Ten genera and 46 species of gomphid dragonflies are known to occur in Alabama and Mississippi, making it one of the largest and most diverse families in our area. Many clubtail species are restricted to flowing waters, but others occur in ponds or oxbow lakes; in both habitats the nymphs burrow into the bottom substrates. Clubtail nymphs, especially stream species, often have a multi-year life cycle, spending up to 3 years or more in the aquatic habitat before emerging as adults. Most nymphs in this family are a rather drab brownish  or greenish, although a few species are more strikingly marked. Body shape, antennal shape, position of the wing pads, etc. are highly variable within the family but can be very useful characters to distinguish among different genera.