Family LIBELLULIDAE 
The Skimmers 
These are the commonest and best known of dragonflies. On shining, 
tremulous wings they hover over every pond and pool. They range in 
size from the little blue bell ( Nannothemis bella), less than an inch long, 
up to the big belted skimmers of the genus Macromia. 
These are mostly showy dragonflies. The body is stout and the abdo- 
men is generally less elongated than in the preceeding groups. The 
head is bulged laterally by the huge compound eyes which overspread 
its upper surface meeting in the median line above, in a short seam. 
The triangles are elongated in different directions; that of the fore 
wing cross-wise and that of the hind wing length-wise of the wing. 
They are situated much nearer the arculus in the hind than in the 
fore wing. The antenodal cross veins mostly matched in position 
across the subcostal vein. Some of the more proximal postnodals do 
not extend to the median vein. There is no brace vein to the stigma. 
The anal loop is generally well developed. The female generally lacks 
an ovipositor. 
The coloration of members of this family is often strikingly beautiful. 
Often there are wing patterns in brown, red and gold, and sometimes 
these are different in the two sexes. Often there is a development of 
pruinosity (like a hoary bluish white powder) with age, completely 
changing the appearance of the body by obscuring the original color 
pattern. 
KEY TO THE SUBFAMILIES 
Adults 
1 Anal loop compact, little longer than wide, the bordering basal 
portion of vein Cup straight, included cells not in two rows and 
not separated by a distinct bisector or mid rib; triangle of hind 
wing remote from the arculus; arculus with long stalked sectors; 
more than 2 cubito-anal cross veins present................ 
Dr eek: Sota grr ane NY Macromiinae, p. 163 
Anal loop elongate, becoming foot-shaped, divided length-wise 
into 2 rows of cells by a bisector or mid rib; the bordering basal 
portion of vein Cup sinuous; triangle of hind wing close to the 
arculus; one or two cubito-anal cross veins present.......... 2. 
161 
