Crocothemis

{{Short description|Genus of dragonflies}}

{{Automatic taxobox

|image=Crocothemis servilia male by kadavoor.jpg

|image_caption=Crocothemis servilia male

|taxon=Crocothemis

|authority=Brauer, 1868{{Cite journal|last=Brauer|first=Friedrich|year=1868|title=Verzeichniss der bis jetzt bekannten Neuropteren im Sinne Linné's. Erster Abschnitt|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25254330|journal=Verhandlungen der Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien|language=German|volume=18|pages=359–416 [367]|via=Biodiversity Heritage Library}}

}}

Crocothemis is a genus of dragonflies in the Libellulidae family,{{Cite web|url=https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/Crocothemis|title=Genus Crocothemis Brauer, 1868|last=|first=|date=2012|website=Australian Faunal Directory|publisher=Australian Biological Resources Study|access-date=27 February 2017}}

subfamily Sympetrinae (darters). Various species of this genus occur in southern Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Southwest Pacific. They are generally small to medium-sized dragonflies.

These dragonflies are often noticed due to their colours. Males are generally very brightly coloured, ranging from totally red in several species, to the rich blue of Australia's C. nigrifrons. As with many Libellulid species, the females tend to be dull brown or orange.

Like most libellulids they tend to perch on sticks, reeds or stones near water, flying out to catch insects then returning to their perch.