# Black-tailed skimmer (*Orthetrum cancellatum*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/black-tailed-skimmer  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The black-tailed skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) is an insect in the dragonflies and damselflies group, belonging to the family Libellulidae. It is placed in the order Odonata, suborder Anisoptera and superfamily Libelluloidea, within the genus Orthetrum. The species is listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List in a global assessment, which is not an IUCN threatened category. It is also called the Black-lined skimmer or Black tailed skimmer, and its scientific name authority is (Linnaeus, 1758).

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | 4.4 cm – 5 cm |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Diet | Invertivore |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | freshwater, riverine |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Active | By day (diurnal) |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Arthropoda
- class: Insecta
- order: Odonata
- family: Libellulidae
- genus: Orthetrum
- species: *Orthetrum cancellatum* (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms: *Hydronympha helvetica*, *Libellula cancellatum*, *Libellula depressa*, *Libellula frumenti*, *Libellula intermedia*, *Libellula lineolata*, *Orthetrum cancellatum subsp. orientale*, *Orthetrum guptai*, *Orthetrum helveticum*, *Orthetrum kraepelini*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the black-tailed skimmer?

The black-tailed skimmer is an insect in the dragonflies and damselflies group. It belongs to the order Odonata and the suborder Anisoptera.

### What is the scientific name of the black-tailed skimmer?

Its scientific name is Orthetrum cancellatum, in the genus Orthetrum.

### What family does the black-tailed skimmer belong to?

It belongs to the family Libellulidae, within the superfamily Libelluloidea.

### Is the black-tailed skimmer endangered?

No. It is listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List in a global assessment, which is not an IUCN threatened category.

### What other names does the black-tailed skimmer have?

It is also called the Black-lined skimmer and the Black tailed skimmer.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [TraitCH: a multi-taxa functional trait dataset for Switzerland and Europe](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15063844), CC BY 4.0, 2.0. Chauvier, Y., Adde, A., Bergamini, A. et al. (2025) TraitCH: a multi-taxa functional trait dataset for Switzerland and Europe. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15063844
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Black-tailed skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/black-tailed-skimmer