---
title: "Blue Skimmer"
description: "Orthetrum caledonicum — Insectos y arañas. Orthetrum caledonicum, the blue skimmer, is a common Australian dragonfly in the family Libellulidae."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/es/animal/blue-skimmer
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Blue Skimmer

> Orthetrum caledonicum — Insectos y arañas. Orthetrum caledonicum, the blue skimmer, is a common Australian dragonfly in the family Libellulidae.

- Scientific name: *Orthetrum caledonicum*
- Category: `insects` (Insectos y arañas)
- Habitats: `freshwater` (Lagos y ríos)
- iNaturalist observations: 15528
- Wikidata: [Q2381869](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2381869)
- iNaturalist taxon: [155504](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/155504)

## Names

- en: Blue Skimmer

## Countries with the most observations

AU (15165), NC (189), TL (33), VU (13), ID (11)

## Summary

Orthetrum caledonicum, the blue skimmer, is a common Australian dragonfly in the family Libellulidae.
Males have a powder blue thorax and abdomen pruinescent blue when mature. The females are brownish grey in colour while the teneral are yellow with black markings. They are medium in size, with a body length of 4.5 cm (2 in) and a wingspan of 7 cm (3 in).
The species is widespread throughout mainland Australia and extending to Tasmania. It is also found in New Guinea, New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands and Lesser Sunda Islands. It inhabits a range of still and flowing water habitats including temporary waters.

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

## Photo

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

Photo: george_vaughan · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/200506985

## Machine access

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