Damselflies of Yelapa & Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco, Mexico
A contribution to the study of the biodiversity of Odonata in Yelapa & Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco, Mexico
Seen & photographed by Kathy & Dave Biggs, Doug Danforth & others
(photos by Dave &/or Kathy Biggs unless marked otherwise) *= go to glossary at bottom of page.
Click on links (blue text) to go to more information & other images of the species.
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Caballitos del diablo de Yelapa y Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco, México - Visto por Kathy & Dave Biggs, Doug Danforth y otras
Una contribución al estudio de la biodiversidad de los odonatos en Yelapa y Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco, México
(fotos de Dave Biggs menos que se notifique lo contrario)
Haga clic en los enlaces (texto azul)
para ir a más información y otras imágenes de la especie, tomada en otro lugars.
Link to map of Cabo Corrientes
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For help with identifications &/or to make a photo contribution, contact Kathy Biggs
Para obtener ayuda con identificaciones ay / o para hacer una contribución de la foto,
póngase en contacto con Kathy Biggs
Common Name (Scientific Name)
photo &/or description
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DAMSELFLIES (ZYGOPTERA)
Damselflies have widely separated eyes and long thin bodies. Most hold their wings closed above or alongside the abdomen.
At least 3 of Jalisco's 4 families of damselflies have been recorded in Yelapa/Cabo Corrientes,
(several families have been merged into the Pond/Narrow-winged damsels)
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Shortcuts
Broad-winged Damselflies - in Cabo Corrientes, they all have red at the base of their wings and long legs
Pond Damsel Damselflies - very common, variable and colorful
Spreadwing Damselflies - they perch with their wings spread delta-like to their sides
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Broad-winged/Jewel-winged Damsels (Calopterygidae)
These species all have red at the base of their wings and long legs. 1 genus in Cabo Corrientes, 4 species have been documented |
American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana)
 
photos: male & female
size: medium/large, length 36 - 51 mm
male: wings ruby red basal 1/3 to 1/2; thorax top blood red as if under black glass, pale side stripes; abdomen bronzy brown-green with thin rings;
pale stigma on wing (occassionaly missing)
female: less colorful; wings with orangish streak on leading edge, tips mostly clear, pale stigma (sometimes no stigma)
similar species: several very similar Rubyspots occur in Yelapa and nearby
behavior: males hold territory at moving water sites; often perch with head lower than abdomen & wings held together to one side of abdomen
habitat: open streams, rivers
flight season in Jalisco: months # 1-4,6,8-12 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Racket-tipped Rubyspot (Hetaerina occisa)
 
photos: male and female
male: ruby red color at base of wings and distinct jewell-like red color at tip of wings;
long, rachet-shaped lower appendages
female: lacks jewel-like spot at wing-tips; top of thorax with green sheen; wings slightly smoky; prothorax (neck-like area) has sideways projection which is lacking in Smoky Rubyspot females
behavior: males hold territory at moving water sites; often perch with head lower than abdomen & wings sometimes held together to one side of abdomen
habitat: open clear streams, rivers
flight season in Jalisco: months # 1-3,5-12 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Smoky Rubyspot (Hetaerina titia)
 
photos: male and appendages
size:medium/large, length 37 - 51 mm
male: quite variable; wings with red at base of forewing, in Yelapa, there is very little dark beyond the red but with wing tips smoky; chestnut-colored thorax ; abdomen mostly black; lower appendages curve upward
female: less colorful; four green spots on the top of the chestnut-colored thorax are diagnostic
behavior: males hold territory at moving water sites; usually don't hold wings together to one side of abdomen as Am.Rubyspots do
habitat: sandy-bottomed streams, rivers
flight season in Jalisco: months # 1-3,6-12 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Highland Rubyspot (Hetaerina cruentata)
 
photos: males and appendages
size:medium, lenght 41-48 mm
male: like other Rubyspots, has red at base of wing which is also dark at the tip; the bright green triangle on the side of the thorax is diagnostic
female: ess colorful; wings with only amber wash at base and clear at tip
habitat: not found at lower elevations, therefore not found in Yelapa
flight season in Jalisco: months 1,4,8,9 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Pond/Narrow Winged Damsels "Caballito del diablo" (Coenagrionidae) - at least 16 species documented
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Orange-striped Threadtail (Protoneura cara)
 
photos: male and tandem pairs ovipositing
male & female: vboth have very thin dark abdomens with pale rings; on males the thorax, eyes and face show more orange
Amelia's Threadtail (Neoneura amelia) also occurs in the state of Jalisco, MX and may occur in Yelapa. It is red.
behavior: emales bend at extreme angles to oviposit, needing to 'park' their very long abdomens between their wings for stability
habitat: ponds and pools rivers with abundant underwater vegetation reaching the surface
flight season in Jalisco: months # 1-4,6-12 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva)
 
