English dragonfly names (1 Viewer)

I started taking an interest in dragonflies about 15 years ago and it seemed that a standard set of English names for dragonflies and damselflies was becoming established which helped me a lot as I have always found latin names hard to get to grips with.

However, a few recent posts on this forum are using a new set of names (and writing the old names in parentheses) eg spreadwings for emerald damselflies and Blue Featherleg for White-legged Damselfly. Can someone please shed some light on why this is happening? What was wrong with the (not so) old names?

Thanks
Roger

Hi Roger

When I reply to a post from someone outside the UK (or of photos from outside the UK) I use the name from Dijkstra (which I assume people will buy if they become interested) + also the BDS name if it is a british species + (sometimes) the scientific name so that people can search on that.

If someone posts from within the UK I usually just use the BDS name.
http://www.british-dragonflies.org.uk/content/uk-species

This site uses the Dijkstra names
http://www.dragonflypix.com/photosbyspecies.html

horses for courses!

regor said:

What was wrong with the (not so) old names?

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The problem with the English names which are used in the UK is that many of them aren't appropriate when used outside of the UK (which is why Dijkstra used others, or coined new names for his European guide).
For example, Scarce Emerald Damselfly, Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly and Scarce Chaser are common and widespread in Europe

Many of the names used by Dijkstra were already in use in other English speaking countries (family/genus names in particular).
For example, Emerald Damselflies are known as spreadwings in just about every other English speaking country in which they occur (including Ireland).

Like Paul though, I still tend to give the UK English names when replying to queries involving sightings in the UK, or from people who give their location as somewhere in the UK.

I think a lot of the 'new' names are from America and I avoid using them. At least none of them, thankfully, contain double negatives.

Out of interest, what name is used in Dijkstra for Scarce Chaser? After seeing loads earlier in the year I said they needed re-naming.

Phil

Phil Carter said:

Out of interest, what name is used in Dijkstra for Scarce Chaser? After seeing loads earlier in the year I said they needed re-naming.

Phil

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Blue Chaser - now there's a sensible name!

this is quite a useful site
http://www.entomology.org.uk/euro_dragonflies.htm

could not find anything similar for britain in a brief search

cheers,
James

James Lowther said:

this is quite a useful site
http://www.entomology.org.uk/euro_dragonflies.htm

could not find anything similar for britain in a brief search

cheers,
James

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http://www.ukdragonflies.com/index.php?spage=scientificnames

pdwinter said:

http://www.ukdragonflies.com/index.php?spage=scientificnames

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ah yes i meant a list that shows british common names vs. the new ones for all british species.

i don't know the scientific names well enough to figure it out from the list of the new names only...

