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Tropical Skimmers

Tropical Skimmers

genus: Orthemis

Tropical Skimmers

This genus includes one medium size species in North America.  The mature male comes in two forms, a Pink Form and a Red Form.  The Pink Form has a pale blue pruinoise thorax and a pink or violet pruinoise abdomen and metallic violet forehead. The Red Form is all red and has no pruinosity whatsoever and has a metallic red head.  In all our species, the abdomen is long and tapered to the end.  Wings are clear.

Females  and juvenile males have a orange-brown thorax with pale lateral off- white stripes in an irregular pattern.

These skimmers inhabit lakes, ponds, slow streams, canals brackish and muddy waters.

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