The chasers, darters, skimmers, and perchers and their relatives form the Libellulidae, the largest family of dragonflies. It is sometimes considered to contain the Corduliidae as the subfamily Corduliinae and the Macromiidae as the subfamily Macromiinae. Even if these are excluded (as Silsby does), there remains a family of over 1000 species. With nearly worldwide distribution, these are the most commonly encountered dragonflies.

The genus Libellula is mostly New World but also has one of the few endangered odonates from Japan: Libellula angelina. Many of the members of this genus are brightly colored or have banded wings. The related genus Plathemis includes the whitetails. The genus Celithemis contains several brightly marked species in the southern United States. Members of the genus Sympetrum are called darters (or meadowhawks in North America) and are found throughout most of the world, except Australia. Several tropical species in the genera Trithemis and Zenithoptera are considered to be especially beautiful. Other common genera include Tramea and Pantala.

Libellulids have stout-bodied larvae with the lower lip or labium developed into a mask over the lower part of the face.

The earliest record of the family is the fossil genus †Palaeolibellula Fleck, Nel & Martinez-Delclos, 1999 from the Turonian of Kazakhstan, which appears to represent a stem-member of the family.

Genera: The following genera are currently placed in Libelluidae:

Fossil genera: The following fossil genera are currently assigned to Libelluidae:

• †Caussanelia Nel, Martinez-Delclós, Papier, & Oudard, 1997 (Late Oligocene of France)
• †Jeanlegrandia Nel, Petrulevicius & Jarzembowski, 2005 (Late Oligocene of France)
• †Lithemis Fraser, 1951 (mid-late Miocene of Croatia)
• †Miorhodopygia Riou & Nel, 1995 (Late Miocene of France)
• †Molertrum Zessin, 2019 (earliest Eocene of Denmark)
• †Oligocaemia Fraser, 1951 (mid-late Miocene of Croatia)
• †Oryctodiplax Cavallo & Galetti, 1987 (Late Miocene of Italy)
• †Palaeolibellula Fleck, Nel & Martinez-Delclos, 1999 (Late Cretaceous of Kazakhstan)
• †Paleotauriphila Nel & Paicheler, 1993 (Early Oligocene of France)
• †Palaeotramea Nel & Papazian, 1985 (Late Oligocene to early Miocene of France, Germany & Turkey)
• †Parabrachydiplax Bechly & Sach, 2002 (Middle Miocene of Germany)
• †Protopaltothemis Pongrácz, 1928 (Middle Miocene of Croatia)
• †Prorhyothemis Prokop, Fleck & Nel, 2003 (Early Miocene of the Czech Republic)
• †Pisaurum Gentilini, 1988 (Late Miocene of Italy)
• †Randecktrum Zessin, 2019 (early-mid Miocene of Germany)
• †Sloveniatrum Zessin, Zalohar & Hitij, 2008 (mid-late Miocene of Slovenia)
• †Trameobasileus Zeuner, 1938 (Early Miocene of Germany)

Etymology: The family name Libellulidae is derived from the type genus Libellula, with the standard zoological suffix -idae used for animal families.

The genus name Libellula comes from Latin libella, meaning "a carpenter´s level", because of the insect´s ability to stay level when hovering.