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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Oaxaca (oax) |
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| Total | Registered | ||
| Mexican endemics | |||
| True Species that normally do not occur outside of Mexico. | 19 | 0 | |
| Regionals US border states plus area south of Mexico including Nicaragua. | 34 | 0 | |
| Added: Argia medullaris Erythemis peruviana Palaemnema paulicaxa |
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| Only show endemic species Show registered species Show species with PSV | Endemics | ||
| Twigtails (Perilestidae) | |||
| Horned Twigtail (Perissolestes magdalenae) | map | 1 | |
| Spreadwings (Lestidae) | |||
| Great Spreadwing (Archilestes grandis) | map | 2 | |
| Yellow-eyed Spreadwing (Archilestes latialatus) | map | 3 | |
| Plateau Spreadwing (Lestes alacer) | map | 4 | |
| Rainpool Spreadwing (Lestes forficula) | map | 5 | |
| Wedge-striped Spreadwing (Lestes scalaris) | map | 6 | |
| Chalky Spreadwing (Lestes sigma) | map | 7 | |
| Blue-striped Spreadwing (Lestes tenuatus) | map | 8 | |
| Shadowdamsels (Platystictidae) | |||
| Presidio Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema desiderata) | map | Belize, Mexico. | 9 |
| Desert Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema domina) | map | 10 | |
| Nathalia Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema nathalia) | map | 11 | |
| Puebla Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema paulicaxa) | map | Mexico. | 12 |
| Córdoba Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema paulicoba) | map | Mexico. | 13 |
| Atoyac Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema paulitoyaca) | map | Mexico. | 14 |
| Mayan Damsels (Amphipterygidae) | |||
| Mexican Mayan Damsel (Amphipteryx agrioides) | map | Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 15 |
| Demoiselles (Calopterygidae) | |||
| American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) | map | 16 | |
| Cryptic Rubyspot (Hetaerina calverti) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 17 |
| Bronze Rubyspot (Hetaerina capitalis) | map | 18 | |
| Highland Rubyspot (Hetaerina cruentata) | map | 19 | |
| Emerald Rubyspot (Hetaerina infecta) | map | Mexico. | 20 |
| Racket-tipped Rubyspot (Hetaerina occisa) | map | 21 | |
| Forest Rubyspot (Hetaerina sempronia) | map | 22 | |
| Smoky Rubyspot (Hetaerina titia) | map | 23 | |
| Canyon Rubyspot (Hetaerina vulnerata) | map | Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 24 |
| Cascade Damsels (Thaumatoneuridae) | |||
| Paraphlebia esperanza (Paraphlebia esperanza) | map | Mexico. | 25 |
| Clearwing Cascade Damsel (Paraphlebia hyalina) | map | Mexico. | 26 |
| Paraphlebia kinich (Paraphlebia kinich) | map | Mexico. | 27 |
| Polymorphic Cascade Damsel (Paraphlebia quinta) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 28 |
| Pond Damselflies (Coenagrionidae) | |||
| Mexican Wedgetail (Acanthagrion quadratum) | map | 29 | |
| Middle American Pearlwing (Anisagrion allopterum) | map | 30 | |
| Black-and-white Damsel (Apanisagrion lais) | map | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 31 |
| Cerulean Dancer (Argia anceps) | map | 32 | |
| Yaqui Dancer (Argia carlcooki) | map | Mexico, USA. | 33 |
| Big Blue Dancer (Argia chelata) | map | 34 | |
| Spine-tipped Dancer (Argia extranea) | map | Mexico, USA. | 35 |
| Green-eyed Dancer (Argia frequentula) | map | 36 | |
| Big Red Dancer (Argia funcki) | map | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 37 |
| Springwater Dancer (Argia funebris) | map | 38 | |
| Harkness’s Dancer (Argia harknessi) | map | Mexico, USA. | 39 |
| Gilded Dancer (Argia herberti) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 40 |
| Kiowa Dancer (Argia immunda) | map | 41 | |
