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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Hidalgo (hgo) |
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| Total | Registered | ||
| Mexican endemics | |||
| True Species that normally do not occur outside of Mexico. | 13 | 0 | |
| Regionals US border states plus area south of Mexico including Nicaragua. | 35 | 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 | Mexico. | 2 |
| Plateau Spreadwing (Lestes alacer) | map | 3 | |
| Blue-striped Spreadwing (Lestes tenuatus) | map | 4 | |
| Shadowdamsels (Platystictidae) | |||
| Córdoba Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema paulicoba) | map | Mexico. | 5 |
| Atoyac Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema paulitoyaca) | map | Mexico. | 6 |
| Mayan Damsels (Amphipterygidae) | |||
| Mexican Mayan Damsel (Amphipteryx agrioides) | map | Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 7 |
| Demoiselles (Calopterygidae) | |||
| American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) | map | 8 | |
| Cryptic Rubyspot (Hetaerina calverti) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 9 |
| Bronze Rubyspot (Hetaerina capitalis) | map | 10 | |
| Highland Rubyspot (Hetaerina cruentata) | map | 11 | |
| Emerald Rubyspot (Hetaerina infecta) | map | Mexico. | 12 |
| Racket-tipped Rubyspot (Hetaerina occisa) | map | 13 | |
| Smoky Rubyspot (Hetaerina titia) | map | 14 | |
| Canyon Rubyspot (Hetaerina vulnerata) | map | Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 15 |
| Cascade Damsels (Thaumatoneuridae) | |||
| Showy Cascade Damsel (Paraphlebia zoe) | map | Mexico. | 16 |
| Pond Damselflies (Coenagrionidae) | |||
| Mexican Wedgetail (Acanthagrion quadratum) | map | 17 | |
| Middle American Pearlwing (Anisagrion allopterum) | map | 18 | |
| Black-and-white Damsel (Apanisagrion lais) | map | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 19 |
| Cerulean Dancer (Argia anceps) | map | 20 | |
| Argia annae (Argia annae) | map | Mexico. | 21 |
| Comanche Dancer (Argia barretti) | map | Mexico, USA. | 22 |
| Calida Dancer (Argia calida) | map | Belize, Mexico. | 23 |
| Big Blue Dancer (Argia chelata) | map | 24 | |
| Coppery Dancer (Argia cuprea) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 25 |
| Spine-tipped Dancer (Argia extranea) | map | Mexico, USA. | 26 |
| Green-eyed Dancer (Argia frequentula) | map | 27 | |
| Variable Dancer (Argia fumipennis) | map | 28 | |
| Big Red Dancer (Argia funcki) | map | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 29 |
| Springwater Dancer (Argia funebris) | map | 30 | |
| Argia gonzalezi (Argia gonzalezi) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 31 |
| Kiowa Dancer (Argia immunda) | map | 32 | |
| Sierra Madre Dancer (Argia lacrimans) | map | Mexico, USA. | 33 |
| Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens) | map | 34 | |
| Sky-blue Dancer (Argia medullaris) | map | 35 | |
| Apache Dancer (Argia munda) | map | Mexico, USA. | 36 |
| Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana) | map | 37 | |
| Oculate Dancer (Argia oculata) | map | 38 | |
| Fiery-eyed Dancer (Argia oenea) | map | 39 | |
| Amethyst Dancer (Argia pallens) | map | Guatemala, Mexico, USA. | 40 |
| Chalk-fronted Dancer (Argia percellulata) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 41 |
| Purple Dancer (Argia pulla) | map | 42 | |
| Golden-winged Dancer (Argia rhoadsi) | map | Mexico, USA. | 43 |
| Rudolph's Dancer (Argia rudolphi) | map | Mexico. | 44 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer (Argia sedula) | map | 45 | |
| Tarascan Dancer (Argia tarascana) | map | Mexico, USA. | 46 |
| Tezpi Dancer (Argia tezpi) | map | 47 | |
| Tonto Dancer (Argia tonto) | map | Mexico, USA. | 48 |
| Dusky Dancer (Argia translata) | map | 49 | |
| Olmec Dancer (Argia ulmeca) | map | 50 | |
| Celestial Dancer (Argia variabilis) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 51 |
| Caribbean Damsel (Enacantha caribbea) | map | Belize, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico. | 52 |
| Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) | map | 53 | |
| Stream Bluet (Enallagma exsulans) | map | 54 | |
| Neotropical Bluet (Enallagma novaehispaniae) | map | 55 | |
| Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) | map | 56 | |
| Claw-tipped Bluet (Enallagma semicirculare) | map | Mexico, USA. | 57 |
| Painted Damsel (Hesperagrion heterodoxum) | map | Mexico, USA. | 58 |
| Tiny Forktail (Ischnura capreolus) | map | 59 | |
| Mexican Forktail (Ischnura demorsa) | map | Mexico, USA. | 60 |
| Black-fronted Forktail (Ischnura denticollis) | map | 61 | |
| Citrine Forktail (Ischnura hastata) | map | 62 | |
| Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita) | map | 63 | |
| Rambur’s Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) | map | 64 | |
| Red-tipped Swampdamsel (Leptobasis vacillans) | map | 65 | |
| Bromeliad Helicopter (Mecistogaster modesta) | map | 66 | |
| Lemon-tipped Helicopter (Mecistogaster ornata) | map | 67 | |
| Mexican Blue-winged Helicopter (Megaloprepus latipennis) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 68 |
| Tropical Sprite (Nehalennia minuta) | map | 69 | |
| Caribbean Yellowface (Neoerythromma cultellatum) | map | 70 | |
| Broad-winged Helicopter (Pseudostigma aberrans) | map | 71 | |
| Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) | map | 72 | |
| Threadtails (Protoneuridae) | |||
| Orange-striped Threadtail (Protoneura cara) | map | 73 | |
| Blue-fronted Threadtail (Protoneura cupida) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Mexico. | 74 |
