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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Coahuila (coa) |
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| Total | Registered | ||
| Mexican endemics | |||
| True Species that normally do not occur outside of Mexico. | 3 | 0 | |
| Regionals US border states plus area south of Mexico including Nicaragua. | 22 | 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 | |
| Chalky Spreadwing (Lestes sigma) | map | 3 | |
| Demoiselles (Calopterygidae) | |||
| American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) | map | 4 | |
| Cryptic Rubyspot (Hetaerina calverti) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 5 |
| Highland Rubyspot (Hetaerina cruentata) | map | 6 | |
| Smoky Rubyspot (Hetaerina titia) | map | 7 | |
| Canyon Rubyspot (Hetaerina vulnerata) | map | Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 8 |
| Pond Damselflies (Coenagrionidae) | |||
| Mexican Wedgetail (Acanthagrion quadratum) | map | 9 | |
| Cerulean Dancer (Argia anceps) | map | 10 | |
| Blue-fronted Dancer (Argia apicalis) | map | 11 | |
| Variable Dancer (Argia fumipennis) | map | 12 | |
| Springwater Dancer (Argia funebris) | map | 13 | |
| Lavender Dancer (Argia hinei) | map | Mexico, USA. | 14 |
| Kiowa Dancer (Argia immunda) | map | 15 | |
| Leonora’s Dancer (Argia leonorae) | map | Mexico, USA. | 16 |
| Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens) | map | 17 | |
| May's Dancer (Argia mayi) | map | Mexico. | 18 |
| Powdered Dancer (Argia moesta) | map | 19 | |
| Apache Dancer (Argia munda) | map | Mexico, USA. | 20 |
| Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana) | map | 21 | |
| Oculate Dancer (Argia oculata) | map | 22 | |
| Fiery-eyed Dancer (Argia oenea) | map | 23 | |
| Golden-winged Dancer (Argia rhoadsi) | map | Mexico, USA. | 24 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer (Argia sedula) | map | 25 | |
| Tonto Dancer (Argia tonto) | map | Mexico, USA. | 26 |
| Dusky Dancer (Argia translata) | map | 27 | |
| Double-striped Bluet (Enallagma basidens) | map | 28 | |
| Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) | map | 29 | |
| Neotropical Bluet (Enallagma novaehispaniae) | map | 30 | |
| Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) | map | 31 | |
| Claw-tipped Bluet (Enallagma semicirculare) | map | Mexico, USA. | 32 |
| Orange Bluet (Enallagma signatum) | map | 33 | |
| Painted Damsel (Hesperagrion heterodoxum) | map | Mexico, USA. | 34 |
| Desert Forktail (Ischnura barberi) | map | Mexico, USA. | 35 |
| Mexican Forktail (Ischnura demorsa) | map | Mexico, USA. | 36 |
| Citrine Forktail (Ischnura hastata) | map | 37 | |
| Rambur’s Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) | map | 38 | |
| Tropical Sprite (Nehalennia minuta) | map | 39 | |
| Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) | map | 40 | |
| Threadtails (Protoneuridae) | |||
| Orange-striped Threadtail (Protoneura cara) | map | 41 | |
| Hawkers (Aeshnidae) | |||
| Amazon Darner (Anax amazili) | map | 42 | |
| Blue-spotted Comet Darner (Anax concolor) | map | 43 | |
| Common Green Darner (Anax junius) | map | 44 | |
| Giant Darner (Anax walsinghami) | map | Mexico, USA. | 45 |
| Riffle Darner (Oplonaeschna armata) | map | Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 46 |
| Malachite Darner (Remartinia luteipennis) | map | 47 | |
| Arroyo Darner (Rhionaeschna dugesi) | map | Mexico, USA. | 48 |
| Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor) | map | 49 | |
| Turquoise-tipped Darner (Rhionaeschna psilus) | map | 50 | |
| Clubtails (Gomphidae) | |||
| Narrow-striped Forceptail (Aphylla protracta) | map | 51 | |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg (Dromogomphus spoliatus) | map | 52 | |
| Yellow-legged Ringtail (Erpetogomphus crotalinus) | map | Mexico, USA. | 53 |
| Eastern Ringtail (Erpetogomphus designatus) | map | 54 | |
| Plains Clubtail (Gomphurus externus) | map | 55 | |
