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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Nayarit (nay) 150 Species (2 Registered) |
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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. | 21 | 0 | |
| Added: Coryphaeschna viriditas Erythrodiplax fusca Lestes simplex Micrathyria debilis Paltothemis cyanosoma |
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| Only show endemic species Show registered species Show species with PSV | Endemics | ||
| Spreadwings (Lestidae) | |||
| Great Spreadwing (Archilestes grandis) | map | 1 | |
| Chalky Spreadwing (Lestes sigma) | map | 2 | |
| Allied Spreadwing (Lestes simplex) | map | Mexico. | 3 |
| Blue-striped Spreadwing (Lestes tenuatus) | map | 4 | |
| Shadowdamsels (Platystictidae) | |||
| Desert Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema domina) | map | 5 | |
| Demoiselles (Calopterygidae) | |||
| American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) | map | 6 | |
| Cryptic Rubyspot (Hetaerina calverti) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 7 |
| Bronze Rubyspot (Hetaerina capitalis) | map | 8 | |
| Highland Rubyspot (Hetaerina cruentata) | map | 9 | |
| Emerald Rubyspot (Hetaerina infecta) | map | Mexico. | 10 |
| Racket-tipped Rubyspot (Hetaerina occisa) | map | 11 | |
| Smoky Rubyspot (Hetaerina titia) | map | 12 | |
| Canyon Rubyspot (Hetaerina vulnerata) | map | Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 13 |
| Pond Damselflies (Coenagrionidae) | |||
| Black-and-white Damsel (Apanisagrion lais) | map | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 14 |
| Cerulean Dancer (Argia anceps) | map | 15 | |
| Yaqui Dancer (Argia carlcooki) | map | Mexico, USA. | 16 |
| Coppery Dancer (Argia cuprea) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 17 |
| Spine-tipped Dancer (Argia extranea) | map | Mexico, USA. | 18 |
| Big Red Dancer (Argia funcki) | map | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 19 |
| Harkness’s Dancer (Argia harknessi) | map | Mexico, USA. | 20 |
| Kiowa Dancer (Argia immunda) | map | 21 | |
| Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens) | map | 22 | |
| May's Dancer (Argia mayi) | map | Mexico. | 23 |
| Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana) | map | 24 | |
| Oculate Dancer (Argia oculata) | map | 25 | |
| Fiery-eyed Dancer (Argia oenea) | map | 26 | |
| Amethyst Dancer (Argia pallens) | map | Guatemala, Mexico, USA. | 27 |
| Pima Dancer (Argia pima) | map | Mexico, USA. | 28 |
| Purple Dancer (Argia pulla) | map | 29 | |
| Tarascan Dancer (Argia tarascana) | map | Mexico, USA. | 30 |
| Tezpi Dancer (Argia tezpi) | map | 31 | |
| Olmec Dancer (Argia ulmeca) | map | 32 | |
| Celestial Dancer (Argia variabilis) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 33 |
| Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) | map | 34 | |
| Neotropical Bluet (Enallagma novaehispaniae) | map | 35 | |
| Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) | map | 36 | |
| Claw-tipped Bluet (Enallagma semicirculare) | map | Mexico, USA. | 37 |
| Tiny Forktail (Ischnura capreolus) | map | 38 | |
| Black-fronted Forktail (Ischnura denticollis) | map | 39 | |
| Citrine Forktail (Ischnura hastata) | map | 40 | |
| Rambur’s Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) | map | 41 | |
| Cream-tipped Swampdamsel (Leptobasis melinogaster) | map | Mexico, USA. | 42 |
| Red-tipped Swampdamsel (Leptobasis vacillans) | map | 43 | |
| Lemon-tipped Helicopter (Mecistogaster ornata) | map | 44 | |
| Tropical Sprite (Nehalennia minuta) | map | 45 | |
| West Mexican Yellowface (Neoerythromma gladiolatum) | map | Mexico. | 46 |
| Broad-winged Helicopter (Pseudostigma aberrans) | map | 47 | |
| Striped Firetail (Telebasis filiola) | map | 48 | |
| Green-eyed Firetail (Telebasis isthmica) | map | 49 | |
| Hyacinth Firetail (Telebasis levis) | map | 50 | |
| Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) | map | 51 | |
| Threadtails (Protoneuridae) | |||
| Amelia’s Threadtail (Neoneura amelia) | map | 52 | |
| Orange-striped Threadtail (Protoneura cara) | map | 53 | |
| Hawkers (Aeshnidae) | |||
| Persephone’s Darner (Aeshna persephone) | map | Mexico, USA. | 54 |
| Amazon Darner (Anax amazili) | map | 55 | |
| Common Green Darner (Anax junius) | map | 56 | |
| Giant Darner (Anax walsinghami) | map | Mexico, USA. | 57 |
| Blue-faced Darner (Coryphaeschna adnexa) | map | 58 | |
| Fiery Darner (Coryphaeschna diapyra) | map | 59 | |
| Mangrove Darner (Coryphaeschna viriditas) | map | 60 | |
| Helen's Darner (Gynacantha helenga) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 61 |
| Bar-sided Darner (Gynacantha mexicana) | map | 62 | |
| Twilight Darner (Gynacantha nervosa) | map | 63 | |
| Malachite Darner (Remartinia luteipennis) | map | 64 | |
| Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor) | map | 65 | |
| Turquoise-tipped Darner (Rhionaeschna psilus) | map | 66 | |
| West Mexican Darner (Rhionaeschna vazquezae) | map | Mexico. | 67 |
| Caribbean Darner (Triacanthagyna caribbea) | map | 68 | |
| Pale-green Darner (Triacanthagyna septima) | map | 69 | |
| Clubtails (Gomphidae) | |||
| Broad-striped Forceptail (Aphylla angustifolia) | map | 70 | |
| Narrow-striped Forceptail (Aphylla protracta) | map | 71 | |
| Tehuantepec Knobtail (Epigomphus crepidus) | map | Mexico. | 72 |
