Mountain Emerald, Somatochlora semicircularis taken in eastern Oregon during the Annual Meeting of Dragonfly Soc. of the Americas. The latin semicircularis indicates the inward hooked terminal appendages (cerci) you see at his very end. Females don't have these cerci - males use them for clasping onto the female during mating. The various species' cerci have often been mistaken for stingers or pincers, but are harmless to humans. If one should land on you, treasure the memory. In fact all dragonflies are harmless to people.
