cordulia | Cordulia aenea (Linnaeus, 1758)  | Downy Emerald | |
| 90 | Somatochlora | Somatochlora metallica (Vander Linden, 1825)  | Brilliant Emerald | ||
| 91 | Somatochlora meridionalis Nielsen, 1935  | Balkan Emerald | |||
| 92 | Somatochlora flavomaculata (Vander Linden, 1825)  | Yellow-Spotted Emerald | |||
| 93 | Somatochlora arctica (Zetterstedt, 1840)  | Northern Emerald | |||
| 94 | Somatochlora alpestris (Selys, 1840)  | Alpine Emerald | |||
| 95 | Somatochlora sahlbergi Trybom, 1889  | Treeline Emerald | |||
| 96 | Somatochlora borisi Marinov, 2001  | Bulgarian Emerald | |||
| 97 | Epitheca | Epitheca bimaculata (Charpentier, 1825)  | Eurasian Baskettail | ||
| 98 | Libellulidae | Libellula | Libellula quadrimaculata Linnaeus, 1758  | Four-Spotted Chaser | |
| 99 | Libellula depressa Linnaeus, 1758  | Broad-Bodied Chaser | |||
| 100 | Libellula fulva Müller, 1764  | Blue Chaser | |||
| 101 | Orthetrum | Orthetrum cancellatum (Linnaeus, 1758)  | Black-Tailed Skimmer | ||
| 102 | Orthetrum albistylum (Selys, 1848)  | White-Tailed Skimmer | |||
| 103 | Orthetrum coerulescens (Fabricius, 1798)  | Keeled Skimmer | |||
| 104 | Orthetrum brunneum (Fonscolombe, 1837)  | Southern Skimmer | |||
| 105 | Orthetrum nitidinerve (Selys, 1841)  | Yellow-Veined Skimmer | |||
| 106 | Orthetrum chrysostigma (Burmeister, 1839)  | Epaulet Skimmer | |||
| 107 | Orthetrum taeniolatum (Schneider, 1845)  | Small Skimmer | |||
| 108 | Orthetrum trinacria (Selys, 1841)  | Long Skimmer | |||
| 109 | Orthetrum sabina (Drury, 1773)  | Slender Skimmer | |||
| 110 | Leucorrhinia | Leucorrhinia dubia (Vander Linden, 1825)  | Small Whiteface | ||
| 111 | Leucorrhinia rubicunda (Linnaeus, 1758)  | Ruby Whiteface | |||
| 112 | Leucorrhinia pectoralis (Charpentier, 1825)  | Yellow-Spotted Whiteface | |||
| 113 | Leucorrhinia albifrons (Burmeister, 1839)  | Dark Whiteface | |||
| 114 | Leucorrhinia caudalis (Charpentier, 1840)  | Lilypad Whiteface | |||
| 115 | Sympetrum | Sympetrum danae (Sulzer, 1776)  | Black Darter | ||
| 116 | Sympetrum pedemontanum (Müller in Allioni, 1766)  | Banded Darter | |||
| 117 | Sympetrum sanguineum (Müller, 1764)  | Ruddy Darter | |||
| 118 | Sympetrum depressiusculum (Selys, 1841)  | Spotted Darter | |||
| 119 | Sympetrum flaveolum (Linnaeus, 1758)  | Yellow-Winged Darter | |||
| 120 | Sympetrum fonscolombii (Selys, 1840)  | Red-Veined Darter | |||
| 121 | Sympetrum striolatum (Charpentier, 1840)  | Common Darter | |||
| 122 | Sympetrum vulgatum (Linnaeus, 1758)  | Moustached Darter | |||
| 123 | Sympetrum meridionale (Selys, 1841)  | Southern Darter | |||
| 124 | Sympetrum sinaiticum Dumont, 1977  | Desert Darter | |||
| 125 | Crocothemis | Crocothemis erythraea (Brullé, 1832)  | Broad Scarlet | ||
| 126 | Trithemis | Trithemis annulata (Palisot de Beauvois, 1807)  | Violet Dropwing | ||
| 127 | Trithemis arteriosa (Burmeister, 1839)  | Red-Veined Dropwing | |||
| 128 | Trithemis kirbyi Selys, 1891  | Orange-Winged Dropwing | |||
| 129 | Trithemis festiva (Rambur, 1842)  | Indigo Dropwing | |||
| 130 | Brachythemis | Brachythemis impartita (Karsch, 1890)  | Northern Banded Groundling | ||
| 131 | Diplacodes | Diplacodes lefebvrii (Rambur, 1842)  | Black Percher | ||
| 132 | Selysiothemis | Selysiothemis nigra (Vander Linden, 1825)  | Black Pennant | ||
| 133 | Pantala | Pantala flavescens (Fabricius, 1798)  | Wandering Glider | ||
| 134 | Zygonyx | Zygonyx torridus (Kirby, 1889)  | Ringed Cascader |