photos: male & tandem ovipositing pair
size: very small, length 23 - 29 mm
male: dainty and slender; all red abdomen extends well beyond wing tips; red face and eyes; black eye spots; thorax red with black; pale legs; tip of abdomen without black
female: similarly marked; colored from brown to tan to orange-red
behavior: tandem oviposit; eggs laid in algae mats and floating vegetation
habitat: shallow waters with algae scum &/or floating decomposing vegetation; lowlands
flight season in Jalisco: flies all year
Mexican distribution Map
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Striped Firetail (Telebasis filiola)
 
photos: male & tandem pair
size: VERY small, length 20 - 26 mm
male: dainty and slender; all red abdomen extends well beyond wing tips; blue-green face and bottoms of eyes; thorax black with pale blue-green stripes;
tip of abdomen without black
female: head and thorax like male; abdomen dark
habitat: small weedy ponds and marshes, esp. with water hyacinth
flight season in Jalisco: months # 2-7,10 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Fiery-eyed Dancer
(Argia oenea)
 
photos: male and male & female tandem ovipositing
size: medium, length 33 - 39 mm
male: upper eyes bright red, blue wash back of the eye; coppery orange face; top of thorax dark metallic coppery red;
abdomen segments 3-6 blue/purple above with blue "tail" segments 8-10; clear wings
female: eye color more muted if showing any red at all; tan/brown coloration; top of thorax without red; deeply forked side thoracic marks
behavior: Dancers hold their wings closed, above the body when perched, often clapping them together; females may oviposit underwater
habitat: shallow rocky streams and rivers
flight season in Jalisco: months # 1-4,6-8,11,12 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Cerulean Dancer (Argia anceps)
 
photos: male and female
size: medium, length 37 - 41 mm
male: bright sky blue species with very little black; wings can be amber-tinted; large eyespots; ALL the abdominal segments are blue on the
top;
side stripe pinched but not forked; S2 has short dark stripe on the side
female: ike male or tan; wings amber-tinted
similar species: comparison with similar Sierra Madre Dancer
Argia lacrimans which has clear wings but shows black atop S10;differentiate by appendages using hand lens
behavior: Dancers hold their wings closed, above the body when perched, often clapping them together
habitat: small rocky streams
flight season in Jalisco: all year
Mexican distribution Map
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Spine-tipped Dancer (Argia extranea)
photos: male & tandem pairs
size: size: medium, length 32 - 37 mm
male: blue-colored or light purple with wide top thoracic stripe parallel-sided; stair-stepped side stripe; saddle-shaped spot side of S2;
dark triangles along side of abdomen; S8-10 blue
female: marked like male but less colorful; darker face; 2 forms, one blue & one tan
behavior: Dancers hold their wings closed, above the body when perched, often clapping them together
habitat: small rocky &/or sandy streams, usually with a lot of emergent vegetation
flight season in Jalisco: months # 1-4,6-11 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Yaqui Dancer (Argia carlcooki)
 
photos: male and female
size: size: small, length 30 - 33 mm
male: blue-colored with thickly-forked side thoracic stripe; long dark triangles along side of abdomen; S8-10 blue
female: more strongly marked than male
behavior: Dancers hold their wings closed, above the body when perched, often clapping them together
habitat: lushly vegetated streams
flight season in Jalisco: months # 1-4,8 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Oculate (Bluepoint) Dancer (Argia oculata)
 
Photos: male and tandem pair
male: abdomen mostly dark with backwards pointing blue arrows atop first segments nearest the thorax; wide thoracic stripe forked
female: less colorful
behavior: Dancers hold their wings closed, above the body when perched, often clapping them together
habitat ponds; slow moving water
flight season in Jalisco: months # 1-3,5,7-12 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Purple Dancer
(Argia pulla)
 
photos: male and female
male: dark abdomen with blue/purple tip; thorax with wide side stripe; color dark blue to purple; dark blue eyes with post-ocular spots
female: brown where male is purple
behavior: Dancers hold their wings closed, above the body when perched, often clapping them together
habitat ponds & Rio del Tuito
flight season in Jalisco: months # 1-4,6-8,10,12 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Tezpi Dancer (Argia tezpi)
 
photos: male and tandem pair
size: medium, length 34 - 42 mm
male: very dark, even the face and eyes, eye-spots not very noticeable; thorax top all dark; wings golden; all dark abdomen including
S7-10 with 4 pale rings around segments
female: like male or brown; split thoractic side stripe
behavior: Dancers hold their wings closed, above the body when perched, often clapping them together
habitat ponds & slow moving water
flight season in Jalisco: months # 1-5,10,12 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Claw-tipped Bluet (Enallagma semicirculare)
 
photos: males
size: medium, length 30-32 mm
male: blue or purple with very long, smooth upper top appendages that extend considerably beyond lower appendages
female: like male but more blueish
behavior: Bluets hold their wings closed, alongside the body when perched
habitat: heavily vegetated slow streams and ponds
flight season in Jalisco: months # 1-2,5,7,8 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Neotropical Bluet (Enallagma novaehispaniae)
 
