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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Michoacán (mic) |
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| Total | Registered | ||
| Mexican endemics | |||
| True Species that normally do not occur outside of Mexico. | 20 | 0 | |
| Regionals US border states plus area south of Mexico including Nicaragua. | 27 | 0 | |
| Added: Argia alberta Argia fumipennis Argia gaumeri Correct? Argia translata Gynacantha mexicana Lestes sigma Libellula gaigei Micrathyria dissocians Phyllogomphoides suasus Telebasis digiticollis |
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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 | |
| Chalky Spreadwing (Lestes sigma) | map | 3 | |
| Shadowdamsels (Platystictidae) | |||
| Desert Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema domina) | map | 4 | |
| Demoiselles (Calopterygidae) | |||
| American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) | map | 5 | |
| Bronze Rubyspot (Hetaerina capitalis) | map | 6 | |
| Highland Rubyspot (Hetaerina cruentata) | map | 7 | |
| Racket-tipped Rubyspot (Hetaerina occisa) | map | 8 | |
| Smoky Rubyspot (Hetaerina titia) | map | 9 | |
| Canyon Rubyspot (Hetaerina vulnerata) | map | Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 10 |
| Pond Damselflies (Coenagrionidae) | |||
| Black-and-white Damsel (Apanisagrion lais) | map | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 11 |
| Paiute Dancer (Argia alberta) | map | 12 | |
| Cerulean Dancer (Argia anceps) | map | 13 | |
| Yaqui Dancer (Argia carlcooki) | map | Mexico, USA. | 14 |
| Coppery Dancer (Argia cuprea) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 15 |
| Deam's Dancer (Argia deami) | map | Mexico. | 16 |
| Spine-tipped Dancer (Argia extranea) | map | Mexico, USA. | 17 |
| Variable Dancer (Argia fumipennis) | map | 18 | |
| Big Red Dancer (Argia funcki) | map | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 19 |
| Springwater Dancer (Argia funebris) | map | 20 | |
| Petén Dancer (Argia gaumeri) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 21 |
| Harkness’s Dancer (Argia harknessi) | map | Mexico, USA. | 22 |
| Kiowa Dancer (Argia immunda) | map | 23 | |
| Sierra Madre Dancer (Argia lacrimans) | map | Mexico, USA. | 24 |
| Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens) | map | 25 | |
| May's Dancer (Argia mayi) | map | Mexico. | 26 |
| Powdered Dancer (Argia moesta) | map | 27 | |
| Apache Dancer (Argia munda) | map | Mexico, USA. | 28 |
| Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana) | map | 29 | |
| Oculate Dancer (Argia oculata) | map | 30 | |
| Fiery-eyed Dancer (Argia oenea) | map | 31 | |
| Amethyst Dancer (Argia pallens) | map | Guatemala, Mexico, USA. | 32 |
| Purple Dancer (Argia pulla) | map | 33 | |
| Tarascan Dancer (Argia tarascana) | map | Mexico, USA. | 34 |
| Tezpi Dancer (Argia tezpi) | map | 35 | |
| Dusky Dancer (Argia translata) | map | 36 | |
| Olmec Dancer (Argia ulmeca) | map | 37 | |
| Celestial Dancer (Argia variabilis) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 38 |
| Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) | map | 39 | |
| Neotropical Bluet (Enallagma novaehispaniae) | map | 40 | |
| Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) | map | 41 | |
| Claw-tipped Bluet (Enallagma semicirculare) | map | Mexico, USA. | 42 |
| Painted Damsel (Hesperagrion heterodoxum) | map | Mexico, USA. | 43 |
| Tiny Forktail (Ischnura capreolus) | map | 44 | |
| Plains Forktail (Ischnura damula) | map | 45 | |
| Mexican Forktail (Ischnura demorsa) | map | Mexico, USA. | 46 |
| Black-fronted Forktail (Ischnura denticollis) | map | 47 | |
| Citrine Forktail (Ischnura hastata) | map | 48 | |
