Anax (dragonfly)

Anax
Anax parthenope
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Infraorder: Anisoptera
Family: Aeshnidae
Genus: Anax
Leach, 1815[1]
Type species
Anax imperator
Leach, 1815
Madagascar emperor
male A. tumorifer

Anax (from Ancient Greek ἄναξ anax, "lord, master, king")[2] is a genus of dragonflies in the family Aeshnidae. It includes species such as the emperor dragonfly, Anax imperator.[3]

Anax spp. are very large dragonflies. They generally have light-colored bodies and dark tails with pale markings.[4]

Some species are migratory, for example Anax junius.

  1. ^ Leach, W.E. (1815). "Entomology". In Brewster, David (ed.). Edinburgh Encyclopaedia. Vol. 9. Edinburgh: William Blackwood. pp. 57–172 [137] (in 1830 edition) – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  2. ^ ἄναξ. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project.
  3. ^ "Genus Anax Leach, 1815". Australian Faunal Directory. Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. 9 October 2008. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  4. ^ Watson, J.A.L.; Theischinger, G.; Abbey, H.M. (1991). The Australian Dragonflies: A Guide to the Identification, Distributions and Habitats of Australian Odonata. Melbourne: CSIRO. ISBN 0643051368.