thanks,
James

Scientific, BDS Name, Dijkstra Name

Calopteryx splendens, Banded Demoiselle, Banded Demoiselle
Calopteryx virgo, Beautiful Demoiselle, Beautiful Demoiselle
Lestes sponsa, Emerald Damselfly, Common Spreadwing
Lestes dryas, Scarce Emerald Damselfly, Robust Spreadwing
Lestes barbarus, Southern Emerald Damselfly, Migrant Spreadwing
Lestes viridis, Willow Emerald Damselfly, Western Willow Spreadwing
Sympecma fusca, Winter Damselfly, Common Winter Damsel
Ischnura elegans, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Common Bluetail
Ischnura pumilio, Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly, Small Bluetail
Enallagma cyathigerum, Common Blue Damselfly, Common Bluet
Coenagrion pulchellum, Variable Damselfly, Variable Bluet
Coenagrion puella, Azure Damselfly, Azure Bluet
Coenagrion mercuriale, Southern Damselfly, Mercury Bluet
Coenagrion scitulum, Dainty Damselfly, Dainty Bluet
Coenagrion hastulatum, Northern Damselfly, Spearhead Bluet
Coenagrion lunulatum, Irish Damselfly, Crescent Bluet
Coenagrion armatum, Norfolk Damselfly, Dark Bluet
Erythromma najas, Red-eyed Damselfly, Large Redeye
Erythromma viridulum, Small Red-eyed Damselfly, Small Redeye
Pyrrhosoma nymphula, Large Red Damselfly, Large Red Damsel
Ceriagrion tenellum, Small Red Damselfly, Small Red Damsel
Platycnemis pennipes, White-legged Damselfly, Blue Featherleg
Aeshna mixta, Migrant Hawker, Migrant Hawker
Aeshna affinis, Southern Migrant Hawker, Blue-eyed Hawker
Aeshna isoceles, Norfolk Hawker, Green-eyed Hawker
Aeshna grandis, Brown Hawker, Brown Hawker
Aeshna caerulea, Azure Hawker, Azure Hawker
Aeshna juncea, Common Hawker, Moorland Hawker
Anax imperator, Emperor Dragonfly, Blue Emperor
Anax junius, Green Darner, Common Green Darner
Anax parthenope, Lesser Emperor, Lesser Emperor
Hemianax ephippiger, Vagrant Emperor, Vagrant Emperor
Brachytron pratense, Hairy Dragonfly, Hairy Hawker
Gomphus vulgatissimus, Common Club-tail, Common Clubtail
Cordulegaster boltonii, Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Common Goldenring
Cordulia aenea, Downy Emerald, Downy Emerald
Somatochlora metallica, Brilliant Emerald, Brilliant Emerald
Somatochlora arctica, Northern Emerald, Northern Emerald
Oxygastra curtisii, Orange-spotted Emerald, Orange-spotted Emerald
Libellula quadrimaculata, Four-spotted Chaser, Four-spotted Chaser
Libellula depressa, Broad-bodied Chaser, Broad-bodied Chaser
Libellula fulva, Scarce Chaser, Blue Chaser
Orthetrum cancellatum, Black-tailed Skimmer, Black-tailed Skimmer
Orthetrum coerulescens, Keeled Skimmer, Keeled Skimmer
Leucorrhinia dubia, White-faced Darter, Small Whiteface
Leucorrhinia pectoralis, Large White-faced Darter, Yellow-spotted Whiteface
Sympetrum danae, Black Darter, Black Darter
Sympetrum pedemontanum, Banded Darter, Banded Darter
Sympetrum sanguineum, Ruddy Darter, Ruddy Darter
Sympetrum flaveolum, Yellow-winged Darter, Yellow-winged Darter
Sympetrum fonscolombii, Red-veined Darter, Red-veined Darter
Sympetrum striolatum, Common Darter, Common Darter
Sympetrum vulgatum, Vagrant Darter, Moustached Darter
Crocothemis erythraea, Scarlet Darter, Broad Scarlet
Pantala flavescens, Wandering Glider, Wandering Glider

thanks Paul, can't ask for more than that!

interesting that vagrant emperor doesn't appear to be called something else?

James

James Lowther said:

thanks Paul, can't ask for more than that!

interesting that vagrant emperor doesn't appear to be called something else?

James

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perhaps Obligate Migrant Emperorlike Dragonfly

James Lowther said:

thanks Paul, can't ask for more than that!

interesting that vagrant emperor doesn't appear to be called something else?

James

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It's not really 'regular' anywhere in Europe so the vagrant part of the name fits for a Europeanguide (unlike Vagrant Darter, which isn't a vagrant in most European countries).

Thank you, all for your replies. My question has been well answered. Special thanks to Paul for taking the time and trouble to put together the comprehensive list of latin, BDS and Dijkstra names. Much appreciated.
Cheers,
Roger

A big thanks from me to Paul Winter for that list he compiled ,which is now printed , I did have a list of Latin pronunciation for Dragonflies ,can't seem to find it at the moment could be worth a web search for anyone that struggles with this (like me)
Brian

Brian Bullough said:

A big thanks from me to Paul Winter for that list he compiled ,which is now printed , I did have a list of Latin pronunciation for Dragonflies ,can't seem to find it at the moment could be worth a web search for anyone that struggles with this (like me)
Brian

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Brian, English speaking people often struggle with the pronunciation of scientific names. A good trick that will get you sounding correct (enough!) is to use these vowel sounds:

A for apple
E for egg
I for Italy
O for orange
U like a Mancunian says bus

(The consonants are pretty much the same as in English)

Hope that helps

Simon Wates said:

Brian, English speaking people often struggle with the pronunciation of scientific names. A good trick that will get you sounding correct (enough!) is to use these vowel sounds:

A for apple
E for egg
I for Italy
O for orange
U like a Mancunian says bus

(The consonants are pretty much the same as in English)

Hope that helps

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So now not only do I struggle with Latin you want me to learn Mancunian to!
Actually thanks, I have mastered at least most dragonfly Latin names I compiled a list from various sources and have refound them so attached here perhaps they may be helpful to others, or give some a good laugh ! .
Brian