| Swamp Dancer (Argia indicatrix) | map | 42 | |
| Sierra Madre Dancer (Argia lacrimans) | map | Mexico, USA. | 43 |
| Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens) | map | 44 | |
| May's Dancer (Argia mayi) | map | Mexico. | 45 |
| Sky-blue Dancer (Argia medullaris) | map | 46 | |
| Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana) | map | 47 | |
| Oculate Dancer (Argia oculata) | map | 48 | |
| Fiery-eyed Dancer (Argia oenea) | map | 49 | |
| Amethyst Dancer (Argia pallens) | map | Guatemala, Mexico, USA. | 50 |
| Chalk-fronted Dancer (Argia percellulata) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 51 |
| Pipila Dancer (Argia pipila) | map | 52 | |
| Pocomana Dancer (Argia pocomana) | map | 53 | |
| Purple Dancer (Argia pulla) | map | 54 | |
| Tarascan Dancer (Argia tarascana) | map | Mexico, USA. | 55 |
| Tezpi Dancer (Argia tezpi) | map | 56 | |
| Dusky Dancer (Argia translata) | map | 57 | |
| Olmec Dancer (Argia ulmeca) | map | 58 | |
| Celestial Dancer (Argia variabilis) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 59 |
| Caribbean Damsel (Enacantha caribbea) | map | Belize, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico. | 60 |
| Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) | map | 61 | |
| Neotropical Bluet (Enallagma novaehispaniae) | map | 62 | |
| Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) | map | 63 | |
| Claw-tipped Bluet (Enallagma semicirculare) | map | Mexico, USA. | 64 |
| Painted Damsel (Hesperagrion heterodoxum) | map | Mexico, USA. | 65 |
| Tiny Forktail (Ischnura capreolus) | map | 66 | |
| Mexican Forktail (Ischnura demorsa) | map | Mexico, USA. | 67 |
| Black-fronted Forktail (Ischnura denticollis) | map | 68 | |
| Citrine Forktail (Ischnura hastata) | map | 69 | |
| Rambur’s Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) | map | 70 | |
| Cream-tipped Swampdamsel (Leptobasis melinogaster) | map | Mexico, USA. | 71 |
| Red-tipped Swampdamsel (Leptobasis vacillans) | map | 72 | |
| Bromeliad Helicopter (Mecistogaster modesta) | map | 73 | |
| Lemon-tipped Helicopter (Mecistogaster ornata) | map | 74 | |
| Mexican Blue-winged Helicopter (Megaloprepus latipennis) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 75 |
| Tropical Sprite (Nehalennia minuta) | map | 76 | |
| Caribbean Yellowface (Neoerythromma cultellatum) | map | 77 | |
| West Mexican Yellowface (Neoerythromma gladiolatum) | map | Mexico. | 78 |
| Broad-winged Helicopter (Pseudostigma aberrans) | map | 79 | |
| Wide-winged Helicopter (Pseudostigma accedens) | map | 80 | |
| Marsh Firetail (Telebasis digiticollis) | map | 81 | |
| Striped Firetail (Telebasis filiola) | map | 82 | |
| Hyacinth Firetail (Telebasis levis) | map | 83 | |
| Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) | map | 84 | |
| Threadtails (Protoneuridae) | |||
| Amelia’s Threadtail (Neoneura amelia) | map | 85 | |
| Paya Threadtail (Neoneura paya) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Mexico. | 86 |
| Orange-striped Threadtail (Protoneura cara) | map | 87 | |
| Blue-fronted Threadtail (Protoneura cupida) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Mexico. | 88 |
| Ruddy Threadtail (Protoneura rojiza) | map | Mexico. | 89 |
| Shadowy Threadtail (Psaironeura remissa) | map | 90 | |
| Flamboyant Flatwings (Heteragrionidae) | |||
| Pale-faced Flatwing (Heteragrion albifrons) | map | 91 | |
| Golden Flatwing (Heteragrion alienum) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 92 |
| Highland Flatwing (Heteragrion tricellulare) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 93 |
| Bannerwings (Polythoridae) | |||
| Blue Cora (Cora marina) | map | 94 | |
| Hawkers (Aeshnidae) | |||
| Mountain Stream Darner (Aeshna williamsoniana) | map | 95 | |
