Pygmy Darners

Gomphaeschna is a genus of pygmy darners in the dragonfly family Aeshnidae. There are two extant species in Gomphaeschna, both native to eastern North America. In addition, multiple fossil species are known from Eurasia and western North America. Some authorities treat it as belonging to its own family, Gomphaeschnidae, due to its ancient origins.

This is one of the most ancient known extant dragonfly genera, with the species G. inferna known from the earliest Cretaceous (Berriasian) of Russia, making it one of the earliest crown group aeshnids. They appear to have persisted in Europe up to the mid-Miocene, but in modern times are restricted to eastern North America.