photos: male and tandem pair
size: medium, length 29-35 mm (AZ specimen 33mm)
male: thorax blue or purplish blue; stripes on thorax very parallel-sided; large oval eyespots; long abdomen with blue atop
seg.8 & 9 separated by a dark ring; top appendages forked & extend considerably beyond lower appendages
female: one form like male or somewhat greenish; other mostly brownish
behavior: Bluets hold their wings closed, alongside the body when perched
habitat: heavily vegetated streams
flight season in Jalisco: months # 1-5,10,12
Mexican distribution Map
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West Mexican Yellowface (Neoerythromma gladiolatum )
 
photos: male & pair
size: small; length 28 - 31 mm
male: male: uniquely yellow on face;
resembles a bright blue Bluet but with blue on 3 of the tail segments, including S7-9;
wedge-shaped appendages
female: like male but with dull yellow-green face
similar species: like Bluets (Enallagma) but there are no Bluets with yellow faces
or as much blue on tail; Caribbean Yellowface (N. cultellatum) has S7 all black
habitat: ponds. flooded lagoons
especially with grasses and sedges
flight season in Jalisco: months # 2,3,5-11 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Rambur's Forktail (Ischnura ramburii)
 
photos: male & immature female
size: medium, length 27 - 36 mm
male: green-blue shoulder stripe very thin, parallel sided; tiny circular eyespots not connected with a bar; thorax and S1-3 greenish-blue;
yellowish-orange underside only of S3-7; blue surrounds S8, part of 9, not top of 10;
lower appendages point straight out
female: very male-like or Day-Glo red/orange turning tan/olive; wide black stripe thorax top
similar species: Citrine Forktail female's abdomen not all black; Mexican Forktail male is similar with much larger fork atop end of s10
habitat: ponds & slow moving water
flight season in Jalisco: all year
Mexican distribution Map
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Citrine Forktail (Ischnura ramburii)
 
photos: male & immature and mature (insert) females
size: small; length 21 - 25 mm
male: uniquely yellow on abdomen; yellow face; stigma one cell away from leading edge on front wing
female: wide black stripe thorax top both in pruinose mature form and immature orange form
similar species: Mexican Forktail mature female lacks dark top stripe;
Mexican Forktail male is similar with much larger fork atop end of S10
habitat: ponds, flooded lagoons;slow moving water
flight season in Jalisco: months # 1,4,6,8,9,11,12 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Lemon-tipped Helicopter (Mecistogaster ornata)
  
photos:scan of pair, male, female in fight
size: LARGE/LONG/SLENDER 79-102 mm
male: very long abdomens; in breeding season the male's wingtips turn from pale yellow to dark brown
female: wing-tips yellow; very long abdomens
behavior: when flying, only the colored wingtips show, making it look like a twinkling light in the jungle; hang perch; prey on spiders in their webs; females lay their eggs in puddles formed in tree holes
habitat: light gaps in jungle, not on rivers or ponds
flight season in Jalisco: months # 1-4,7,9-12 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Spreadwing Damselflies (Lestidae)
3 species documented Caballitos crucifijo
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Great Spreadwing (Archilestes grandis)
 
photos: males and female
size: large, slender, length 50 - 62 mm
male: wings held out straight from the body (spread); long abdomen is dark gray with greenish sheen, pruinose area near tip;
one continuous pale side stripe on thorax side (yellow in mature); blue eyes & face; stigma usually dark;
top appendages semicircular, lowers are divergent
female: like male, but tip of tail expanded, eyes less blue
habitat: streams with overhanging Willow trees etc. where the females place their eggs into the bark
flight season in Jalisco: months # flies all year
Mexican distribution Map
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Tikai Spreadwing (Lestes tikalus )
 
photos: male - Found in Yelapa in 2017.
size: very slender, length 39 mm, hindwing length 20 mm
male: body gray with pruinose area near tip; stepped black spots on the pale blue thorax sides; short dark stigma; top appendages semicircular and lowers somewhat so,
and almost as long as the uppers
female: see this scanned female; brown/tan with some green on side of thorax, ovipositor very large extending to end of abdomen
behavior: wings held out delta-style from the body (spread); females place eggs in vegetation above where water will pool
habitat: shallow ponds and marshes in forests, typically those that are drying in dry season and re-flooded in next wet season
flight season in Jalisco: found in May and August thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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Chalky Spreadwing
(Lestes sigma)
 
photos: mature male and ovipositing pair
size: slender; 41-45 mm
male: thorax becomes pruinose chalky whitish-blue/gray; long body dark with S8 & 9 pruinose; blue eyes, short dark stigmais often bi-colored;
top appendages semicircular and lowers form an S-curve
female: similar to male; dark abdomen with S8-10 pruinose; short ovipositor
behavior: wings held out delta-style; females place eggs in vegetation above where water will pool
habitat: shallow ponds
flight season in Jalisco: months # 1,2,6,8,10 thus far
Mexican distribution Map
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