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A contribution to the study of the biodiversity of Odonata in Jalisco and Nayarit, Mexico
This includes all species as found on Dennis R. Paulson and Enrique González Soriano's list of Mexican Odonata species which includes all records vetted in Mexico.

*= go to glossary at bottom of page.
Click on links (blue text) &/or images to go to more information and other images of the species.

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Life Cycle of the Dragonfly


For help with identifications &/or to make a photo contribution, contact Kathy Biggs or upload to iNaturalist

Click here to view an Excel Chart of the species in Jalisco by municipality (similar to a county).
If you find a species in a new municipality, please submit it to iNaturalist/Naturalista.mx or Kathy Biggs.

Common Name (Scientific Name) photos & description Links to maps.

Click here to see the parts of a dragonfly's body labeled

Clubtails (Gomphidae) - 19 species have been documented in Jalisco. Clubtails have widely separated eyes, clear wings, and often a clubbed abdomen. The males usually perch on rocks and sandbars. Most are found on moving water.

Zebra-striped Sanddragon (Progomphus clendoni) photos: male and female size: medium/large, 46-52 mm male: dark thorax sides have pale yellow stripes, top stripes form a disjointed "W"; abdomen S1-7 very narrow, expanded at tip, club of S8-10 black & preceded by thick yellow ring, pale yellow rings on middle abdomen segments; appendage tops smooth & yellow, lower appendages forked; blue-gray eyes, yellow face with dark markings female: patterned like male; small top point on S1; appendages white; wings slightly yellowed behavior: males perch on sandbars and rocks habitat: moving water with sandy and rocky areas known flight months this region: 1-4, 6-9, 11, 12 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map other similarly marked Sanddragons, members of the Clubtail family occur in Jalisco

Mexican Sanddragon (Progomphus mexicanus) photos: scan of dead male and appendage sketch size: medium, TBD mm male: wings slightly amber-tinted; appendages only yellow at the extreme tip and not forked; middle thoracic side stripe interrupted female: TBD behavior: males perch on sandbars and rocks habitat: moving water with sandy and rocky areas known flight months this region: 1, 6-8, 11, 12 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco Mexican distribution map

"Yelapa" Sanddragon (Progomphus cf. mexicanus) photos: male size: medium, length ~51 mm male: green on thorax and yellow on the abdomen; wings slightly amber-tinted; appendages only yellow at the extreme tip and not forked; middle thoracic stripe interrupted female: TBD behavior: males perch on sandbars and rocks habitat: moving water with sandy and rocky areas, found mouth of Yelapa River, near the Yatch Club known flight months this region: 1, 11, 12 thus far distribution this region: Yelapa, Jalisco No Mexican distribution map Note: this represents an undescribed species; recorded twice in Yelapa in different years by different individuals

Gray Sanddragon (Progomphus borealis) photos: male and pair in mating wheel RARE in Jalisco - please report any sightings size: large, length 56-62 mm, wingspan 66-72 mm male: yellow face; thorax sides have large gray patches; dull pale yellow triangles top of very thin black abdomen; costa yellow; upper appendages yellow, lowers dark, same as Common Sanddragon; both arch abdomen when perching female: very similar to male but lacks club, abdomen more cylindrical behavior: males perch on sandbars and rocks habitat: sandy rivers, lakes known flight months this region: TBD distribution this region: Jalisco Mexican distribution map

Belyshev's Sanddragon (Progomphus belyshevi) photos: the 2 photographs are of an undescribed species, cf. Progomphus belyshevi - the assumption that Belyshevi's would be similar; the drawings of appendages and thorax ARE of P. belyshevi RARE in Jalisco, please report all sightings size: large, length 55-56 mm, wingspan ~66 male: much like the Gray Sanddragon with dark and gray areas on the thorax sides, sides of the thorax darker with a smaller amount of gray, middle wide dark stripe, which is joined with the femoral stripe; appendages more narrow than in Gray Sanddragon female: like male but slightly larger habitat: assumed to be sandy rivers, lakes known flight months this region: 8 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco Mexican distribution map

Broad-striped Forceptail (Aphylla angustifolia) photos: mature male and immature male size: large, length 62-68 mm, wingspread 74-82 mm male: 3 pale stripes on side of thorax with the middle stripe narrower; abdomen narrow with a flange on S8 (males and females) female: very similar but abdomen more cylindrical, club narrower habitat: lakes, ponds and pools of intermittent streams with muddy bottoms known flight months this region: 6, 8, 10 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Narrow-striped Forceptail (Aphylla protracta) photos: male and female size: large, length 64-66 mm male: flanged abdomen mostly russet-colored; thorax brown with narrow pale stripes; lower appendage unnoticeable female: very similar but abdomen more cylindrical, club narrower habitat: lakes, ponds and pools of intermittent streams with muddy bottoms known flight months this region: 1, 5-11 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Angle-tipped Forceptail (Phyllocycla elongata) photos: male and female RARE in Jalisco - please report any sightings size: large, length ~55 mm male: 4 pale stripes on thorax sides; abdomen thin and black with all dark club & appendages, each segment's ring twice size of preceding ring female: abdomen more cylindrical, pale area reduced; no club, pale under S9&10 habitat: streams with deep pools known flight months this region: 8-12 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map Note: Phyllocycla breviphylla may be a synonym of Phyllocycla elongata; female above labeled P. breviphylla on iNaturalist

Two-striped Leaftail (Phyllocycla bifasciatus) photos: male, appendages and female size: large, length 54 mm, wingspan 67 mm male: only two stripes on sides of thorax with no hint of any other markings; pale face with dark cross stripes, pale blue eyes; middle abdominal segments have rings open at top, S7/8 with broad complete ring, club widely flanged ("leaf-like"), appendages pale with dark edges female: less colorful; abdomen more cylindrical; lacks club habitat: streams with deep pools known flight months this region: 9-11 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco Mexican distribution map

West Mexican Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides nayaritensis) photos: males and close up of appendages size: large, length 60-68 mm male: dark thorax with mirror image “L” on top, slight yellowish cast to the 2 stripes on side, small middle stripe; pale face with dark cross stripes, pale blue eyes; middle abdominal segments have rings open at top, S7/8 with broad complete ring, club widely flanged ("leaf-like"), appendages pale with dark edges female: like male but without the widened flanges; the larva is unknown habitat: rocky and muddy rivers with moderately swift current known flight months this region: 7, 9, 11, 12 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Pacific Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides pacificus) photos: male size: large/very large, length 65-67 mm male: blue eyes widely separated; sprawling legs; well camouflaged; 5 parallel & entire bluish-white thoracic stripes; incomplete abdominal rings prior to S7 female: less colorful; abdomen more cylindrical habitat: streams with deep pools known flight months this region: 6-12 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Luis's Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides luisi) photos:a dead specimen of Phyllogomphoides luisi and drawings by Enrique González Soriano who described the species - RARE in Jalisco - please report any sightings size: large, length ~51 mm male: very similar to P. pacificus; thorax with 5 olive green stripes; abdominal segments 1 & 2 are yellow on top, 3-6 have pale bands, 2/3 of 7 is yellow, 8 has diffuse side spots, 9 & 10 are black; appendages are black female: like male with the appendages being yellow with some dark at basal area habitat: tbd known flight months this region months 8, 9, 10 distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map note: added to the Jalisco list in 2024

Spine-tipped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides albrighti) photos: drawings of a male head and thorax, male and female abdomen tip and appendages size: large, length 52-62 mm wingspan ~80 mm male: Five pale stripes on thorax, front stripe shaped like an inverted "7", the other sstriped are an alternating half, full, half, full with the last stripe boomerang shaped; upper appendages with a small spine female: abdomen with a larger 'leaf' than the male and pale appendages habitat: streams with deep pools behavior" perch on stream-side sticks and such known flight months this region months TBD distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Common Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides suasus) photos: male and female size: very large, length ~62 mm, wingspan ~80 mm male: three pale stripes on side of thorax, 1st & 2nd stripes at the top are only a dot; pale appendages are dark tipped. female: like male but less 'leafed' habitat: slow moving waters with rock-bottoms in forested areas behavior: females *oviposit in riffles and in the eddies formed behind large rocks known flight months this region months TBD distribution this region: Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Yellow-legged Ringtail (Erpetogomphus crotalinus) photos: male and female RARE in Jalisco - please report all sightings size: medium, length 45-49 mm, wingspan 60-72 mm male: yellow-green thorax lacks any dark striping; abdomen yellow with indistinct black rings, medium-sized club, yellow appendages; wings with yellow costa on both sexes female: like male but abdomen more cylindrical, S1-2 mostly green, lacks club behavior: males perch on rocks, sandbars and on branches overhanging streams habitat: moving water with riffles in the sunshine known flight months this region: 7-9, 11 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map other similarly marked Ringtails occur in Jalisco

One-striped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus bothrops) photos: male and female size: medium, 38-47 mm male: thorax green with one dark stripe; green face with blue eyes; tip of narrow ringed abdomen is greatly expanded with yellow on the underside female: thorax like male's; abdomen more cylindrical, lacks club; shows rings at abdominal segments behavior: males perch on rocks, sandbars and on branches overhanging streams habitat: moving water known flight months this region 9-12 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Straight-tipped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus elaps) photos: male RARE in Jalisco - please report all sightings size: medium, length ~41 mm, wingspan ~66 mm male: green thorax, top thoracic stripe dark, wide and short; no true side stripe; abdomen mostly dark with pale rings on S4-6, S7 with wider pale area, the top of club dark; straight blunt appendages pale; lower appendages curved to meet straight upper appendages at midpoint female: like male; abdomen more cylindrical, lacks club behavior: males perch on rocks, sandbars and on branches overhanging streams habitat: moving water known flight months this region: 7-11 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Plateau Ringtail (Erpetogomphus sipedon) photos: male and female, scan of dead male RARE in Jalisco - please report all sightings size: medium, length 39-49 mm; wingspan 50-62 mm male: green thorax, top thoracic stripe dark, wide and short; no true side stripe; abdomen mostly dark with pale rings on S4-6, S7 with wider pale area, the top of club dark; straight blunt appendages pale; lower appendages curved to meet upper appendages at midpoint female: abdomen more cylindrical, lacks club behavior: males perch on rocks, sandbars and on branches overhanging streams habitat: moving water known flight months this region: 6, 7 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Boa Ringtail (Erpetogomphus boa) New to Jalisco list 2020 photos: male and scanned male (dead) with appendages enlarged RARE in Jalisco - please report any sightings size: medium, length 49-53 mm, wingspan ~70 mm male: blue eyes; apple to blue-green thorax with wide black 'shoulder' stripe; abdomen dark with green arrow-like marks atop S1-5, S6 with a green ring, S-9 dark on top, S10 yellow; thick bristles on upper last half of the cerci is characteristic (need to have in-hand) female: coloration as in male, but with pale areas on abdomen and legs more extensive similar species: Plateau Ringtail's cerci lack the bristles habitat: moving water known flight months this region: 7 thus far habitat: moving water known flight months this region: 7 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco Mexican distribution map

Aztec Clubtail (Stylurus falcatus) photos: none accessible, see male scan above RARE in Jalisco - please report all sightings size: medium, length more than 32 mm, wingspan ~60 mm male: description at this link (see Pl. I, Figs. 1-6 to the left); very dark brown, almost black abdomen with only a slight "club" on S8-9; pale areas mostly pale yellow with some pale blue. female: patterned like the male habitat: Lago de Chapala known flight months this region: 8 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco Mexican distribution map formerly called the Plateau Clubtail (2021)

Tehuantepec Knobtail (Epigomphus crepidus) photos: male; drawings RARE in Jalisco - please report all sightings size: medium, length ~43-55 mm wingspread ~70 mm male: knob-like appearance to "club"& appendages; dark-brownish with pale yellow or olive green stripes on the head and thorax; abdomen S1&2 olive, S3 1/3 black with top ridge yellow, S4-6 similar but with black on each, S7 2/3 yellow, S8-10 dark, appendages dark female: similar to male but markings not as well defined and without a knob at tail end habitat: lowland moist forests and rivers known flight month this regions:3 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Darners (Aeshnidae) Jalisco and Nayarit have 19 species documented. Darners have eyes that touch broadly and patterned abdomens. They seldom perch, but when they do they hang perch on vegetation.

Common Green Darner (Anax junius) photos: tandem pair with female ovipositing; non-male-like female size: very large, 63-84 mm, wingspan 92-103 mm male: more solidly colored than Mosaic Darners; green eyes and yellow-green face; bull's eye mark top of face; solid green thorax; electric blue abdomen with wide dark stripe on top; wings can be clear or show yellowish tinge female: most are purplish brown with green; rarer form colored like male (however S2 isn't all green); eyes usually remain brown with with yellow back border; wings often yellowish tinged behavior: tandem & solo ovipositing; abdomen carried straight in flight; swarms; migrates often as immatures habitat: ponds, fields and waterways known flight months this region: 3, 6-12 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Giant Darner (Anax walsinghami) photos: male in flight; tandem pair RARE/NEW in Jalisco (2022) - please document ALL sightings This species has not yet been documented with a photo although it has been recorded in 4 months and has been seen by 4 different individuals. Scientists will not add it to the official state list until it is documented- PLEASE HELP!! size: huge, male 99-111 mm, wingspan 115-135 mm male: largest dragonfly in North America; coloring like Common Green Darner but very long thin blue and dark patterned abdomen; solid green thorax; eyes blue on top, yellow rimmed female: like male; smaller but still very long narrow abdomen, 88 - 99 mm, wingspan 112 -122 mm; less blue similar species: Common Green Darner caries abdomen straight in flight; eyes green behavior: abdomen carried arched in flight habitat:canyon and spring-fed streams, marshes, lakes in arid areas. In Jalisco, they were found in Yelapa on the Rio de Tuito both at first crossing and at the waterfall. known flight months this region: 1, 4, 11 & 12 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco Mexican distribution map

Amazon Darner (Anax amazili) photos: females size: very large, length 70-75mm, wingspan ~104mm male: bull's eye mark on top of frons, eyes brown-gray; solid green thorax, abdomen patterned with white spots, S1-2 pale green stripes, other segments appear patterned with wide, white spots female: similar to male but lacks stripes on S2, otherwise more boldly patterned behavior: males seen less often than females habitat: overgrown weedy ponds known flight months this region: 6-10 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

faltando un par de manchas Blue-faced Darner (Coryphaeschna adnexa) photos: males and female size: large, length 66-69 mm, wingspan 88-108 mm male: bright blue face and eyes; green thorax with thin dark stripes without a pair of spots; dark brown abdomen with thin green rings; appendages lack spine female: like male but with broader abdomen; wings can have amber tint; eyes show blue; appendages tend to break off habitat: ponds, usually covered with floating vegetation such as water lettuce, water hyacinth or duckweeds known flight months this region: 2, 4, 6, 7, 9-12 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Mangrove Darner (Coryphaeschna viriditas) photos: male and female size: very large, length 76-85 mm, wingspan 102-120 mm male: green face with black T-spot on frons; green thorax with narrow brown stripes also shows a pair of spots; abdomen streaked with green and brown female: like male but with broader abdomen habitat: mangrove marshes known flight months this region: 1, 6, 10 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco Mexican distribution map

Fiery Darner (Coryphaeschna diapyra) photos: male and female size: very large, length ~75 mm, wingspan ~100 mm male: green thorax with reddish abdomen, long appendages female: like male but with brown eyes; wings can turn brown with maturity habitat: ponds and marshes known flight months this region: 7, 8, 11 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Pale-green Darner (Triacanthagyna septima) photos: male & female RARE in Jalisco - please report any sightings size: relatively small, length 59-66 mm male: pale green thorax, pale yellow legs; eyes bluish-green; thin brown abdomen with some green rings; long appendages female: very similar in coloration to male but has greenish-brown eyes; long, slender appendages; T-spot lacks a stem behavior: hang from a twig or vine with abdomen almost vertical; crepuscular feeders, roost within the jungle; come out to feed at jungle edge at dusk habitat: breed in jungle rain pools known flight months this region: 5-7, 10, 11 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Caribbean Darner (Triacanthagyna caribbea) photos: male and female RARE in Jalisco - please report all sightings size: medium, length ~ 63 mm male: green face with black T-spot on frons; green thorax with wide brown stripes; abdomen streaked with green and brown female: very similar in coloration to male but with wider body behavior: hang perch; crepuscular habitat: tropical forests known flight months this region: 6-9 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Malachite Darner (Remartinia luteipennis) photos: male and pair in mating wheel size: very large, length 76-80 mm, wingspan 92-102 mm male: wide green stripes sides and top of thorax, pale thoracic stripes wider than brown stripes; abdomen brown with S1-2 mostly green, thin green marks rest of abdomen female: like male but eyes and face blue with very short appendages; wings become brown with maturity behavior: males fly at waist to above head level, hovering now and then habitat: ponds and streams with marshy edges known flight months this region: 4-11 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Secretive Darner (Remartinia secreta) photos: male and female size: very large, length 78-80 mm, wingspan 92-100 mm male: like Malachite Darner but with the brown stripes as wide as, or wider, than green stripes female: unlike male almost unmarked pale yellow-green thorax; abdomen patterned with very short appendages; wings become brown with maturity behavior: secretive habitat: small pools in fern swamps; unlikely to be in the highlands known flight months this region: 7-10 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco Mexican distribution map

Persephone's Darner (Aeshna persephone) photos: males and female size: very large, length 72-79 mm, wingspan 100-103 mm male: thorax side stripes broad, parallel sided, yellow; blue eyes; pale green face, black facial line; sky blue mosaic pattern on abdomen less pronounced than on other Aeshna; fused spot segment 9 tri-lobed, spots on 10 reduced or missing; appendages paddle-shaped with small spine female: wide yellow side stripes; no bump under 1st segment some can be colored like the male behavior: follows low, along shaded stream edges habitat: desert canyons, along shaded streams known flight months this region: TBD (late season?) distribution this region: Nayarit Mexican distribution map

