Updated: Saturday November 02, 2024

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DRAGONFLY AND DAMSELFLY IMAGES CATALOG

For over 50 years I have explored nature, photographing what I discover. During most of that time I focused (pun intended) heavily on bird photography. But along the way a few photos of interesting "bugs" (e.g., butterflies, dragonflies, moths, etc.) were taken as well. After moving to the Rio Grande Valley in 2010, there was a little more emphasis on butterflies and dragonflies.

These pages contain images of 35 North American Dragonfly Species (approximately 11 percent of the 326 documented North American dragonfly species), and 13 North American Damselfly Species (approximately 10 percent of the 136 documented North American damselfly species). A few photos date from as far back as 1968, but most were taken more recently. While the collection of species images here is far from complete, it is a placeholder for the addition of more images in the future.

The taxonomic classification used here is from "A Checklist of North American Odonata", 2012 Edition, by Dennis R. Paulson and Sidney W. Dunkle.

NOTE: Any comments on the identification of the species are most welcome. Thanks in advance for any help.

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DRAGONFLIES

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Family Aeshnidae - Darners

• Genus Aeshna (Fabricius) - Mosaic Darners
• Genus Anax (Leach) - Green Darners
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Common Green Darner	[Anax junius]	North America	3

  
  
• Genus Basiaeschna (Selys) - Springtime Darner
• Genus Boyeria (McLachlan) - Spotted Darners
• Genus Coryphaeschna (Williamson) - Pilot Darners
• Genus Epiaeschna (Hagen) - Swamp Darner
• Genus Gomphaeschna (Selys) - Pygmy Darners
• Genus Gynacantha (Rambur) - Two-spined Darners
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Bar-sided Darner	[Gynacantha mexicana]	North America	1

  
  
• Genus Oplonaeschna (Selys) - Riffle Darners
• Genus Rhionaeschna (Forster) - Neotropical Darners
• Genus Triacanthagyna (Selys) - Three-spined Darners

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Family Gomphidae - Clubtails

• Genus Aphylla (Selys) - Greater Forceptails
• Genus Arigomphus (Needham) - Pond Clubtails
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Horned Clubtail	[Arigomphus cornutus]	North America	1

  
  
• Genus Dromogomphus (Selys) - Spinylegs
• Genus Erpetogomphus (Selys) - Ringtails
• Genus Gomphus (Leach) - Common Clubtails
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Sulphur-tipped Clubtail	[Gomphus militaris]	North America	1

  
  
• Genus Hagenius (Selys) - Dragonhunter
• Genus Lanthus (Needham) - Pygmy Clubtails
• Genus Octogomphus (Selys) - Grappletail
• Genus Ophiogomphus (Selys) - Snaketails
• Genus Phyllocycla (Calvert) - Lesser Forceptails
• Genus Phyllogomphoides (Belle) - Leaftails
• Genus Progomphus (Selys) - Sanddragons
• Genus Stylogomphus (Fraser) - Least Clubtails
• Genus Stylurus (Needham) - Hanging Clubtails

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Family Cordulegastridae - Spiketails

• Genus Cordulegaster (Leach) - Spiketails

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Family Macromiidae - Cruisers

• Genus Didymops (Rambur) - Brown Cruisers
• Genus Macromia (Rambur) - River Cruisers

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Family Corduliidae - Emeralds

• Genus Cordulia (Leach) - Common Emeralds
• Genus Epitheca (Burmeister) - Baskettails
• Genus Neurocordulia (Selys) - Shadowdragons
• Genus Somatochlora (Selys) - Striped Emeralds
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Lake Emerald	[Somatochlora brevicincta]	North America	1

  
  
• Genus Williamsonia (Davis) - Boghaunters

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Family Libellulidae - Skimmers

• Genus Brachymesia (Kirby) - Tropical Pennants
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Four-spotted Pennant	[Brachymesia gravida]	North America	1
  Red-tailed Pennant	[Brachymesia furcata]	North America	2

  
  
• Genus Brechmorhoga (Kirby) - Clubskimmers
• Genus Cannaphila (Kirby) - Convict (Narrow-winged) Skimmers
• Genus Celithemis (Hagen) - Small Pennants
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Banded Pennant	[Celithemis fasciata]	North America	1

  
  
• Genus Crocothemis (Brauer) - Scarlet Skimmers
• Genus Dythemis (Hagen) - Setwings
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Checkered Setwing	[Dythemis fugax]	North America	2
  Swift Setwing	[Dythemis velox]	North America	2

  
  
• Genus Erythemis (Hagen) - Pondhawks
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Eastern Pondhawk	[Erythemis simplicicollis]	North America	3
  Pin-tailed Pondhawk	[Erythemis plebeja]	North America	1

  
  
• Genus Erythrodiplax (Brauer) - Dragonlets
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Band-winged Dragonlet	[Erythrodiplax umbrata]	North America	2
  Seaside Dragonlet	[Erythrodiplax berenice]	North America	3

  
  
• Genus Idiataphe (Cowley) - Metallic Pennants
• Genus Ladona (Needham) - Corporals
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Chalk-fronted Corporal	[Ladona julia]	North America	2

  
  
• Genus Leucorrhinia (Brittinger) - Whitefaces
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Dot-tailed Whiteface	[Leucorrhinia intacta]	North America	2

  
  
