ODONATES

The states of Alabama and Mississippi are home to over 180 species of odonates (dragonflies & damselflies). While many of these species are very common and may be seen at virtually any pond or stream, others are exceedingly rare. Still others, because of a brief or very early/late flight season, a specialized flight period (such as dusk), or a difficult to access habitat, often seem much less common than they really are.

It is the goal of these pages to introduce you to the abundance and diversity of the odonate fauna of Alabama & Mississippi, mainly through photos but with a little verbiage thrown in there, too!!

The odonate species known to occur in AL/MS are listed below. If I have photos for a particular species, then there will be a link from its scientific or common name to a page containing distribution and life history information, photographs and a slide show. I will include photos of males, females, and nymphs if I have them, as well as tandem/mating pairs or other "behavior" shots. I have photos for most (but certainly not all!) species. Out of necessity, some of the photos are of netted & “posed” specimens; these will be marked as such. As I obtain more photographs, I will add them here.

Calopterygidae - Broad-winged Damsels     

   Calopteryx angustipennis (Appalachian Jewelwing)

   Calopteryx dimidiata (Sparkling Jewelwing)

   Calopteryx maculata (Ebony Jewelwing)

   Hetaerina americana (American Rubyspot)

   Hetaerina titia (Smoky Rubyspot)


Lestidae - Spreadwings

   Archilestes grandis (Great Spreadwing)

   Lestes australis (Southern Spreadwing)

   Lestes congener (Spotted Spreadwing)

   Lestes eurinus (Amber-winged Spreadwing)

   Lestes forcipatus (Sweetflag Spreadwing)

   Lestes forficula (Rainpool Spreadwing)

   Lestes inaequalis (Elegant Spreadwing)

   Lestes rectangularis (Slender Spreadwing)

   Lestes vidua (Carolina Spreadwing)

   Lestes vigilax (Swamp Spreadwing)


Coenagrionidae - Pond Damsels

   Amphiagrion saucium (Eastern Red Damsel)

   Argia apicalis (Blue-fronted Dancer)

   Argia bipunctulata (Seepage Dancer)

   Argia fumipennis (Variable Dancer)

   Argia moesta (Powdered Dancer)

   Argia plana (Springwater Dancer)

   Argia sedula (Blue-ringed Dancer)

   Argia tibialis (Blue-tipped Dancer)

   Argia translata (Dusky Dancer)

   Chromagrion conditum  (Aurora Damsel)

   Enallagma aspersum (Azure Bluet)

   Enallagma basidens (Double-striped Bluet)

   Enallagma cardenium (Purple Bluet)

   Enallagma civile (Familiar Bluet)

   Enallagma concisum (Cherry Bluet)

   Enallagma daeckii (Attenuated Bluet)

   Enallagma davisi (Sandhill Bluet)

   Enallagma divagans (Turquoise Bluet)

   Enallagma doubledayi (Atlantic Bluet)

   Enallagma dubium (Burgundy Bluet)

   Enallagma durum (Big Bluet)

   Enallagma exsulans (Stream Bluet)

   Enallagma geminatum (Skimming Bluet)

   Enallagma pallidum (Pale Bluet)

   Enallagma pollutum (Florida Bluet)

   Enallagma signatum (Orange Bluet)

   Enallagma sulcatum (Golden Bluet)

   Enallagma traviatum (Slender Bluet)

   Enallagma vesperum (Vesper Bluet)

   Enallagma weewa (Blackwater Bluet)

   Ischnura hastata (Citrine Forktail)

   Ischnura kellicotti (Lilypad Forktail)

   Ischnura posita (Fragile Forktail)

   Ischnura prognata (Furtive Forktail)

   Ischnura ramburii (Rambur’s Forktail)

   Ischnura verticalis (Eastern Forktail)

   Nehalennia gracilis (Sphagnum Sprite)

   Nehalennia integricollis (Southern Sprite)

   Telebasis byersi (Duckweed Firetail)