| Flamboyant Flatwings (Heteragrionidae) | |||
| Highland Flatwing (Heteragrion tricellulare) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 75 |
| Hawkers (Aeshnidae) | |||
| Amazon Darner (Anax amazili) | map | 76 | |
| Common Green Darner (Anax junius) | map | 77 | |
| Giant Darner (Anax walsinghami) | map | Mexico, USA. | 78 |
| Helen's Darner (Gynacantha helenga) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 79 |
| Bar-sided Darner (Gynacantha mexicana) | map | 80 | |
| Riffle Darner (Oplonaeschna armata) | map | Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 81 |
| Broad-striped Riffle Darner (Oplonaeschna magna) | map | Mexico. | 82 |
| Malachite Darner (Remartinia luteipennis) | map | 83 | |
| Arroyo Darner (Rhionaeschna dugesi) | map | Mexico, USA. | 84 |
| Black-tailed Darner (Rhionaeschna jalapensis) | map | 85 | |
| Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor) | map | 86 | |
| Turquoise-tipped Darner (Rhionaeschna psilus) | map | 87 | |
| Clubtails (Gomphidae) | |||
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg (Dromogomphus spoliatus) | map | 88 | |
| One-striped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus bothrops) | map | 89 | |
| Knob-tipped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus constrictor) | map | 90 | |
| Yellow-legged Ringtail (Erpetogomphus crotalinus) | map | Mexico, USA. | 91 |
| Straight-tipped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus elaps) | map | Guatemala, Mexico, USA. | 92 |
| Eric’s Ringtail (Erpetogomphus erici) | map | Mexico. | 93 |
| Blue-faced Ringtail (Erpetogomphus eutainia) | map | 94 | |
| Dark-shouldered Ringtail (Erpetogomphus liopeltis) | map | Mexico. | 95 |
| Plateau Ringtail (Erpetogomphus sipedon) | map | Mexico. | 96 |
| Ringed Forceptail (Phyllocycla breviphylla) | map | 97 | |
| Five-striped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides albrighti) | map | Mexico, USA. | 98 |
| Common Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides suasus) | map | 99 | |
| Gray Sanddragon (Progomphus borealis) | map | Mexico, USA. | 100 |
| Goldenrings (Cordulegastridae) | |||
| Apache Spiketail (Cordulegaster diadema) | map | 101 | |
| Cruisers (Macromiidae) | |||
| Western River Cruiser (Macromia magnifica) | map | 102 | |
| Skimmers (Libellulidae) | |||
| Red-tailed Pennant (Brachymesia furcata) | map | 103 | |
| Broad-winged Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga latialata) | map | Mexico. | 104 |
| Little Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga nubecula) | map | 105 | |
| Masked Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga pertinax) | map | 106 | |
| Slender Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga praecox) | map | 107 | |
| Tepeaca Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga tepeaca) | map | Mexico. | 108 |
| Vivacious Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga vivax) | map | 109 | |
| Blue-tailed Skimmer (Cannaphila vibex) | map | 110 | |
| Mayan Setwing (Dythemis maya) | map | 111 | |
| Blue-eyed Setwing (Dythemis nigra) | map | 112 | |
| Black Setwing (Dythemis nigrescens) | map | Mexico, USA. | 113 |
| Brown Setwing (Dythemis sterilis) | map | 114 | |
| Red Pondhawk (Erythemis haematogastra) | map | 115 | |
| Claret Pondhawk (Erythemis mithroides) | map | 116 | |
| Pin-tailed Pondhawk (Erythemis plebeja) | map | 117 | |
| Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) | map | 118 | |
| Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa) | map | 119 | |
| Black-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax funerea) | map | 120 | |
| Red-faced Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fusca) | map | 121 | |
| Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata) | map | 122 | |
| Comanche Skimmer (Libellula comanche) | map | 123 | |
| Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis) | map | 124 | |
| Red-mantled Skimmer (Libellula gaigei) | map | Belize, Mexico, USA. | 125 |
| Hercules Skimmer (Libellula herculea) | map | 126 | |
| Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) | map | 127 | |
| Ivory-striped Sylph (Macrothemis imitans) | map | 128 | |
| Straw-colored Sylph (Macrothemis inacuta) | map | 129 | |
| White-tailed Sylph (Macrothemis pseudimitans) | map | 130 | |
| Hyacinth Glider (Miathyria marcella) | map | 131 | |
| Spot-tailed Dasher (Micrathyria aequalis) | map | 132 | |
| Three-striped Dasher (Micrathyria didyma) | map | 133 | |
| Thornbush Dasher (Micrathyria hagenii) | map | 134 | |
| Square-spotted Dasher (Micrathyria ocellata) | map | 135 | |
| Upland Dasher (Micrathyria paulsoni) | map | 136 | |
| Carmine Skimmer (Orthemis discolor) | map | 137 | |
| Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) | map | 138 | |
| Slender Skimmer (Orthemis levis) | map | 139 | |
| Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) | map | 140 | |
| Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) | map | 141 | |
| Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea) | map | 142 | |
| Slough Amberwing (Perithemis domitia) | map | 143 | |
| Mexican Amberwing (Perithemis intensa) | map | 144 | |
| Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) | map | 145 | |
| Filigree Skimmer (Pseudoleon superbus) | map | 146 | |
| Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) | map | 147 | |
| Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum) | map | 148 | |
| Evening Skimmer (Tholymis citrina) | map | 149 | |
| Vermilion Saddlebags (Tramea abdominalis) | map | 150 | |
| Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) | map | 151 | |