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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Puebla (pue) |
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| Total | Registered | ||
| Mexican endemics | |||
| True Species that normally do not occur outside of Mexico. | 18 | 0 | |
| Regionals US border states plus area south of Mexico including Nicaragua. | 31 | 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 | |
| Alfonso's Spreadwing (Lestes alfonsoi) | map | Mexico. | 4 |
| Rainpool Spreadwing (Lestes forficula) | map | 5 | |
| Wedge-striped Spreadwing (Lestes scalaris) | map | 6 | |
| Blue-striped Spreadwing (Lestes tenuatus) | map | 7 | |
| Shadowdamsels (Platystictidae) | |||
| Desert Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema domina) | map | 8 | |
| Puebla Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema paulicaxa) | map | Mexico. | 9 |
| Córdoba Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema paulicoba) | map | Mexico. | 10 |
| Atoyac Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema paulitoyaca) | map | Mexico. | 11 |
| Mayan Damsels (Amphipterygidae) | |||
| Mexican Mayan Damsel (Amphipteryx agrioides) | map | Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 12 |
| Demoiselles (Calopterygidae) | |||
| American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) | map | 13 | |
| Cryptic Rubyspot (Hetaerina calverti) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 14 |
| Bronze Rubyspot (Hetaerina capitalis) | map | 15 | |
| Highland Rubyspot (Hetaerina cruentata) | map | 16 | |
| Emerald Rubyspot (Hetaerina infecta) | map | Mexico. | 17 |
| Racket-tipped Rubyspot (Hetaerina occisa) | map | 18 | |
| Smoky Rubyspot (Hetaerina titia) | map | 19 | |
| Canyon Rubyspot (Hetaerina vulnerata) | map | Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 20 |
| Cascade Damsels (Thaumatoneuridae) | |||
| Showy Cascade Damsel (Paraphlebia zoe) | map | Mexico. | 21 |
| Pond Damselflies (Coenagrionidae) | |||
| Mexican Wedgetail (Acanthagrion quadratum) | map | 22 | |
| Black-and-white Damsel (Apanisagrion lais) | map | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 23 |
| Cerulean Dancer (Argia anceps) | map | 24 | |
| Argia annae (Argia annae) | map | Mexico. | 25 |
| Comanche Dancer (Argia barretti) | map | Mexico, USA. | 26 |
| Calida Dancer (Argia calida) | map | Belize, Mexico. | 27 |
| Coppery Dancer (Argia cuprea) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 28 |
| Spine-tipped Dancer (Argia extranea) | map | Mexico, USA. | 29 |
| Green-eyed Dancer (Argia frequentula) | map | 30 | |
| Variable Dancer (Argia fumipennis) | map | 31 | |
| Big Red Dancer (Argia funcki) | map | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 32 |
| Springwater Dancer (Argia funebris) | map | 33 | |
| Argia gonzalezi (Argia gonzalezi) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 34 |
| Kiowa Dancer (Argia immunda) | map | 35 | |
| Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana) | map | 36 | |
| Argia noveloi (Argia noveloi) | map | Mexico. | 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 | |
| Dusky Dancer (Argia translata) | map | 48 | |
| Olmec Dancer (Argia ulmeca) | map | 49 | |
| Westfall's Dancer (Argia westfalli) | map | Mexico. | 50 |
| Caribbean Damsel (Enacantha caribbea) | map | Belize, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico. | 51 |
| Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) | map | 52 | |
| Neotropical Bluet (Enallagma novaehispaniae) | map | 53 | |
| Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) | map | 54 | |
| Claw-tipped Bluet (Enallagma semicirculare) | map | Mexico, USA. | 55 |
| Painted Damsel (Hesperagrion heterodoxum) | map | Mexico, USA. | 56 |
| Tiny Forktail (Ischnura capreolus) | map | 57 | |
| Mexican Forktail (Ischnura demorsa) | map | Mexico, USA. | 58 |
| Black-fronted Forktail (Ischnura denticollis) | map | 59 | |
| Citrine Forktail (Ischnura hastata) | map | 60 | |
| Rambur’s Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) | map | 61 | |
| Red-tipped Swampdamsel (Leptobasis vacillans) | map | 62 | |
