Mexican species
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Work in progress (Jan 2026):
It was my plan to use last winter to work on the European species accounts, but then I decided to prepare all my butterfly photos from Mexico, and then found photos of three different dragonflies. Glad and surprised that I had taken them, but also instantly regretting that I didn't pick up this interest while still living in the country. I don't know if I'll ever return to Mexico, but hoping that I will, I felt inspired and worked my way through the available species lists and can now present them online - here and as pdf's for download. The main resources I've used to start out with, are the one maintained by Dennis Paulson at Puget Sound Museum of Natural History and the Mexican version of the iNaturalist site, where most Mexicans put their records. However, both resources are, in places, somewhat confusing concerning which species should be in which state lists, but it is an overall good starting point. Kathy Biggs is maintaining a site about the dragonflies of Jalisco from where you can also find species maps just like the ones I'm presenting here at my site. My material is overall more readable, though, but she has added brief species description to her species account why she has information that I've still not added here (but will in the future). I think the knowledge about the Mexican dragonflies is still much in the growing and the state lists will likely be expanding in the following years, as the interest for this fantastic group of insects grows. Still, I think it is already obvious that the diversity matches that of the birds, with the most species-rich regions being around the Tehuantepec isthmus (Chiapas, Oaxaca and Veracruz) and next West Central Mexico centered around Jalisco. Map showing the species I've seen here. State lists updated per June 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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Hidalgo (hgo) |
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| Total | Registered | ||
| Mexican endemics | |||
| True Species that normally do not occur outside of Mexico. | 5 | 0 | |
| Regionals US border states plus area south of Mexico including Nicaragua. | 1 | 0 | |
| Only show endemic species Show registered species Show species with PSV | Endemics | |
| Spreadwings (Lestidae) | ||
| Great Spreadwing (Archilestes grandis) map | 1 | |
| Regal Spreadwing (Archilestes regalis) map | Endemic to Mexico | 2 |
| Plateau Spreadwing (Lestes alacer) map | 3 | |
| Blue-striped Spreadwing (Lestes tenuatus) map | 4 | |
| Shadowdamsels (Platystictidae) | ||
| Córdoba Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema paulicoba) map | Endemic to Mexico | 5 |
| Atoyac Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema paulitoyaca) map | Endemic to Mexico | 6 |
| Mayan Damsels (Amphipterygidae) | ||
| Mexican Mayan Damsel (Amphipteryx agrioides) map | 7 | |
| Demoiselles (Calopterygidae) | ||
| American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) map | 8 | |
| Cryptic Rubyspot (Hetaerina calverti) map | 9 | |
| Bronze Rubyspot (Hetaerina capitalis) map | 10 | |
| Highland Rubyspot (Hetaerina cruentata) map | 11 | |
| Emerald Rubyspot (Hetaerina infecta) map | 12 | |
| Racket-tipped Rubyspot (Hetaerina occisa) map | 13 | |
| Smoky Rubyspot (Hetaerina titia) map | 14 | |
| Canyon Rubyspot (Hetaerina vulnerata) map | 15 | |
| Cascade Damsels (Thaumatoneuridae) | ||
| Showy Cascade Damsel (Paraphlebia zoe) map | 16 | |
| Pond Damselflies (Coenagrionidae) | ||
| Mexican Wedgetail (Acanthagrion quadratum) map | 17 | |
| Middle American Pearlwing (Anisagrion allopterum) map | 18 | |
| Black-and-white Damsel (Apanisagrion lais) map | 19 | |
| Cerulean Dancer (Argia anceps) map | 20 | |
| Argia annae (Argia annae) map | Endemic to Mexico | 21 |
| Comanche Dancer (Argia barretti) map | 22 | |
| Calida Dancer (Argia calida) map | 23 | |
| Big Blue Dancer (Argia chelata) map | 24 | |
