Clubtail Dragonflies, Gomphidae, of California

This is the webpage for
California Clubtails
aka
California Gomphidae

The companion website to Dragonflies (Anisoptera) of California.

Family: CLUBTAILS - Gomphidae Field/Photo key to clubtails An interesting exuviae pileup!	Family: CLUBTAILS - Gomphidae 6 CA genera totaling 12 species including the Ringtails, Snaketails, Hanging Clubtails, and others sizes: large, lengths: 41 - 83 mm males: most have an enlarged area at end of abdomen; black, brown, green and/or yellow patterned; clear wings with wide stigmas; small eyes widely separated; sprawling legs; well camouflaged, snakelike patterning, no blue or red coloring females: often yellow where male green; bodies cylindrical habitats: rivers, streams behaviors: males perch on ground/rocks at beach in sunlit areas; females more often found out on vegetation distribution: statewide nymph: usually have a life cycle of 2+ years; hide under gravel/sand in riverbeds Common Clubtails Phanogomphus [was Gomphus until 2017] - some occur at ponds and lakes - 1 CA species Hanging Clubtails Stylurus - narrow pale triangles down top of black/brown abdomen; hang perch; most in arid lands - 3 CA species Grappletail Octogomphus - abdomen thin & less patterned than others - 1 CA species Ringtails Erpetogomphus - ringed appearance to abdomen; short legs - 2 CA species Sanddragons Progomphus - narrow clubbed abdomen; short legs - 1 CA species Snaketails Ophiogomphus - very similar with snakelike patterning; most in arid lands - 4 CA species

