Anax (from Ancient Greek , "lord, master, king") is a genus of dragonflies in the family Aeshnidae. It includes species such as the emperor dragonfly, Anax imperator.
Species of Anax are very large dragonflies. They generally have light-colored bodies and dark tails with pale markings.
Some species are migratory, for example Anax junius.
Species The genus Anax includes these species: Anax amazili – Amazon darner Anax aurantiacus Anax bangweuluensis – swamp emperor Anax chloromelas – dark emperor Anax concolor – blue-spotted comet darner Anax congoliath Anax ephippiger – vagrant emperor Anax fumosus Anax georgius – Kimberley emperor Anax gladiator – swordbearer emperor Anax gibbosulus – green emperor Anax guttatus – lesser green emperor Anax immaculifrons – magnificent emperor Anax imperator – emperor dragonfly, blue emperor Anax indicus – elephant emperor Anax junius – common green darner Anax longipes – comet darner Anax maclachlani Anax mandrakae Anax nigrofasciatus – blue-spotted emperor Anax panybeus Anax papuensis Burmeister, 1839 – Australian emperor Anax parthenope – lesser emperor Anax piraticus Anax pugnax Anax rutherfordi Anax selysi Anax speratus – orange emperor Anax strenuus – giant Hawaiian darner, pinao Anax tristis – black emperor, magnificent emperor Anax tumorifer Anax walsinghami – giant darner A single fossil species, †Anax cryptus Gentilini & Peters, 1993 is known from the Late Miocene of Italy.
Taxonomic history The genus Anax was described by William Elford Leach in 1815 when he published in Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopedia.
References Anax indicus, Dragonflies and Damselflies of Thailand