| Coppery Dancer (Argia cuprea) map | 25 | |
| Deam's Dancer (Argia deami) map | 26 | |
| Spine-tipped Dancer (Argia extranea) map | 27 | |
| Green-eyed Dancer (Argia frequentula) map | 28 | |
| Variable Dancer (Argia fumipennis) map | 29 | |
| Big Red Dancer (Argia funcki) map | 30 | |
| Springwater Dancer (Argia funebris) map | 31 | |
| Argia gonzalezi (Argia gonzalezi) map | 32 | |
| Kiowa Dancer (Argia immunda) map | 33 | |
| Sierra Madre Dancer (Argia lacrimans) map | 34 | |
| Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens) map | 35 | |
| Sky-blue Dancer (Argia medullaris) map | 36 | |
| Apache Dancer (Argia munda) map | 37 | |
| Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana) map | 38 | |
| Oculate Dancer (Argia oculata) map | 39 | |
| Fiery-eyed Dancer (Argia oenea) map | 40 | |
| Amethyst Dancer (Argia pallens) map | 41 | |
| Chalk-fronted Dancer (Argia percellulata) map | 42 | |
| Purple Dancer (Argia pulla) map | 43 | |
| Golden-winged Dancer (Argia rhoadsi) map | 44 | |
| Rudolph's Dancer (Argia rudolphi) map | 45 | |
| Blue-ringed Dancer (Argia sedula) map | 46 | |
| Tarascan Dancer (Argia tarascana) map | 47 | |
| Tezpi Dancer (Argia tezpi) map | 48 | |
| Tonto Dancer (Argia tonto) map | 49 | |
| Dusky Dancer (Argia translata) map | 50 | |
| Olmec Dancer (Argia ulmeca) map | 51 | |
| Celestial Dancer (Argia variabilis) map | 52 | |
| Caribbean Damsel (Enacantha caribbea) map | 53 | |
| Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) map | 54 | |
| Stream Bluet (Enallagma exsulans) map | 55 | |
| Neotropical Bluet (Enallagma novaehispaniae) map | 56 | |
| Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) map | 57 | |
| Claw-tipped Bluet (Enallagma semicirculare) map | 58 | |
| Painted Damsel (Hesperagrion heterodoxum) map | 59 | |
| Tiny Forktail (Ischnura capreolus) map | 60 | |
| Mexican Forktail (Ischnura demorsa) map | 61 | |
| Black-fronted Forktail (Ischnura denticollis) map | 62 | |
| Citrine Forktail (Ischnura hastata) map | 63 | |
| Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita) map | 64 | |
| Rambur’s Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) map | 65 | |
| Red-tipped Swampdamsel (Leptobasis vacillans) map | 66 | |
| Bromeliad Helicopter (Mecistogaster modesta) map | 67 | |
| Lemon-tipped Helicopter (Mecistogaster ornata) map | 68 | |
| Mexican Blue-winged Helicopter (Megaloprepus latipennis) map | Near-endemic to Mexico | 69 |
| Tropical Sprite (Nehalennia minuta) map | 70 | |
| Caribbean Yellowface (Neoerythromma cultellatum) map | 71 | |
| Broad-winged Helicopter (Pseudostigma aberrans) map | 72 | |
| Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) map | 73 | |
| Threadtails (Protoneuridae) | ||
| Orange-striped Threadtail (Protoneura cara) map | 74 | |
| Blue-fronted Threadtail (Protoneura cupida) map | 75 | |
| Flamboyant Flatwings (Heteragrionidae) | ||
| Highland Flatwing (Heteragrion tricellulare) map | 76 | |
| Hawkers (Aeshnidae) | ||
| Amazon Darner (Anax amazili) map | 77 | |
| Common Green Darner (Anax junius) map | 78 | |
| Giant Darner (Anax walsinghami) map | 79 | |
| Helen's Darner (Gynacantha helenga) map | 80 | |
| Bar-sided Darner (Gynacantha mexicana) map | 81 | |
| Riffle Darner (Oplonaeschna armata) map | 82 | |
| Broad-striped Riffle Darner (Oplonaeschna magna) map | 83 | |
| Malachite Darner (Remartinia luteipennis) map | 84 | |
| Arroyo Darner (Rhionaeschna dugesi) map | 85 | |
| Black-tailed Darner (Rhionaeschna jalapensis) map | 86 | |
| Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor) map | 87 | |
| Turquoise-tipped Darner (Rhionaeschna psilus) map | 88 | |
| Clubtails (Gomphidae) | ||
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg (Dromogomphus spoliatus) map | 89 | |
| One-striped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus bothrops) map | 90 | |
| Knob-tipped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus constrictor) map | 91 | |
| Yellow-legged Ringtail (Erpetogomphus crotalinus) map | 92 | |