| Rambur’s Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) | map | 49 | |
| Caribbean Swampdamsel (Leptobasis candelaria) | map | Belize, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico. | 50 |
| Red-tipped Swampdamsel (Leptobasis vacillans) | map | 51 | |
| Lemon-tipped Helicopter (Mecistogaster ornata) | map | 52 | |
| Caribbean Yellowface (Neoerythromma cultellatum) | map | 53 | |
| West Mexican Yellowface (Neoerythromma gladiolatum) | map | Mexico. | 54 |
| Marsh Firetail (Telebasis digiticollis) | map | 55 | |
| Striped Firetail (Telebasis filiola) | map | 56 | |
| Hyacinth Firetail (Telebasis levis) | map | 57 | |
| Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) | map | 58 | |
| Threadtails (Protoneuridae) | |||
| Amelia’s Threadtail (Neoneura amelia) | map | 59 | |
| Orange-striped Threadtail (Protoneura cara) | map | 60 | |
| Ruddy Threadtail (Protoneura rojiza) | map | Mexico. | 61 |
| Hawkers (Aeshnidae) | |||
| Mountain Stream Darner (Aeshna williamsoniana) | map | 62 | |
| Amazon Darner (Anax amazili) | map | 63 | |
| Common Green Darner (Anax junius) | map | 64 | |
| Giant Darner (Anax walsinghami) | map | Mexico, USA. | 65 |
| Blue-faced Darner (Coryphaeschna adnexa) | map | 66 | |
| Icarus Darner (Coryphaeschna apeora) | map | 67 | |
| Fiery Darner (Coryphaeschna diapyra) | map | 68 | |
| Mangrove Darner (Coryphaeschna viriditas) | map | 69 | |
| Helen's Darner (Gynacantha helenga) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 70 |
| Bar-sided Darner (Gynacantha mexicana) | map | 71 | |
| Twilight Darner (Gynacantha nervosa) | map | 72 | |
| Riffle Darner (Oplonaeschna armata) | map | Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 73 |
| Broad-striped Riffle Darner (Oplonaeschna magna) | map | Mexico. | 74 |
| Malachite Darner (Remartinia luteipennis) | map | 75 | |
| Arroyo Darner (Rhionaeschna dugesi) | map | Mexico, USA. | 76 |
| Black-tailed Darner (Rhionaeschna jalapensis) | map | 77 | |
| Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor) | map | 78 | |
| Turquoise-tipped Darner (Rhionaeschna psilus) | map | 79 | |
| Pale-green Darner (Triacanthagyna septima) | map | 80 | |
| Clubtails (Gomphidae) | |||
| Narrow-striped Forceptail (Aphylla protracta) | map | 81 | |
| One-striped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus bothrops) | map | 82 | |
| Plain Ringtail (Erpetogomphus cophias) | map | Mexico. | 83 |
| Yellow-legged Ringtail (Erpetogomphus crotalinus) | map | Mexico, USA. | 84 |
| Straight-tipped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus elaps) | map | Guatemala, Mexico, USA. | 85 |
| Blue-faced Ringtail (Erpetogomphus eutainia) | map | 86 | |
| Dark-shouldered Ringtail (Erpetogomphus liopeltis) | map | Mexico. | 87 |
| Mexican Snaketail (Ophiogomphus purepecha) | map | Mexico. | 88 |
| Angle-tipped Forceptail (Phyllocycla elongata) | map | Mexico. | 89 |
| Spine-tipped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides apiculatus) | map | Mexico. | 90 |
| Enrique's Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides enriquei) | map | Mexico. | 91 |
| Luis’s Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides luisi) | map | Mexico. | 92 |
| Pacific Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides pacificus) | map | Mexico. | 93 |
| Common Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides suasus) | map | 94 | |
| Gray Sanddragon (Progomphus borealis) | map | Mexico, USA. | 95 |
| Zebra-striped Sanddragon (Progomphus clendoni) | map | 96 | |
| Lamberto’s Sanddragon (Progomphus lambertoi) | map | Mexico. | 97 |
| Marcela’s Sanddragon (Progomphus marcelae) | map | Mexico. | 98 |
| Mexican Sanddragon (Progomphus mexicanus) | map | 99 | |
| Splendid Sanddragon (Progomphus zonatus) | map | Mexico. | 100 |
