Crocothemis erythraea | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Odonata |
Family: | Libellulidae |
Genus: | Crocothemis |
Species: | C. erythraea |
Binomial name | |
Crocothemis erythraea (Brullé, 1832) |
Crocothemis erythraea is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. Its common names include broad scarlet, common scarlet-darter, scarlet darter and scarlet dragonfly.
The adult male scarlet dragonfly has a bright scarlet red, widened abdomen, with small amber patches at the bases of the hindwings. Females and immatures are yellow-brown and have a conspicuous pale stripe along the top of the thorax.
The scarlet dragonfly is a common species in southern Europe and throughout Africa. It also occurs across western Asia as far as southern China. It is a very rare vagrant in Britain. Its first record in the country was at Hayle Kimbro Pool, The Lizard, Cornwall, on 7 August 1995. Since then there have been a few further records at scattered locations throughout Britain.
A wide range of both running and standing waters, except those that are shaded. Adults may be found some distance from water in habitats ranging from desert to open woodland; absent from dense forest.