• Genus Libellula (Linnaeus) - King Skimmers
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Comanche Skimmer	[Libellula comanche]	North America	1
  Flame Skimmer	[Libellula saturata]	North America	2
  Four-spotted Skimmer	[Libellula quadrimaculata]	North America	2
  Eight-spotted Skimmer	[Libellula forensis]	North America	1
  Neon Skimmer	[Libellula croceipennis]	North America	3
  Spangled Skimmer	[Libellula cyanea]	North America	1
  Needham's Skimmer	[Libellula needhami]	North America	1
  Widow Skimmer	[Libellula luctuosa]	North America	2

  
  
• Genus Macrodiplax (Brauer) - Marl Pennants
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Marl Pennant	[Macrodiplax balteata]	North America	2

  
  
• Genus Macrothemis (Hagen) - Sylphs
• Genus Miathyria (Kirby) - Hyacinth Gliders
• Genus Micrathyria (Kirby) - Speckled Dashers
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Spot-tailed Dasher	[Micrathyria aequalis]	North America	1
  Thornbush Dasher	[Micrathyria hagenii]	North America	1

  
  
• Genus Nannothemis (Brauer) - Elfin Skimmer
• Genus Orthemis (Hagen) - Tropical King Skimmers
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Roseate Skimmer	[Orthemis ferruginea]	North America	4

  
  
• Genus Pachydiplax (Brauer) - Blue Dasher
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Blue Dasher	[Pachydiplax longipennis]	North America	2

  
  
• Genus Paltothemis (Karsch) - Rock Skimmers
• Genus Pantala (Hagen) - Rainpool Gliders
• Genus Perithemis (Hagen) - Amberwings
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Eastern Amberwing	[Perithemis tenera]	North America	2
  Slough Amberwing	[Perithemis domitia]	North America	1

  
  
• Genus Planiplax (Muttkowski) - Scarlet-tails
• Genus Plathemis (Hagen) - Whitetails
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Common Whitetail	[Plathemis lydia]	North America	1

  
  
• Genus Pseudoleon (Kirby) - Filigree Skimmer
• Genus Sympetrum (Newman) - Meadowhawks
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Variegated Meadowhawk	[Sympetrum corruptum]	North America	4

  
  
• Genus Tauriphila (Kirby) - Pasture Gliders
• Genus Tholymis (Hagen) - Evening Skimmers
• Genus Tramea (Hagen) - Saddlebags
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Carolina Saddlebags	[Tramea carolina]	North America	1
  Red Saddlebags	[Tramea onusta]	North America	3

  
  
  

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DAMSELFLIES

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Family Calopterygidae - Broad-winged Damsels

• Genus Calopteryx (Leach) - Jewelwings
• Genus Hetaerina (Hagen in Selys) - Rubyspots

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Family Lestidae - Spreadwings

• Genus Archilestes (Selys) - Stream Spreadwings
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Great Spreadwing	[Archilestes grandis]	North America	1

  
  
• Genus Lestes (Leach) - Pond Spreadwings

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Family Coenagrionidae - Pond Damsels

• Genus Acanthagrion (Selys) - Wedgetails
• Genus Amphiagrion (Selys) - Red Damsels
• Genus Apanisagrion (Kennedy) - Black-and-white Damsel
• Genus Argia (Rambur) - Dancers
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Aztec Dancer	[Argia nahuana]	North America	1
  Blue-ringed Dancer	[Argia sedula]	North America	2
  Dusky Dancer	[Argia translata]	North America	1
  Spine-tipped Dancer	[Argia extranea]	North America	1
  Variable Dancer	[Argia fumipennis]	North America	1

  
  
• Genus Chromagrion (Needham) - Aurora Damsel
• Genus Coenagrion (Kirby) - Eurasian Bluets
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Taiga Bluet	[Coenagrion resolutum]	North America	1

  
  
• Genus Enallagma (Charpentier) - American Bluets
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Arroyo Bluet	[Enallagma praevarum]	North America	1
  Double-striped Bluet	[Enallagma basidens]	North America	1
  Familiar Bluet	[Enallagma civile]	North America	2
  Boreal/Northern Bluet	[Enallagma boreale/annexum]	North America	3
  Orange Bluet	[Enallagma signatum]	North America	1

  
  
• Genus Hesperagrion (Calvert) - Painted Damsel
• Genus Ischnura (Charpentier) - Forktails
  

  Common Name	Latin Name	Location	Photos
  Rambur's Forktail	[Ischnura ramburii]	North America	2

  
  
• Genus Leptobasis (Selys) - Swampdamsels
• Genus Nehalennia (Selys) - Sprites
• Genus Neoerythromma (Kennedy) - Yellowfaces
• Genus Telebasis (Selys) - Firetails
• Genus Zoniagrion (Kennedy) - Exclamation Damsel

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Family Platystictidae - Shadowdamsels

• Genus Palaemnema (Selys) - Shadowdamsels

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Family Protoneuridae - Threadtails

• Genus Neoneura (Selys) - Robust Threadtails
• Genus Protoneura (Selys) - Slender Threadtails

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Family Petaluridae - Petaltails

• Genus Tachopteryx (Uhler in Selys) - Gray Petaltail
• Genus Tanypteryx (Kennedy) - Dark Petaltails

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Last Updated: Saturday November 02, 2024 - 02:47:17 PM CDT