| Amazon Darner (Anax amazili) | map | 96 | |
| Blue-spotted Comet Darner (Anax concolor) | map | 97 | |
| Common Green Darner (Anax junius) | map | 98 | |
| Giant Darner (Anax walsinghami) | map | Mexico, USA. | 99 |
| Blue-faced Darner (Coryphaeschna adnexa) | map | 100 | |
| Fiery Darner (Coryphaeschna diapyra) | map | 101 | |
| Mangrove Darner (Coryphaeschna viriditas) | map | 102 | |
| Helen's Darner (Gynacantha helenga) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 103 |
| Twilight Darner (Gynacantha nervosa) | map | 104 | |
| Riffle Darner (Oplonaeschna armata) | map | Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 105 |
| Broad-striped Riffle Darner (Oplonaeschna magna) | map | Mexico. | 106 |
| Malachite Darner (Remartinia luteipennis) | map | 107 | |
| Highland Darner (Rhionaeschna cornigera) | map | 108 | |
| Arroyo Darner (Rhionaeschna dugesi) | map | Mexico, USA. | 109 |
| Black-tailed Darner (Rhionaeschna jalapensis) | map | 110 | |
| Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor) | map | 111 | |
| Turquoise-tipped Darner (Rhionaeschna psilus) | map | 112 | |
| Caribbean Darner (Triacanthagyna caribbea) | map | 113 | |
| Pale-green Darner (Triacanthagyna septima) | map | 114 | |
| Clubtails (Gomphidae) | |||
| Slender Clubtail (Agriogomphus tumens) | map | 115 | |
| Broad-striped Forceptail (Aphylla angustifolia) | map | 116 | |
| Tehuantepec Knobtail (Epigomphus crepidus) | map | Mexico. | 117 |
| Flint’s Knobtail (Epigomphus flinti) | map | Mexico. | 118 |
| One-striped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus bothrops) | map | 119 | |
| Knob-tipped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus constrictor) | map | 120 | |
| Yellow-legged Ringtail (Erpetogomphus crotalinus) | map | Mexico, USA. | 121 |
| Straight-tipped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus elaps) | map | Guatemala, Mexico, USA. | 122 |
| Blue-faced Ringtail (Erpetogomphus eutainia) | map | 123 | |
| Tuxtla Ringtail (Erpetogomphus ophibolus) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Mexico. | 124 |
| Angle-tipped Forceptail (Phyllocycla elongata) | map | Mexico. | 125 |
| Tiny Forceptail (Phyllocycla volsella) | map | 126 | |
| Spine-tipped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides apiculatus) | map | Mexico. | 127 |
| Two-striped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides bifasciatus) | map | 128 | |
| Daniel’s Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides danieli) | map | Mexico. | 129 |
| Double-toothed Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides duodentatus) | map | 130 | |
| Pacific Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides pacificus) | map | Mexico. | 131 |
| Common Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides suasus) | map | 132 | |
| Zebra-striped Sanddragon (Progomphus clendoni) | map | 133 | |
| Mexican Sanddragon (Progomphus mexicanus) | map | 134 | |
| Pygmy Sanddragon (Progomphus pygmaeus) | map | 135 | |
| Goldenrings (Cordulegastridae) | |||
| Apache Spiketail (Cordulegaster diadema) | map | 136 | |
| Idomacromiidae (Idomacromiidae) | |||
| Bates’s Emerald (Neocordulia batesi) | map | 137 | |
| Skimmers (Libellulidae) | |||
| Common Blue-eye (Anatya guttata) | map | 138 | |
| Red-tailed Pennant (Brachymesia furcata) | map | 139 | |
| Tawny Pennant (Brachymesia herbida) | map | 140 | |
| Broad-winged Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga latialata) | map | Mexico. | 141 |
| Pale-faced Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax) | map | 142 | |
| Masked Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga pertinax) | map | 143 | |
| Slender Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga praecox) | map | 144 | |
| Amber-banded Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga rapax) | map | 145 | |