male female Link to more scans and photos including in-situ and nymph/exuvia	Grappletail Octogomphus specularis size: large, length 49 - 53 mm, wingspan 60 - 72 mm male: face yellow, eyes dark green-gray; thorax top had a large bold gray- green/yellow urn shaped mark; very thin almost all black abdomen showing less yellow than any other CA Clubtail; black legs and stigma; appendages multi-pronged, mostly yellow, grapple-like female: thin yellow line top of cylindrical abdomen habitat: rivers with riffles in wooded hillsides California flight period: March - October, mostly seen in the Spring California distribution: all but eastern Calif. California distribution map Southwestern distribution map
male female Link to more scans and photos including in-situ and nymph/exuvia	White-belted Ringtail Erpetogomphus compositus size: medium/large, length 46 - 55 mm, wingspan 61 - 70 mm male: thorax intricately marked green, yellow, black with the middle side stripe being the "white belt"; conspicuous pale rings on thin dark abdomen, pale diamonds less noticeable; dark yellow club looks as if dipped in golden paint; pale blue eyes; face pale; yellow costa; looks like composite of several other species female: no club; white belt habitat: streams, rivers California flight period: March - October California distribution: all but far northern Calif. California distribution map Southwestern distribution map
male female Link to more scans and photos including in-situ and nymph/exuvia	Serpent RingtailErpetogomphus lampropeltis note: a different subspecies occurs east of California which is more green. size: medium/large, length 41 - 56 mm, wingspan 62 - 72 mm male: dark abdomen with thin pale rings, clubbed-tail dark on top, yellow below, pale yellow appendages; thorax has gray stripes on the top and sides, side stripe interrupted, no white stripe; blue eyes. female: like male; no club habitat: streams, rivers California flight period: May - October California distribution: southern Calif; uncommon California distribution map Southwestern distribution map
male female Link to more scans and photos including in-situ and nymph/exuvia	Gray Sanddragon Progomphus borealis size: large, length 56 - 61 mm, wingspan 68 - 72 mm male: yellow face, gray eyes; thorax sides have large gray patches; dull pale yellow triangles top of very thin black abdomen; costa yellow; upper appendages yellow, lowers dark female: more gray/green; abdomen more cylindrical, not clubbed behavior: perch on sandy shoreline or rocks with arched abdomen when habitat: sandy rivers, lakes California flight period: late March - October California distribution: widespread California distribution map Southwestern distribution map
male female Link to more scans and photos including in-situ and nymph/exuvia	Olive Clubtail Stylurus olivaceus size: large, length 56 - 66 mm, wingspan 72 - 74 mm males: thorax sides tawny gray-green with hardly any side stripes; curving thin dark lines intrude at the top of the pale 'shoulder' stripe on thorax; tawny horseshoe-shaped mark atop the dark thorax; bright blue eyes; the abdominal segments tawny, broadly outlined in black; top of club dark and sides a pale yellow; appendages black and yellow; wings with yellow costa, black veins females: is similar to male; body long, without a club similar species: Pale Snaketail - brighter coloration, less black atop the thorax; more yellow, including appendages; darker stigma; Pacific Clubtail - no pale spot on S9; appendages all black; black stigma; Russet-tipped Clubtail thorax a brighter green with wider "shoulder" stripe habitat: warm, muddy rivers or ponds California flight period: May - September California distribution: RARE: south eastern Calif. California distribution map Southwestern distribution map
male female Link to more scans and photos including in-situ and nymph/exuvia	Russet-tipped Clubtail Stylurus plagiatus size: large, length 53 - 66 mm, wingspan 74 - 83 mm note: Russet-tipped Clubtails look quite different East of California; they are a separate subspecies which have russet-colored club tips males: green thorax and upper legs; 3 dark stripes on thorax sides; the thorax top is dark with a pale harp shaped mark; elongated triangles atop abdomen with a ring atop each which is incomplete; blue eyes; abdominal segments 7 - 10 have yellow bands on the sides; abdominal segments 8 & 9 have a yellow & brown or black club, S10 is all dark; the appendages are dark and flared when seen from above females: is similar to male; dark atop 9 & 10 similar species: White-belted and Serpent Ringtails have yellow appendages habitat: deep sandy streams, rivers and irrigation ditches in arid regions California flight period: June - October California distribution: RARE: southeastern Calif. California distribution map Southwestern distribution map
male female Link to more scans and photos including in-situ and nymph/exuvia	Brimstone Clubtail Stylurus intricatus size: medium/large, length 41 - 55 mm, wingspan 55 - 64 mm male: very pale; yellow rings & triangular spots with dark background along abdomen, rings around segments 3-7 only, yellow club has splayed yellow appendages edged with black; yellow head; upper legs yellow; hang-perches on wood, vegetation, not rocks along shoreline female: similar to male but clubless habitat: open desert streams/rivers California flight period: June - October California distribution: RARE: southeastern Calif. California distribution map Southwestern distribution map <[P>ONT>
male female Link to more scans and photos including in-situ and nymph/exuvia	Pacific Clubtail Phanogomphus kurilis NOTE: was Gomphus until 2017 size: medium, 48-53 mm, wingspan 60 - 70 mm male: thorax sides have a gray-green pistol-shaped mark (yellow in immatures); 2 broad green stripes top of thorax come to a curved point near abdomen; thin yellow/green triangular marks atop abdomen, large yellow marks undersides of expanded 8th and 9th segments, top of segment 10 (and often 9) are DARK; legs and appendages DARK; green face with blue eyes when mature female: less clubbed, more cylindrical and stout; yellow where male is green similar species: Bison Snaketail not found on ponds and is yellow atop segment 10 and has top of appendages yellow behavior: perch on rocks in water at pond side habitat: only CA Clubtail found at lakes and ponds; also sluggish streams in valleys; a subspecies occurs at clear mountain lakes; California flight period: March - August (however mostly a Spring/early Summer species) California distribution: CA endemic; central and northern areas California distribution map Southwestern distribution map In Oregon there is the similar Columbia Clubtail Gomphurus *lynnae* [was Gomphus until 2017] It develops a thin pruinosity over its thorax.
male female Link to more scans and photos including in-situ and nymph/exuvia	Bison Snaketail Ophiogomphus bison size: medium, length 50 - 51 mm, wingspan 60 - 71 mm male: thorax bright green with single wide straight dark shoulder stripe (can show very thin green line in middle); yellow-green face; black legs; gray-blue eyes; abdomen black with yellow triangles, including atop segments 9 and 10; appendages yellow on top female: body more cylindrical, less clubbed; small (bison-like) horns above eyes (male lacks these 'horns') similar species: Pacific Clubtail is usually found on ponds and is black atop segment 10 and has black appendages; three other very similar Snaketails occur in California; compare by shoulder stripe width and shape and of appendages behavior: forages from the shoreline habitat: lowland trout streams California flight period: April - October, mostly seen in the Spring/early summer California distribution: northern and central Calif. California distribution map Southwestern distribution map
male female Link to more scans and photos including in-situ and nymph/exuvia	Sinuous Snaketail Ophiogomphus occidentis size: medium/large, length 47 - 51 mm, wingspan 58 - 67 mm male: yellow-green face with blue-gray eyes; sides of thorax dull olive green with double, dark wavy (sinuous) lines; yellow triangles along abdomen top; club yellow under segments 8-10 female: body more cylindrical; less clubbed similar species: four very similar Snaketails occur in California; compare by shoulder stripe width and shape and by appendages habitat: mountain rivers; lakes California flight period: March - August California distribution: central and northern Calif. California distribution map Southwestern distribution map
male female Link to more scans and photos including in-situ and nymph/exuvia	Great Basin Snaketail Ophiogomphus morrisoni size: medium, length 50 - 52 mm, wingspan 60 - 65 mm male: golden green thorax; pale shoulder stripe curved (but not wavy), connected to top pale stripe which is wide and flares near the head, looking somewhat like a pollywog; abdomen has yellow triangles along the top and yellow under clubbed segments; blue eyes; stout yellow appendages, the lowers are the longest female: body more cylindrical, less clubbed, stout similar species: four very similar Snaketails occur in California; compare by shoulder stripe width and shape and by appendages habitat: streams in arid lands California flight period: May - early September California distribution: eastern mountains California distribution map Southwestern distribution map
male female Link to more scans and photos including in-situ and nymph/exuvia	Pale Snaketail Ophiogomphus severus size: medium, length 48 - 55 mm, wingspan 67 - 72 mm male: very pale coloration; green thorax, black shoulder stripe often completely missing; variable oval spots sides of thorax top; identify by location and appendages, the lower appendages are 75% the length of the uppers female: body less clubbed; stout habitat: pools of rocky mountain streams California flight period: May - August California distribution: Modoc County California distribution map Southwestern distribution map

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