---
title: "Southern Skimmer"
description: "Orthetrum brunneum — Insects & spiders. Orthetrum brunneum, the southern skimmer, is a species of 'skimmers' belonging to the family Libellulidae."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/southern-skimmer
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Southern Skimmer

> Orthetrum brunneum — Insects & spiders. Orthetrum brunneum, the southern skimmer, is a species of 'skimmers' belonging to the family Libellulidae.

- Scientific name: *Orthetrum brunneum*
- Category: `insects` (Insects & spiders)
- Habitats: `freshwater` (Lakes & rivers)
- iNaturalist observations: 10079
- Wikidata: [Q285808](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q285808)
- iNaturalist taxon: [107949](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/107949)

## Names

- en: Southern Skimmer
- de: Südlicher Blaupfeil
- es: Centinela azulada
- fr: Orthétrum brun
- nl: Zuidelijke oeverlibel
- pl: Lecicha południowa

## Countries with the most observations

IT (2744), FR (1574), ES (896), DE (578), GR (492), RU (491), AT (335), TR (239), BG (180), CH (163), UA (153), HR (144)

## Summary

Orthetrum brunneum, the southern skimmer, is a species of 'skimmers' belonging to the family Libellulidae.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthetrum_brunneum

## Photo

![Southern Skimmer](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/southern-skimmer/medium.jpg)

Photo: Aniol ClaràBossoms · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/89116751

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/southern-skimmer?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).