Anax (dragonfly)

Anax (from Ancient Greek ἄναξ anax, "lord, master, king") is a genus of dragonflies in the family Aeshnidae. It includes species such as the emperor dragonfly, Anax imperator.

Anax spp. are very large dragonflies. They generally have light-colored bodies and dark tails with pale markings.

Some species are migratory, for example Anax junius.

Species
The genus Anax includes these species:
 * Anax amazili (Burmeister, 1839) – Amazon darner
 * Anax aurantiacus Makbun, Wongkamhaeng & Keetapithchayakul, 2022
 * Anax bangweuluensis Kimmins, 1955 – swamp emperor
 * Anax chloromelas Ris, 1911 – dark emperor
 * Anax concolor Brauer, 1865 – blue-spotted comet darner
 * Anax congoliath Fraser, 1953
 * Anax ephippiger (Burmeister, 1839) – vagrant emperor
 * Anax fumosus Hagen, 1867
 * Anax georgius Selys, 1872 – Kimberley emperor
 * Anax gladiator Dijkstra & Kipping, 2015 – swordbearer emperor
 * Anax gibbosulus Rambur, 1842 – green emperor
 * Anax guttatus (Burmeister, 1839) – lesser green emperor
 * Anax immaculifrons Rambur, 1842 – magnificent emperor
 * Anax imperator Leach, 1815 – emperor dragonfly, blue emperor
 * Anax indicus Lieftinck, 1942 – elephant emperor
 * Anax junius (Drury, 1773) – common green darner
 * Anax longipes Hagen, 1861 – comet darner
 * Anax maclachlani Förster, 1898
 * Anax mandrakae Gauthier, 1988
 * Anax nigrofasciatus Oguma, 1915 – blue-spotted emperor
 * Anax panybeus Hagen, 1867
 * Anax papuensis Burmeister, 1839 – Australian emperor
 * Anax parthenope (Selys, 1839) – lesser emperor
 * Anax piraticus Kennedy, 1934
 * Anax pugnax Lieftinck, 1942
 * Anax selysi Förster, 1900
 * Anax speratus Hagen, 1867 – orange emperor
 * Anax strenuus Hagen, 1867 – giant Hawaiian darner, pinao
 * Anax tristis Hagen, 1867 – black emperor, magnificent emperor
 * Anax tumorifer McLachlan, 1885
 * Anax walsinghami McLachlan, 1882 – giant darner

Taxonomic history
The genus Anax was described by William Elford Leach in 1815 when he published in Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopedia.