Mexican species
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As in most parts of the tropics the odonate distribution in Mexico is still not fully uncovered. Both the lack of field work and the complexity of similarity between species, eg. genus Argia, make it a slow progress. But the interest and awareness is growing, why a flow of new discoveries are expected during the coming years.
The main resource I've used to build my lists from, is the one maintained by Dennis Paulson at Puget Sound Museum of Natural History. Being a capacity on the New World Odonates his lists are curated and the best starting point. New information and discoveries are best searched using iNaturalist, this being where most Mexicans put their records (and odonate-lovers worldwide, when not using local databases). Additional information, of course, is also found in other relevante online resources. I'm running frequent scans of the most common resources trying to keep up with the present state of knowledge. I think enough is known already to get the larger picture of the species distribution in the country, though. And probably not surprising the maps shows a similar pattern as the one representing the distribution of bird species,with the most species-rich regions being around the Tehuantepec isthmus (Chiapas, Oaxaca and Veracruz) and next West Central Mexico centered around Jalisco. Linked to below, I've also made a table list to show the data in a more compressed form. And you have the option to list it sorted by geography too, showing the states in a northern to southern order. This gives you a better understanding about the distribution of genera and families in the country. The species accounts related to Mexico are still far from being made, and the same goes for the endemic status. Map showing the species I've seen here. State lists updated per October, 2026. |
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| Species per state | |||
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0-30
31-60
61-90
91-120
121-150
151-180
181-210
211-240
241-270
271-300
301-330
330 <
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| Show explanation | |||
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Aguascalientes (agu) |
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| Total | Registered | ||
| Mexican endemics | |||
| True Species that normally do not occur outside of Mexico. | 0 | 0 | |
| Regionals US border states plus area south of Mexico including Nicaragua. | 15 | 0 | |
| Only show endemic species Show registered species Show species with PSV | Endemics | ||
| Spreadwings (Lestidae) | |||
| Great Spreadwing (Archilestes grandis) | map | 1 | |
| Plateau Spreadwing (Lestes alacer) | map | 2 | |
| Demoiselles (Calopterygidae) | |||
| American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) | map | 3 | |
| Pond Damselflies (Coenagrionidae) | |||
| Black-and-white Damsel (Apanisagrion lais) | map | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 4 |
| Cerulean Dancer (Argia anceps) | map | 5 | |
| Spine-tipped Dancer (Argia extranea) | map | Mexico, USA. | 6 |
| Variable Dancer (Argia fumipennis) | map | 7 | |
| Springwater Dancer (Argia funebris) | map | 8 | |
| Kiowa Dancer (Argia immunda) | map | 9 | |
| Sierra Madre Dancer (Argia lacrimans) | map | Mexico, USA. | 10 |
| Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens) | map | 11 | |
| Apache Dancer (Argia munda) | map | Mexico, USA. | 12 |
| Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana) | map | 13 | |
| Fiery-eyed Dancer (Argia oenea) | map | 14 | |
| Amethyst Dancer (Argia pallens) | map | Guatemala, Mexico, USA. | 15 |
| Sabino Dancer (Argia sabino) | map | Mexico, USA. | 16 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer (Argia sedula) | map | 17 | |
| Tarascan Dancer (Argia tarascana) | map | Mexico, USA. | 18 |
| Tezpi Dancer (Argia tezpi) | map | 19 | |
| Tonto Dancer (Argia tonto) | map | Mexico, USA. | 20 |
| Dusky Dancer (Argia translata) | map | 21 | |
| Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) | map | 22 | |
| Neotropical Bluet (Enallagma novaehispaniae) | map | 23 | |
| Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) | map | 24 | |
| Painted Damsel (Hesperagrion heterodoxum) | map | Mexico, USA. | 25 |
| Mexican Forktail (Ischnura demorsa) | map | Mexico, USA. | 26 |
| Black-fronted Forktail (Ischnura denticollis) | map | 27 | |
| Citrine Forktail (Ischnura hastata) | map | 28 | |
| Rambur’s Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) | map | 29 | |
| Hyacinth Firetail (Telebasis levis) | map | 30 | |
| Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) | map | 31 | |
| Hawkers (Aeshnidae) | |||
| Persephone’s Darner (Aeshna persephone) | map | Mexico, USA. | 32 |
| Amazon Darner (Anax amazili) | map | 33 | |
| Common Green Darner (Anax junius) | map | 34 | |
| Twilight Darner (Gynacantha nervosa) | map | 35 | |
| Malachite Darner (Remartinia luteipennis) | map | 36 | |
| Arroyo Darner (Rhionaeschna dugesi) | map | Mexico, USA. | 37 |
| Black-tailed Darner (Rhionaeschna jalapensis) | map | 38 | |
| Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor) | map | 39 | |
| Turquoise-tipped Darner (Rhionaeschna psilus) | map | 40 | |
| Clubtails (Gomphidae) | |||
| Yellow-legged Ringtail (Erpetogomphus crotalinus) | map | Mexico, USA. | 41 |
| Cruisers (Macromiidae) | |||
| Western River Cruiser (Macromia magnifica) | map | 42 | |
| Skimmers (Libellulidae) | |||
| Red-tailed Pennant (Brachymesia furcata) | map | 43 | |
| Mayan Setwing (Dythemis maya) | map | 44 | |
| Black Setwing (Dythemis nigrescens) | map | Mexico, USA. | 45 |
| Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) | map | 46 | |
| Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa) | map | 47 | |
| Plateau Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax basifusca) | map | 48 | |
| Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata) | map | 49 | |
| Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis) | map | 50 | |
| Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) | map | 51 | |
| Hyacinth Glider (Miathyria marcella) | map | 52 | |
| Thornbush Dasher (Micrathyria hagenii) | map | 53 | |
| Upland Dasher (Micrathyria paulsoni) | map | 54 | |
| Carmine Skimmer (Orthemis discolor) | map | 55 | |
| Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) | map | 56 | |
| Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) | map | 57 | |
| Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) | map | 58 | |
| Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) | map | 59 | |
| Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea) | map | 60 | |
| Mexican Amberwing (Perithemis intensa) | map | 61 | |
| Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) | map | 62 | |
| Filigree Skimmer (Pseudoleon superbus) | map | 63 | |
| Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) | map | 64 | |
| Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum) | map | 65 | |
| Spot-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum signiferum) | map | Mexico, USA. | 66 |
| Vermilion Saddlebags (Tramea abdominalis) | map | 67 | |
| Antillean Saddlebags (Tramea insularis) | map | 68 | |
| Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) | map | 69 | |
| Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) | map | 70 | |