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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Durango (dur) |
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| Total | Registered | ||
| Mexican endemics | |||
| True Species that normally do not occur outside of Mexico. | 2 | 0 | |
| Regionals US border states plus area south of Mexico including Nicaragua. | 23 | 0 | |
| Added: Argia extranea Argia tezpi Enallagma semicirculare Erythrodiplax fusca Stylurus falcatus |
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| 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 | |
| Shadowdamsels (Platystictidae) | |||
| Desert Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema domina) | map | 3 | |
| Demoiselles (Calopterygidae) | |||
| American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) | map | 4 | |
| Cryptic Rubyspot (Hetaerina calverti) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 5 |
| Canyon Rubyspot (Hetaerina vulnerata) | map | Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 6 |
| Pond Damselflies (Coenagrionidae) | |||
| Black-and-white Damsel (Apanisagrion lais) | map | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 7 |
| Cerulean Dancer (Argia anceps) | map | 8 | |
| Spine-tipped Dancer (Argia extranea) | map | Mexico, USA. | 9 |
| Variable Dancer (Argia fumipennis) | map | 10 | |
| Big Red Dancer (Argia funcki) | map | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 11 |
| Springwater Dancer (Argia funebris) | map | 12 | |
| Kiowa Dancer (Argia immunda) | map | 13 | |
| Sierra Madre Dancer (Argia lacrimans) | map | Mexico, USA. | 14 |
| Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens) | map | 15 | |
| Powdered Dancer (Argia moesta) | map | 16 | |
| Apache Dancer (Argia munda) | map | Mexico, USA. | 17 |
| Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana) | map | 18 | |
| Fiery-eyed Dancer (Argia oenea) | map | 19 | |
| Amethyst Dancer (Argia pallens) | map | Guatemala, Mexico, USA. | 20 |
| Marsh Dancer (Argia paludicola) | map | Mexico, USA. | 21 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer (Argia sedula) | map | 22 | |
| Tarascan Dancer (Argia tarascana) | map | Mexico, USA. | 23 |
| Tezpi Dancer (Argia tezpi) | map | 24 | |
| Tonto Dancer (Argia tonto) | map | Mexico, USA. | 25 |
| Dusky Dancer (Argia translata) | map | 26 | |
| Double-striped Bluet (Enallagma basidens) | map | 27 | |
| Boreal Bluet (Enallagma boreale) | map | 28 | |
| Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) | map | 29 | |
| Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) | map | 30 | |
| Claw-tipped Bluet (Enallagma semicirculare) | map | Mexico, USA. | 31 |
| Painted Damsel (Hesperagrion heterodoxum) | map | Mexico, USA. | 32 |
| Mexican Forktail (Ischnura demorsa) | map | Mexico, USA. | 33 |
| Black-fronted Forktail (Ischnura denticollis) | map | 34 | |
| Lemon-tipped Helicopter (Mecistogaster ornata) | map | 35 | |
| Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) | map | 36 | |
| Hawkers (Aeshnidae) | |||
| Amazon Darner (Anax amazili) | map | 37 | |
| Common Green Darner (Anax junius) | map | 38 | |
| Giant Darner (Anax walsinghami) | map | Mexico, USA. | 39 |
| Riffle Darner (Oplonaeschna armata) | map | Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 40 |
| Malachite Darner (Remartinia luteipennis) | map | 41 | |
| Arroyo Darner (Rhionaeschna dugesi) | map | Mexico, USA. | 42 |
| Black-tailed Darner (Rhionaeschna jalapensis) | map | 43 | |
| Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor) | map | 44 | |
| Turquoise-tipped Darner (Rhionaeschna psilus) | map | 45 | |
| Clubtails (Gomphidae) | |||
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg (Dromogomphus spoliatus) | map | 46 | |
| Yellow-legged Ringtail (Erpetogomphus crotalinus) | map | Mexico, USA. | 47 |
| Eastern Ringtail (Erpetogomphus designatus) | map | 48 | |
| Serpent Ringtail (Erpetogomphus lampropeltis) | map | Mexico, USA. | 49 |
| Plateau Ringtail (Erpetogomphus sipedon) | map | Mexico. | 50 |
| Gray Sanddragon (Progomphus borealis) | map | Mexico, USA. | 51 |
| Plateau Clubtail (Stylurus falcatus) | map | Mexico. | 52 |
| Goldenrings (Cordulegastridae) | |||
| Apache Spiketail (Cordulegaster diadema) | map | 53 | |
| Cruisers (Macromiidae) | |||
| Western River Cruiser (Macromia magnifica) | map | 54 | |
| Skimmers (Libellulidae) | |||
| Red-tailed Pennant (Brachymesia furcata) | map | 55 | |
| Pale-faced Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax) | map | 56 | |
| Black Setwing (Dythemis nigrescens) | map | Mexico, USA. | 57 |
| Brown Setwing (Dythemis sterilis) | map | 58 | |
| Swift Setwing (Dythemis velox) | map | 59 | |
| Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata) | map | 60 | |
| Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa) | map | 61 | |
| Plateau Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax basifusca) | map | 62 | |
| Red-mantled Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fervida) | map | 63 | |
| Black-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax funerea) | map | 64 | |
| Red-faced Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fusca) | map | 65 | |
| Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata) | map | 66 | |
| Metallic Pennant (Idiataphe cubensis) | map | 67 | |
| Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis) | map | 68 | |
| Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) | map | 69 | |
| Hoary Skimmer (Libellula nodisticta) | map | Mexico, USA. | 70 |
| Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) | map | 71 | |
| Thornbush Dasher (Micrathyria hagenii) | map | 72 | |
| Carmine Skimmer (Orthemis discolor) | map | 73 | |
| Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) | map | 74 | |
| Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) | map | 75 | |
| Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) | map | 76 | |
| Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) | map | 77 | |
| Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea) | map | 78 | |
| Mexican Amberwing (Perithemis intensa) | map | 79 | |
| Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) | map | 80 | |
| Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia) | map | 81 | |
| Desert Whitetail (Plathemis subornata) | map | 82 | |
| Filigree Skimmer (Pseudoleon superbus) | map | 83 | |
| Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) | map | 84 | |
| Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum) | map | 85 | |
| Spot-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum signiferum) | map | Mexico, USA. | 86 |
| Evening Skimmer (Tholymis citrina) | map | 87 | |
| Striped Saddlebags (Tramea darwini) | map | 88 | |
| Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) | map | 89 | |
| Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) | map | 90 | |