| Plateau Clubtail (Stylurus falcatus) | map | Mexico. | 101 |
| Goldenrings (Cordulegastridae) | |||
| Apache Spiketail (Cordulegaster diadema) | map | 102 | |
| Skimmers (Libellulidae) | |||
| Common Blue-eye (Anatya guttata) | map | 103 | |
| Red-tailed Pennant (Brachymesia furcata) | map | 104 | |
| Little Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga nubecula) | map | 105 | |
| Slender Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga praecox) | map | 106 | |
| Amber-banded Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga rapax) | map | 107 | |
| Tepeaca Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga tepeaca) | map | Mexico. | 108 |
| Vivacious Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga vivax) | map | 109 | |
| Gray-waisted Skimmer (Cannaphila insularis) | 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 | |
| Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata) | 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 | |
| Plateau Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax basifusca) | map | 120 | |
| Red-mantled Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fervida) | map | 121 | |
| Black-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax funerea) | map | 122 | |
| Red-faced Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fusca) | map | 123 | |
| Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata) | map | 124 | |
| Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis) | map | 125 | |
| Red-mantled Skimmer (Libellula gaigei) | map | Belize, Mexico, USA. | 126 |
| Hoary Skimmer (Libellula nodisticta) | map | Mexico, USA. | 127 |
| Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) | map | 128 | |
| Delta-spotted Sylph (Macrothemis hemichlora) | map | 129 | |
| Straw-colored Sylph (Macrothemis inacuta) | map | 130 | |
| Jade-striped Sylph (Macrothemis inequiunguis) | map | 131 | |
| White-tailed Sylph (Macrothemis pseudimitans) | map | 132 | |
| Sierra Madre Sylph (Macrothemis ultima) | map | Mexico. | 133 |
| Hyacinth Glider (Miathyria marcella) | map | 134 | |
| Dwarf Glider (Miathyria simplex) | map | 135 | |
| Spot-tailed Dasher (Micrathyria aequalis) | map | 136 | |
| Petén Dasher (Micrathyria debilis) | map | 137 | |
| Three-striped Dasher (Micrathyria didyma) | map | 138 | |
| Caribbean Dasher (Micrathyria dissocians) | map | 139 | |
| Square-spotted Dasher (Micrathyria ocellata) | map | 140 | |
| Upland Dasher (Micrathyria paulsoni) | map | 141 | |
| Carmine Skimmer (Orthemis discolor) | map | 142 | |
| Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) | map | 143 | |
| Slender Skimmer (Orthemis levis) | map | 144 | |
| Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) | map | 145 | |
| Blue Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis cyanosoma) | map | Mexico. | 146 |
| Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) | map | 147 | |
| Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) | map | 148 | |
| Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea) | map | 149 | |
| Slough Amberwing (Perithemis domitia) | map | 150 | |
| Mexican Amberwing (Perithemis intensa) | map | 151 | |
| Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) | map | 152 | |
| Filigree Skimmer (Pseudoleon superbus) | map | 153 | |
| Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) | map | 154 | |
| Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum) | map | 155 | |
| Arch-tipped Glider (Tauriphila argo) | map | 156 | |
| Garnet Glider (Tauriphila australis) | map | 157 | |
| Evening Skimmer (Tholymis citrina) | map | 158 | |
| Vermilion Saddlebags (Tramea abdominalis) | map | 159 | |
| Striped Saddlebags (Tramea darwini) | map | 160 | |
| Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) | map | 161 | |