Petaluridae - Petaltails

   Tachopteryx thoreyi (Gray Petaltail)


Aeshnidae - Darners

   Aeshna umbrosa (Shadow Darner)

   Anax junius (Common Green Darner)

   Anax longipes (Comet Darner)

   Basiaeschna janata (Springtime Darner)

   Boyeria vinosa (Fawn Darner)

   Coryphaeschna ingens (Regal Darner)

   Epiaeschna heros (Swamp Darner)

   Gomphaeschna antilope (Taper-tailed Darner)

   Gomphaeschna furcillata (Harlequin Darner)

   Gynacantha nervosa (Twilight Darner)

   Nasiaeschna pentacantha (Cyrano Darner)

   Triacanthagyna trifida (Phantom Darner) (NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE)


Gomphidae - Clubtails

   Aphylla angustifolia (Broad-striped Forceptail) (NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE)

   Aphylla williamsoni (Two-striped Forceptail)

   Arigomphus lentulus (Stillwater Clubtail) (NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE)

   Arigomphus maxwelli (Bayou Clubtail)

   Arigomphus pallidus (Gray-green Clubtail)

   Arigomphus submedianus (Jade Clubtail)

   Arigomphus villosipes (Unicorn Clubtail)

   Dromogomphus armatus (Southeastern Spinyleg)

   Dromogomphus spinosus (Black-shouldered Spinyleg)

   Dromogomphus spoliatus (Flag-tailed Spinyleg)

   Erpetogomphus designatus (Eastern Ringtail)

   Gomphurus crassus (Handsome Clubtail)

   Gomphurus dilatatus (Blackwater Clubtail)

   Gomphurus hybridus (Cocoa Clubtail)

   Gomphurus lineatifrons (Splendid Clubtail)

   Gomphurus modestus (Gulf Coast Clubtail) (NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE)

   Gomphurus septima (Septima’s Clubtail)

   Gomphurus vastus (Cobra Clubtail)

   Hagenius brevistylus (Dragonhunter)

   Hylogomphus apomyius (Banner Clubtail)

   Hylogomphus geminatus (Two-striped Clubtail)

   Hylogomphus parvidens (Piedmont Clubtail)

   Hylogomphus viridifrons (Green-faced Clubtail)

   Ophiogomphus acuminatus (Acuminate Snaketail)

   Ophiogomphus australis (Southern Snaketail)

   Ophiogomphus incurvatus (Appalachian Snaketail)

   Phanogomphus australis (Clearlake Clubtail)

   Phanogomphus cavillaris brimleyi (Sandhill Clubtail)

   Phanogomphus exilis (Lancet Clubtail)

   Phanogomphus hodgesi (Hodges’ Clubtail)

   Phanogomphus lividus (Ashy Clubtail)

   Phanogomphus minutus (Cypress Clubtail)

   Phanogomphus quadricolor (Rapids Clubtail)

   Progomphus bellei (Belle’s Sanddragon)

   Progomphus obscurus (Common Sanddragon)

   Stenogomphurus consanguis (Cherokee Clubtail)

   Stenogomphurus rogersi (Sable Clubtail)

   Stylurus amnicola (Riverine Clubtail) (NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE)

   Stylurus ivae (Shining Clubtail)

   Stylurus laurae (Laura’s Clubtail)

   Stylurus notatus (Elusive Clubtail)

   Stylurus plagiatus (Russet-tipped Clubtail)

   Stylurus potulentus (Yellow-sided Clubtail)

   Stylurus townesi (Townes’ Clubtail)


Cordulegastridae - Spiketails

   Cordulegaster bilineata (Brown Spiketail)

   Cordulegaster erronea (Tiger Spiketail)

   Cordulegaster maculata (Twin-spotted Spiketail)

   Cordulegaster obliqua (Arrowhead Spiketail)

   Cordulegaster sayi (Say's Spiketail)


Macromiidae - Cruisers

   Didymops floridensis (Florida Cruiser)

   Didymops transversa (Stream Cruiser)