| Straight-tipped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus elaps) map | 93 | |
| Eric’s Ringtail (Erpetogomphus erici) map | 94 | |
| Blue-faced Ringtail (Erpetogomphus eutainia) map | 95 | |
| Dark-shouldered Ringtail (Erpetogomphus liopeltis) map | 96 | |
| Plateau Ringtail (Erpetogomphus sipedon) map | 97 | |
| Ringed Forceptail (Phyllocycla breviphylla) map | 98 | |
| Five-striped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides albrighti) map | 99 | |
| Common Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides suasus) map | 100 | |
| Gray Sanddragon (Progomphus borealis) map | 101 | |
| Goldenrings (Cordulegastridae) | ||
| Apache Spiketail (Cordulegaster diadema) map | 102 | |
| Cruisers (Macromiidae) | ||
| Western River Cruiser (Macromia magnifica) map | 103 | |
| Skimmers (Libellulidae) | ||
| Red-tailed Pennant (Brachymesia furcata) map | 104 | |
| Broad-winged Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga latialata) map | Endemic to Mexico | 105 |
| Little Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga nubecula) map | 106 | |
| Masked Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga pertinax) map | 107 | |
| Slender Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga praecox) map | 108 | |
| Tepeaca Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga tepeaca) map | 109 | |
| Vivacious Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga vivax) map | 110 | |
| Blue-tailed Skimmer (Cannaphila vibex) map | 111 | |
| Mayan Setwing (Dythemis maya) map | 112 | |
| Blue-eyed Setwing (Dythemis nigra) map | 113 | |
| Black Setwing (Dythemis nigrescens) map | 114 | |
| Brown Setwing (Dythemis sterilis) map | 115 | |
| Red Pondhawk (Erythemis haematogastra) map | 116 | |
| Claret Pondhawk (Erythemis mithroides) map | 117 | |
| Pin-tailed Pondhawk (Erythemis plebeja) map | 118 | |
| Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) map | 119 | |
| Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa) map | 120 | |
| Black-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax funerea) map | 121 | |
| Red-faced Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fusca) map | 122 | |
| Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata) map | 123 | |
| Comanche Skimmer (Libellula comanche) map | 124 | |
| Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis) map | 125 | |
| Red-mantled Skimmer (Libellula gaigei) map | 126 | |
| Hercules Skimmer (Libellula herculea) map | 127 | |
| Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) map | 128 | |
| Ivory-striped Sylph (Macrothemis imitans) map | 129 | |
| Straw-colored Sylph (Macrothemis inacuta) map | 130 | |
| White-tailed Sylph (Macrothemis pseudimitans) map | 131 | |
| Hyacinth Glider (Miathyria marcella) map | 132 | |
| Spot-tailed Dasher (Micrathyria aequalis) map | 133 | |
| Three-striped Dasher (Micrathyria didyma) map | 134 | |
| Thornbush Dasher (Micrathyria hagenii) map | 135 | |
| Square-spotted Dasher (Micrathyria ocellata) map | 136 | |
| Upland Dasher (Micrathyria paulsoni) map | 137 | |
| Carmine Skimmer (Orthemis discolor) map | 138 | |
| Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) map | 139 | |
| Slender Skimmer (Orthemis levis) map | 140 | |
| Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) map | 141 | |
| Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) map | 142 | |
| Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea) map | 143 | |
| Slough Amberwing (Perithemis domitia) map | 144 | |
| Mexican Amberwing (Perithemis intensa) map | 145 | |
| Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) map | 146 | |
| Filigree Skimmer (Pseudoleon superbus) map | 147 | |
| Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) map | 148 | |
| Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum) map | 149 | |
| Evening Skimmer (Tholymis citrina) map | 150 | |
| Vermilion Saddlebags (Tramea abdominalis) map | 151 | |
| Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) map | 152 | |