| Vivacious Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga vivax) | map | 146 | |
| Gray-waisted Skimmer (Cannaphila insularis) | map | 147 | |
| Blue-tailed Skimmer (Cannaphila vibex) | map | 148 | |
| Mayan Setwing (Dythemis maya) | map | 149 | |
| Blue-eyed Setwing (Dythemis nigra) | map | 150 | |
| Black Setwing (Dythemis nigrescens) | map | Mexico, USA. | 151 |
| Brown Setwing (Dythemis sterilis) | map | 152 | |
| Black Pondhawk (Erythemis attala) | map | 153 | |
| Red Pondhawk (Erythemis haematogastra) | map | 154 | |
| Claret Pondhawk (Erythemis mithroides) | map | 155 | |
| Flame-tailed Pondhawk (Erythemis peruviana) | map | 156 | |
| Pin-tailed Pondhawk (Erythemis plebeja) | map | 157 | |
| Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) | map | 158 | |
| Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa) | map | 159 | |
| Plateau Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax basifusca) | map | 160 | |
| Seaside Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax berenice) | map | 161 | |
| Red-mantled Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fervida) | map | 162 | |
| Black-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax funerea) | map | 163 | |
| Red-faced Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fusca) | map | 164 | |
| Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata) | map | 165 | |
| Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis) | map | 166 | |
| Hercules Skimmer (Libellula herculea) | map | 167 | |
| Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) | map | 168 | |
| Delta-spotted Sylph (Macrothemis hemichlora) | map | 169 | |
| Straw-colored Sylph (Macrothemis inacuta) | map | 170 | |
| Jade-striped Sylph (Macrothemis inequiunguis) | map | 171 | |
| White-tailed Sylph (Macrothemis pseudimitans) | map | 172 | |
| Sierra Madre Sylph (Macrothemis ultima) | map | Mexico. | 173 |
| Hyacinth Glider (Miathyria marcella) | map | 174 | |
| Dwarf Glider (Miathyria simplex) | map | 175 | |
| Spot-tailed Dasher (Micrathyria aequalis) | map | 176 | |
| Petén Dasher (Micrathyria debilis) | map | 177 | |
| Three-striped Dasher (Micrathyria didyma) | map | 178 | |
| Caribbean Dasher (Micrathyria dissocians) | map | 179 | |
| Thornbush Dasher (Micrathyria hagenii) | map | 180 | |
| Square-spotted Dasher (Micrathyria ocellata) | map | 181 | |
| Upland Dasher (Micrathyria paulsoni) | map | 182 | |
| Dusky Dasher (Micrathyria schumanni) | map | 183 | |
| Glossy-fronted Dryad (Nephepeltia flavifrons) | map | 184 | |
| Carmine Skimmer (Orthemis discolor) | map | 185 | |
| Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) | map | 186 | |
| Slender Skimmer (Orthemis levis) | map | 187 | |
| Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) | map | 188 | |
| Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) | map | 189 | |
| Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea) | map | 190 | |
| Slough Amberwing (Perithemis domitia) | map | 191 | |
| Mexican Amberwing (Perithemis intensa) | map | 192 | |
| Pallid Amberwing (Perithemis mooma) | map | 193 | |
| Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) | map | 194 | |
| Mexican Scarlet-tail (Planiplax sanguiniventris) | map | 195 | |
| Filigree Skimmer (Pseudoleon superbus) | map | 196 | |
| Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) | map | 197 | |
| Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum) | map | 198 | |
| Aztec Glider (Tauriphila azteca) | map | 199 | |
| Vermilion Saddlebags (Tramea abdominalis) | map | 200 | |
| Sooty Saddlebags (Tramea binotata) | map | 201 | |
| Striped Saddlebags (Tramea darwini) | map | 202 | |
| Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) | map | 203 | |
| Tropical Woodskimmer (Uracis imbuta) | map | 204 | |