| Bromeliad Helicopter (Mecistogaster modesta) | map | 63 | |
| Lemon-tipped Helicopter (Mecistogaster ornata) | map | 64 | |
| Mexican Blue-winged Helicopter (Megaloprepus latipennis) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 65 |
| Caribbean Yellowface (Neoerythromma cultellatum) | map | 66 | |
| Broad-winged Helicopter (Pseudostigma aberrans) | map | 67 | |
| Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) | map | 68 | |
| Threadtails (Protoneuridae) | |||
| Amelia’s Threadtail (Neoneura amelia) | map | 69 | |
| Orange-striped Threadtail (Protoneura cara) | map | 70 | |
| Blue-fronted Threadtail (Protoneura cupida) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Mexico. | 71 |
| Flamboyant Flatwings (Heteragrionidae) | |||
| Golden Flatwing (Heteragrion alienum) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 72 |
| Highland Flatwing (Heteragrion tricellulare) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 73 |
| Bannerwings (Polythoridae) | |||
| Blue Cora (Cora marina) | map | 74 | |
| Hawkers (Aeshnidae) | |||
| Amazon Darner (Anax amazili) | map | 75 | |
| Blue-spotted Comet Darner (Anax concolor) | 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 | |
| Broad-striped Riffle Darner (Oplonaeschna magna) | map | Mexico. | 81 |
| Malachite Darner (Remartinia luteipennis) | map | 82 | |
| Arroyo Darner (Rhionaeschna dugesi) | map | Mexico, USA. | 83 |
| Black-tailed Darner (Rhionaeschna jalapensis) | map | 84 | |
| Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor) | map | 85 | |
| Turquoise-tipped Darner (Rhionaeschna psilus) | map | 86 | |
| Pale-green Darner (Triacanthagyna septima) | map | 87 | |
| Clubtails (Gomphidae) | |||
| Boa Ringtail (Erpetogomphus boa) | map | Mexico. | 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 |
| Tuxtla Ringtail (Erpetogomphus ophibolus) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Mexico. | 96 |
| Plateau Ringtail (Erpetogomphus sipedon) | map | Mexico. | 97 |
| Ringed Forceptail (Phyllocycla breviphylla) | map | 98 | |
| Five-striped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides albrighti) | map | Mexico, USA. | 99 |
| Double-toothed Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides duodentatus) | map | 100 | |
| Common Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides suasus) | map | 101 | |
| Goldenrings (Cordulegastridae) | |||
| Apache Spiketail (Cordulegaster diadema) | 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 | |
| Gray-waisted Skimmer (Cannaphila insularis) | 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 | Mexico, USA. | 114 |
| Brown Setwing (Dythemis sterilis) | map | 115 | |
| Black Pondhawk (Erythemis attala) | map | 116 | |
| Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata) | map | 117 | |
| Red Pondhawk (Erythemis haematogastra) | map | 118 | |
| Claret Pondhawk (Erythemis mithroides) | map | 119 | |
| Pin-tailed Pondhawk (Erythemis plebeja) | map | 120 | |
| Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa) | map | 121 | |
| Plateau Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax basifusca) | map | 122 | |
| Black-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax funerea) | map | 123 | |
| Red-faced Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fusca) | map | 124 | |
| Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata) | map | 125 | |
| Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis) | map | 126 | |
| Hercules Skimmer (Libellula herculea) | map | 127 | |
| Hoary Skimmer (Libellula nodisticta) | map | Mexico, USA. | 128 |
| Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) | map | 129 | |
| Jade-striped Sylph (Macrothemis inequiunguis) | 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 | |
| Carmine Skimmer (Orthemis discolor) | map | 137 | |
| Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) | map | 138 | |
| Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) | 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 | |
| Vermilion Saddlebags (Tramea abdominalis) | map | 149 | |
| Striped Saddlebags (Tramea darwini) | map | 150 | |
| Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) | map | 151 | |