Orthetrum japonicum is a small skimmer dragonfly found only in Japan, so it does not occur in the United States. Until 2012 it was thought to range widely across Asia, but a genetic and anatomical study split the mainland Asian populations off as a separate species, Orthetrum internum. In Japan it is called shioya-tombo and appears early in spring, from mid-April.
Appearance
- Appearance
- Females and young males are yellow with black bands; males turn powdery bluish white as they mature.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- rice paddies
- marshes
- shallow ponds
- Range
- to Japan, from Hokkaido through Honshu to Kyushu and the Ōsumi Islands. Not found in North America.
Name and classification
- About the name
- First described in 1858 from a single male collected at Hakodate, Japan. The form internum, described from China, was ranked as a subspecies for about a century before being restored to species rank in 2012.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
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