   Macromia alleghaniensis (Allegheny River Cruiser)

   Macromia illinoiensis (Swift River Cruiser)

   Macromia margarita (Mountain River Cruiser) (NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE)

   Macromia taeniolata (Royal River Cruiser)


Corduliidae - Emeralds

   Epitheca costalis (Slender Baskettail)

   Epitheca cynosura (Common Baskettail)

   Epitheca princeps (Prince Baskettail)

   Epitheca sepia (Sepia Baskettail)

   Epitheca spinosa (Robust Baskettail)

   Helocordulia selysii (Selys’ Sundragon)

   Helocordulia uhleri (Uhler’s Sundragon)

   Neurocordulia alabamensis (Alabama Shadowdragon)

   Neurocordulia molesta (Smoky Shadowdragon)

   Neurocordulia obsoleta (Umber Shadowdragon)

   Neurocordulia virginiensis (Cinnamon Shadowdragon)

   Neurocordulia yamaskanensis (Stygian Shadowdragon)

   Somatochlora calverti (Calvert’s Emerald)

   Somatochlora filosa (Fine-lined Emerald)

   Somatochlora georgiana (Coppery Emerald)

   Somatochlora hineana (Hine’s Emerald) (NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE)

   Somatochlora linearis (Mocha Emerald)

   Somatochlora provocans (Treetop Emerald)

   Somatochlora tenebrosa (Clamp-tipped Emerald)


Libellulidae - Skimmers

   Brachymesia furcata (Red-tailed Pennant)

   Brachymesia gravida (Four-spotted Pennant)

   Celithemis amanda (Amanda’s Pennant)

   Celithemis bertha (Red-veined Pennant)

   Celithemis elisa (Calico Pennant)

   Celithemis eponina (Halloween Pennant)

   Celithemis fasciata (Banded Pennant)

   Celithemis ornata (Ornate Pennant)

   Celithemis verna (Double-ringed Pennant)

   Dythemis velox (Swift Setwing)

   Erythemis attala (Black Pondhawk) (NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE)

   Erythemis simplicicollis (Eastern Pondhawk)

   Erythemis vesiculosa (Great Pondhawk) (NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE)

   Erythrodiplax berenice (Seaside Dragonlet)

   Erythrodiplax minuscula (Little Blue Dragonlet)

   Erythrodiplax umbrata (Band-winged Dragonlet)

   Ladona deplanata (Blue Corporal)

   Libellula auripennis (Golden-winged Skimmer)

   Libellula axilena (Bar-winged Skimmer)

   Libellula cyanea (Spangled Skimmer)

   Libellula flavida (Yellow-sided Skimmer)

   Libellula incesta (Slaty Skimmer)

   Libellula luctuosa (Widow Skimmer)

   Libellula needhami (Needham’s Skimmer)

   Libellula pulchella (Twelve-spotted Skimmer)

   Libellula semifasciata (Painted Skimmer)

   Libellula vibrans (Great Blue Skimmer)

   Macrodiplax balteata (Marl Pennant)

   Miathyria marcella (Hyacinth Glider)

   Nannothemis bella (Elfin Skimmer)

   Orthemis ferruginea (Roseate Skimmer)

   Pachydiplax longipennis (Blue Dasher)

   Pantala flavescens (Wandering Glider)

   Pantala hymenaea (Spot-winged Glider)

   Perithemis tenera (Least Amberwing)

   Plathemis lydia (Common Whitetail)

   Sympetrum ambiguum (Blue-faced Meadowhawk)

   Sympetrum corruptum (Variegated Meadowhawk)

   Sympetrum rubicundulum (Ruby Meadowhawk)

   Sympetrum semicinctum (Band-winged Meadowhawk)

   Sympetrum vicinum (Autumn Meadowhawk)

  

   Tramea carolina (Carolina Saddlebags)

   Tramea darwini (Striped Saddlebags)

   Tramea lacerata (Black Saddlebags)

   Tramea onusta (Red Saddlebags)