Desert VS Rambur's Forktails: Ischnura ramburii & I. barberi

These Rambur's and Desert Forktails were all collected at the New River Wetlands Project in Imperial Co. on April 5, 2003.

The first 2 scans are of female Rambur's Forktail Ischnura ramburii.
The top scan is the "DayGlo" orange color form.
The second scan is the "male-colored" form. Note that even the ovipositor is reduced to make this second female appear more male-like!
Note that the male-colored female even has the tiny round eye-spots and narrow side stripe that distinguish the male of Rambur's Forktail from the male Desert Forktail in CA.

This is a scan of a male Desert Forktail Ischnura barberi collected the same day at the same spot. Notice the larger, tear-shaped eyespots with a line connecting them and the wider shoulder stripe.

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