Sympetrum

thumb|Sympetrum commixtum, Nepal thumb|Sympetrum vicinum mating

Sympetrum is a genus of small to medium-sized skimmer dragonflies, known as darters in Europe and as meadowhawks in North America. The more than 50 species predominantly live in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere; 11 species are native to Europe and 15 species native to North America, and most of the rest in Asia. A few species also occur in tropical and southern Africa (S. fonscolombii) and in South America (S. evanescens, S. gilvum, S. roraimae, S. villosum), but none is native to Australasia.