| One-striped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus bothrops) | map | 73 | |
| Yellow-legged Ringtail (Erpetogomphus crotalinus) | map | Mexico, USA. | 74 |
| Straight-tipped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus elaps) | map | Guatemala, Mexico, USA. | 75 |
| Blue-faced Ringtail (Erpetogomphus eutainia) | map | 76 | |
| Plateau Ringtail (Erpetogomphus sipedon) | map | Mexico. | 77 |
| Angle-tipped Forceptail (Phyllocycla elongata) | map | Mexico. | 78 |
| Spine-tipped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides apiculatus) | map | Mexico. | 79 |
| Luis’s Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides luisi) | map | Mexico. | 80 |
| West Mexican Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides nayaritensis) | map | Mexico. | 81 |
| Pacific Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides pacificus) | map | Mexico. | 82 |
| Common Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides suasus) | map | 83 | |
| Zebra-striped Sanddragon (Progomphus clendoni) | map | 84 | |
| Skimmers (Libellulidae) | |||
| Common Blue-eye (Anatya guttata) | map | 85 | |
| Red-tailed Pennant (Brachymesia furcata) | map | 86 | |
| Tawny Pennant (Brachymesia herbida) | map | 87 | |
| Pale-faced Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax) | map | 88 | |
| Masked Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga pertinax) | map | 89 | |
| Slender Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga praecox) | map | 90 | |
| Tepeaca Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga tepeaca) | map | Mexico. | 91 |
| Vivacious Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga vivax) | map | 92 | |
| Gray-waisted Skimmer (Cannaphila insularis) | map | 93 | |
| Mayan Setwing (Dythemis maya) | map | 94 | |
| Blue-eyed Setwing (Dythemis nigra) | map | 95 | |
| Black Setwing (Dythemis nigrescens) | map | Mexico, USA. | 96 |
| Brown Setwing (Dythemis sterilis) | map | 97 | |
| Black Pondhawk (Erythemis attala) | map | 98 | |
| Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata) | map | 99 | |
| Red Pondhawk (Erythemis haematogastra) | map | 100 | |
| Claret Pondhawk (Erythemis mithroides) | map | 101 | |
| Pin-tailed Pondhawk (Erythemis plebeja) | map | 102 | |
| Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa) | map | 103 | |
| Plateau Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax basifusca) | map | 104 | |
| Seaside Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax berenice) | map | 105 | |
| Red-mantled Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fervida) | map | 106 | |
| Black-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax funerea) | map | 107 | |
| Red-faced Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fusca) | map | 108 | |
| Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata) | map | 109 | |
| Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis) | map | 110 | |
| Hercules Skimmer (Libellula herculea) | map | 111 | |
| Needham’s Skimmer (Libellula needhami) | map | 112 | |
| Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) | map | 113 | |
| Marl Pennant (Macrodiplax balteata) | map | 114 | |
| Delta-spotted Sylph (Macrothemis hemichlora) | map | 115 | |
| Straw-colored Sylph (Macrothemis inacuta) | map | 116 | |
| Jade-striped Sylph (Macrothemis inequiunguis) | map | 117 | |
| White-tailed Sylph (Macrothemis pseudimitans) | map | 118 | |
| Hyacinth Glider (Miathyria marcella) | map | 119 | |
| Dwarf Glider (Miathyria simplex) | map | 120 | |
| Spot-tailed Dasher (Micrathyria aequalis) | map | 121 | |
| Black Dasher (Micrathyria atra) | map | 122 | |
| Petén Dasher (Micrathyria debilis) | map | 123 | |
| Three-striped Dasher (Micrathyria didyma) | map | 124 | |
| Caribbean Dasher (Micrathyria dissocians) | map | 125 | |
| Thornbush Dasher (Micrathyria hagenii) | map | 126 | |
| Square-spotted Dasher (Micrathyria ocellata) | map | 127 | |
| Dusky Dasher (Micrathyria schumanni) | map | 128 | |
| Carmine Skimmer (Orthemis discolor) | map | 129 | |
| Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) | map | 130 | |
| Slender Skimmer (Orthemis levis) | map | 131 | |
| Red-tailed Skimmer (Orthemis schmidti) | map | 132 | |
| Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) | map | 133 | |
| Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) | map | 134 | |
| Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) | map | 135 | |
| Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea) | map | 136 | |
| Slough Amberwing (Perithemis domitia) | map | 137 | |
| Mexican Amberwing (Perithemis intensa) | map | 138 | |
| Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) | map | 139 | |
| Mexican Scarlet-tail (Planiplax sanguiniventris) | map | 140 | |
| Filigree Skimmer (Pseudoleon superbus) | map | 141 | |
| Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) | map | 142 | |
| Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum) | map | 143 | |
| Spot-winged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum signiferum) | map | Mexico, USA. | 144 |
| Garnet Glider (Tauriphila australis) | map | 145 | |
| Aztec Glider (Tauriphila azteca) | map | 146 | |
| Evening Skimmer (Tholymis citrina) | map | 147 | |
| Vermilion Saddlebags (Tramea abdominalis) | map | 148 | |
| Striped Saddlebags (Tramea darwini) | map | 149 | |
| Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) | map | 150 | |