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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Quintana Roo (roo) |
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| Total | Registered | ||
| Mexican endemics | |||
| True Species that normally do not occur outside of Mexico. | 0 | 0 | |
| Regionals US border states plus area south of Mexico including Nicaragua. | 8 | 0 | |
| Added: Erythemis peruviana Orthemis schmidti |
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| Only show endemic species Show registered species Show species with PSV | Endemics | ||
| Spreadwings (Lestidae) | |||
| Rainpool Spreadwing (Lestes forficula) | map | 1 | |
| Wedge-striped Spreadwing (Lestes scalaris) | map | 2 | |
| Blue-striped Spreadwing (Lestes tenuatus) | map | 3 | |
| Demoiselles (Calopterygidae) | |||
| Smoky Rubyspot (Hetaerina titia) | map | 4 | |
| Pond Damselflies (Coenagrionidae) | |||
| Mexican Wedgetail (Acanthagrion quadratum) | map | 5 | |
| Green-eyed Dancer (Argia frequentula) | map | 6 | |
| Petén Dancer (Argia gaumeri) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 7 |
| Dusky Dancer (Argia translata) | map | 8 | |
| Caribbean Damsel (Enacantha caribbea) | map | Belize, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico. | 9 |
| Neotropical Bluet (Enallagma novaehispaniae) | map | 10 | |
| Tiny Forktail (Ischnura capreolus) | map | 11 | |
| Citrine Forktail (Ischnura hastata) | map | 12 | |
| Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita) | map | 13 | |
| Rambur’s Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) | map | 14 | |
| Caribbean Swampdamsel (Leptobasis candelaria) | map | Belize, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico. | 15 |
| Red-tipped Swampdamsel (Leptobasis vacillans) | map | 16 | |
| Bromeliad Helicopter (Mecistogaster modesta) | map | 17 | |
| Tropical Sprite (Nehalennia minuta) | map | 18 | |
| Caribbean Yellowface (Neoerythromma cultellatum) | map | 19 | |
| Broad-winged Helicopter (Pseudostigma aberrans) | map | 20 | |
| Wide-winged Helicopter (Pseudostigma accedens) | map | 21 | |
| Marsh Firetail (Telebasis digiticollis) | map | 22 | |
| Striped Firetail (Telebasis filiola) | map | 23 | |
| Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) | map | 24 | |
| Threadtails (Protoneuridae) | |||
| Amelia’s Threadtail (Neoneura amelia) | map | 25 | |
| Peach-fronted Threadtail (Protoneura corculum) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 26 |
| Flamboyant Flatwings (Heteragrionidae) | |||
| Golden Flatwing (Heteragrion alienum) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 27 |
| Hawkers (Aeshnidae) | |||
| Amazon Darner (Anax amazili) | map | 28 | |
| Blue-spotted Comet Darner (Anax concolor) | map | 29 | |
| Common Green Darner (Anax junius) | map | 30 | |
| Blue-faced Darner (Coryphaeschna adnexa) | map | 31 | |
| Icarus Darner (Coryphaeschna apeora) | map | 32 | |
| Fiery Darner (Coryphaeschna diapyra) | map | 33 | |
| Mangrove Darner (Coryphaeschna viriditas) | map | 34 | |
| Helen's Darner (Gynacantha helenga) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 35 |
| Bar-sided Darner (Gynacantha mexicana) | map | 36 | |
| Twilight Darner (Gynacantha nervosa) | map | 37 | |
| Secretive Darner (Remartinia secreta) | map | 38 | |
| Turquoise-tipped Darner (Rhionaeschna psilus) | map | 39 | |
| Caribbean Darner (Triacanthagyna caribbea) | map | 40 | |
| Pale-green Darner (Triacanthagyna septima) | map | 41 | |
| Clubtails (Gomphidae) | |||
| Broad-striped Forceptail (Aphylla angustifolia) | map | 42 | |
| Antillean Forceptail (Aphylla caraiba) | map | 43 | |
| Skimmers (Libellulidae) | |||
| Common Blue-eye (Anatya guttata) | map | 44 | |
| Red-tailed Pennant (Brachymesia furcata) | map | 45 | |
| Tawny Pennant (Brachymesia herbida) | map | 46 | |
| Gray-waisted Skimmer (Cannaphila insularis) | map | 47 | |
| Black Setwing (Dythemis nigrescens) | map | Mexico, USA. | 48 |
| Brown Setwing (Dythemis sterilis) | map | 49 | |
| Black Pondhawk (Erythemis attala) | map | 50 | |
| Red Pondhawk (Erythemis haematogastra) | map | 51 | |
| Claret Pondhawk (Erythemis mithroides) | map | 52 | |
| Flame-tailed Pondhawk (Erythemis peruviana) | map | 53 | |
| Pin-tailed Pondhawk (Erythemis plebeja) | map | 54 | |
| Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) | map | 55 | |
| Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa) | map | 56 | |
| Seaside Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax berenice) | map | 57 | |
| Red-mantled Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fervida) | map | 58 | |
| Red-faced Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fusca) | map | 59 | |
| Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata) | map | 60 | |
| Metallic Pennant (Idiataphe cubensis) | map | 61 | |
| Red-mantled Skimmer (Libellula gaigei) | map | Belize, Mexico, USA. | 62 |
| Hercules Skimmer (Libellula herculea) | map | 63 | |
| Needham’s Skimmer (Libellula needhami) | map | 64 | |
| Marl Pennant (Macrodiplax balteata) | map | 65 | |
| Delta-spotted Sylph (Macrothemis hemichlora) | map | 66 | |
| Hyacinth Glider (Miathyria marcella) | map | 67 | |
| Dwarf Glider (Miathyria simplex) | map | 68 | |
| Spot-tailed Dasher (Micrathyria aequalis) | map | 69 | |
| Black Dasher (Micrathyria atra) | map | 70 | |
| Petén Dasher (Micrathyria debilis) | map | 71 | |
| Three-striped Dasher (Micrathyria didyma) | map | 72 | |
| Thornbush Dasher (Micrathyria hagenii) | map | 73 | |
| Carmine Skimmer (Orthemis discolor) | map | 74 | |
| Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) | map | 75 | |
| Slender Skimmer (Orthemis levis) | map | 76 | |
| Red-tailed Skimmer (Orthemis schmidti) | map | 77 | |
| Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) | map | 78 | |
| Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea) | map | 79 | |
| Slough Amberwing (Perithemis domitia) | map | 80 | |
| Pallid Amberwing (Perithemis mooma) | map | 81 | |
| Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) | map | 82 | |
| Mexican Scarlet-tail (Planiplax sanguiniventris) | map | 83 | |
| Arch-tipped Glider (Tauriphila argo) | map | 84 | |
| Garnet Glider (Tauriphila australis) | map | 85 | |
| Aztec Glider (Tauriphila azteca) | map | 86 | |
| Evening Skimmer (Tholymis citrina) | map | 87 | |
| Vermilion Saddlebags (Tramea abdominalis) | map | 88 | |
| Sooty Saddlebags (Tramea binotata) | map | 89 | |
| Striped Saddlebags (Tramea darwini) | map | 90 | |
| Antillean Saddlebags (Tramea insularis) | map | 91 | |
| Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) | map | 92 | |
| Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) | map | 93 | |
| Tropical Woodskimmer (Uracis imbuta) | map | 94 | |