| Sulphur-tipped Clubtail (Phanogomphus militaris) | map | Mexico, USA. | 56 |
| Angle-tipped Forceptail (Phyllocycla elongata) | map | Mexico. | 57 |
| Five-striped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides albrighti) | map | Mexico, USA. | 58 |
| Four-striped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides stigmatus) | map | Mexico, USA. | 59 |
| Gray Sanddragon (Progomphus borealis) | map | Mexico, USA. | 60 |
| Goldenrings (Cordulegastridae) | |||
| Apache Spiketail (Cordulegaster diadema) | map | 61 | |
| Cruisers (Macromiidae) | |||
| Bronzed River Cruiser (Macromia annulata) | map | Mexico, USA. | 62 |
| Skimmers (Libellulidae) | |||
| Red-tailed Pennant (Brachymesia furcata) | map | 63 | |
| Four-spotted Pennant (Brachymesia gravida) | map | 64 | |
| Pale-faced Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax) | map | 65 | |
| Gray-waisted Skimmer (Cannaphila insularis) | map | 66 | |
| Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina) | map | 67 | |
| Checkered Setwing (Dythemis fugax) | map | Mexico, USA. | 68 |
| Black Setwing (Dythemis nigrescens) | map | Mexico, USA. | 69 |
| Swift Setwing (Dythemis velox) | map | 70 | |
| Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata) | map | 71 | |
| Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) | map | 72 | |
| Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa) | map | 73 | |
| Plateau Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax basifusca) | map | 74 | |
| Seaside Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax berenice) | map | 75 | |
| Red-mantled Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fervida) | map | 76 | |
| Black-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax funerea) | map | 77 | |
| Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata) | map | 78 | |
| Metallic Pennant (Idiataphe cubensis) | map | 79 | |
| Coahuila Skimmer (Libellula coahuiltecana) | map | Mexico. | 80 |
| Comanche Skimmer (Libellula comanche) | map | 81 | |
| Bleached Skimmer (Libellula composita) | map | 82 | |
| Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis) | map | 83 | |
| Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) | map | 84 | |
| Needham’s Skimmer (Libellula needhami) | map | 85 | |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella) | map | 86 | |
| Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) | map | 87 | |
| Marl Pennant (Macrodiplax balteata) | map | 88 | |
| Ivory-striped Sylph (Macrothemis imitans) | map | 89 | |
| Straw-colored Sylph (Macrothemis inacuta) | map | 90 | |
| Jade-striped Sylph (Macrothemis inequiunguis) | map | 91 | |
| Spot-tailed Dasher (Micrathyria aequalis) | map | 92 | |
| Thornbush Dasher (Micrathyria hagenii) | map | 93 | |
| Carmine Skimmer (Orthemis discolor) | map | 94 | |
| Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) | map | 95 | |
| Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) | map | 96 | |
| Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) | map | 97 | |
| Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) | map | 98 | |
| Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea) | map | 99 | |
| Slough Amberwing (Perithemis domitia) | map | 100 | |
| Mexican Amberwing (Perithemis intensa) | map | 101 | |
| Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) | map | 102 | |
| Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) | map | 103 | |
| Filigree Skimmer (Pseudoleon superbus) | map | 104 | |
| Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) | map | 105 | |
| Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum) | map | 106 | |
| Striped Saddlebags (Tramea darwini) | map | 107 | |
| Antillean Saddlebags (Tramea insularis) | map | 108 | |
| Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) | map | 109 | |
| Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) | map | 110 | |
| Emeralds (Corduliidae) | |||
| Dot-winged Baskettail (Epitheca petechialis) | map | 111 | |
| Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps) | map | 112 | |