West Mexican Darner (Rhionaeschna vazquezae) photos: male and female RARE in Nayarit - pleases report any sightings size: very large, length 68-72 mm, wingspan 95-99 mm male: *frons greenish light blue with green spots next to a yellow area surrounding the *T-spot stem; very wide bright green stripes on the thorax sides; weakly patterned black abdomen has green and blue spots; tubercle under S1; small spine on the upper appendages female: like male with tubercle under S1; very wide bright green stripes on the thorax sides; weakly patterned black abdomen has green and blue spots habitat: streams that flow in a pool-and-drop manner over bed rock that also retains scattered, silt-and-sand-bottomed side pools persisting after higher flows, in heavy shade most of the day behavior: males fly up and down along pool, sometimes over center, mostly right at the shore, at water surface and in and out of overhanging branches and roots, with a very slow and methodical searching, mostly after the sun has disappeared' known flight months this region: September distribution this region: Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Turquoise-tipped Darner (Rhionaeschna psilus) photos: male & an ovipositing female size: large, length 56-62 mm, wingspan 78-91 mm male: patterned slender dark abdomen; S9-10 blue on the underside, S10 top has paired spots connected by a bar: sinuous green thoracic stripes; long slender appendages; inconspicuous tubercle under S1; female: thorax similarly marked to male; bump under first segment; spots on abdomen are small and green, S10 has paired spots connected by a bar; long appendages behavior: abdomen carried straight in flight; swarm; migrate; hang perch habitat: ponds, ditches and sluggish streams known flight months this region: all year distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Black-tailed Darner (Rhionaeschna jalapensis) NEW 2021 photos: macho RARE IN JALISCO please report all sightings size: large, length 67-72 mm, wingspan 88-93 mm male: fewer pale spots atop abdomen than other Rhionaeschna; stripes on thorax thin; dark line across face, blue eyes; appendages forked in side view; inconspicuous tubercle under S1; female: similarly marked to male; inconspicuous bump under first segment behavior: females may submerge abdomen when ovipositing habitat: small to medium ponds known flight months this region: 3, 12 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco Mexican distribution map

Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor) photos: male & female size: large, length 65-69 mm, wingspan 89-92 mm male: bright blue eyes; pale line across face; blue stripes on front and sides of thorax, inconspicuous bump under first segment; abdomen mosaic patterned; appendages shaped like a wrench when seen from the side; tubercle under S1 female: thorax similarly marked to male; inconspicuous bump under first segment; colored as male or in greens and browns behavior: abdomen carried straight in flight; swarm; migrate; hang perch habitat: ponds, ditches and sluggish streams known flight months this region: 2, 3, 5-12 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map

Ditzler's Darner (Triacanthagyna ditzleri) photos: male & female RARE in Jalisco - pleases report any sightings size: relatively small, length ~59 mm male: dark brown thorax with green stripes on side wider than the brown space background, middle of 3 stripes narrower, stripes atop thorax; dark brown abdomen with small pale green markings; long appendages female: very similar in coloration to male; 3 prominent spines under S10; long appendages behavior: hang perch; crepuscular habitat: tropical forests known flight months this region: 8 thus far b distribution this region: Jalisco Mexican distribution map

Bar-sided Darner (Gynacantha mexicana) photos: male and female RARE in Jalisco - please report any sightings size: large, length 75-81 mm male: mostly brown with pale green markings; brown or green eyes; thorax green with a dark green stripe at back end; usually with a dark brown stripe in the wings female: very similar in coloration to male; appendages longer than S9&10 similar species: Twilight Darner has lower appendage more than half the length of the uppers behavior: crepuscular (sunrise and sunset) habitat: ephemeral pools and ponds known flight months this region: TBD distribution this region: Jalisco Mexican distribution map

Twilight Darner (Gynacantha nervosa) photos: male (posed) and female size: large, length 75-81 mm male: tan thorax with 2 dark dots on sides; slender abdomen with thin light green rings female: similarly marking to male but with two spines on underside of abdomen S10; there is a stem on the T-spot that is not present in T. septima similar species: Bar-sided Darner has lower appendage less than half the length of the uppers behavior: swarm at twilight (crepuscular), does not fly during the daytime; eggs laid in tree holes habitat: ponds, ditches and sluggish streams known flight months this region: 1-3,6, 9-11 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco Mexican distribution map

Helen's Darner (Gynacantha helenga) photos: males (mature and immature) size: relatively small, length TBD male: bright yellow appendages and tip of S10; abdomen is brown with yellow-green markings that grow smaller on each segment, S1-2 have blue on them; thorax green with brown stripes female: like male; pale stigma behavior: swarm at twilight (crepuscular), does not fly during the daytime; eggs laid in tree holes habitat: TBD known flight months this region: 1, 4, 6-11 thus far distribution this region: Jalisco and Nayarit Mexican distribution map