File:Fairy Black-headed Skimmer (Crocothemis nigrifrons).jpg

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Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Clade: Euarthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Odonata Infraorder: Anisoptera Family: Libellulidae Genus: Crocothemis Species: C. nigrifrons Binomial name: Crocothemis nigrifrons (Kirby, 1894)

The male Black-headed Skimmer has black head, black thorax and blue abdomen, with a dark blue line along the top of abdomen. Their wings are clear. The Blue Skimmer and the Palemouth, with similar colour and size. They can be found at the same habitats. They can be distinguished by Black-headed Skimmer has the dark head/thorax and wider abdomen. Palemouth is smaller. In both species the female are in brownish yellow colour. The Black-headed Skimmer female has the black line at the middle of the boarder abdomen. The female dip the tip of her abdomen quickly onto the water surface. The Blue Skimmer and the Palemouth, with similar colour and size. They can be found at the same habitats. They can be distinguished by Black-headed Skimmer has the dark head/thorax and wider abdomen. Palemouth is smaller. In both species the female are in brownish yellow colour. The Black-headed Skimmer female has the black line at the middle of the boarder abdomen.

Inhabits a wide range of still and sluggish water, including exposed rivers and streams.

Similar Species Males are very similar to Orthetrum boumiera, which is however a rare species localized around the coastal areas of the Eastern Ghats, Koraput, Odisha. Male Orthetrum caledonicum can also be fairly similar but always have a black end to the tail.

Behavior & Observations

These may cohabit with Orthetrum caledonicum but male Crocothemis nigrifrons appear noticeably darker in flight. Males fly fairly low over water and perch frequently on flat surfaces, such as rocks. Both males and females also perch on vegetation near water, either horizontally or hanging vertically.