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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Tabasco (tab) |
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| Total | Registered | ||
| Mexican endemics | |||
| True Species that normally do not occur outside of Mexico. | 2 | 0 | |
| Regionals US border states plus area south of Mexico including Nicaragua. | 15 | 0 | |
| Added: Argia variabilis Cora marina Heteragrion albifrons |
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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 | |
| Rainpool Spreadwing (Lestes forficula) | map | 3 | |
| Shadowdamsels (Platystictidae) | |||
| Presidio Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema desiderata) | map | Belize, Mexico. | 4 |
| Tabasco Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema paulitaba) | map | Mexico. | 5 |
| Demoiselles (Calopterygidae) | |||
| American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) | map | 6 | |
| Highland Rubyspot (Hetaerina cruentata) | map | 7 | |
| Racket-tipped Rubyspot (Hetaerina occisa) | map | 8 | |
| Knob-tipped Rubyspot (Hetaerina pilula) | map | 9 | |
| Forest Rubyspot (Hetaerina sempronia) | map | 10 | |
| Smoky Rubyspot (Hetaerina titia) | map | 11 | |
| Cascade Damsels (Thaumatoneuridae) | |||
| Clearwing Cascade Damsel (Paraphlebia hyalina) | map | Mexico. | 12 |
| Polymorphic Cascade Damsel (Paraphlebia quinta) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 13 |
| Pond Damselflies (Coenagrionidae) | |||
| Mexican Wedgetail (Acanthagrion quadratum) | map | 14 | |
| Calida Dancer (Argia calida) | map | Belize, Mexico. | 15 |
| Coppery Dancer (Argia cuprea) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 16 |
| Spine-tipped Dancer (Argia extranea) | map | Mexico, USA. | 17 |
| Green-eyed Dancer (Argia frequentula) | map | 18 | |
| Petén Dancer (Argia gaumeri) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 19 |
| Swamp Dancer (Argia indicatrix) | map | 20 | |
| Oculate Dancer (Argia oculata) | map | 21 | |
| Pipila Dancer (Argia pipila) | map | 22 | |
| Popoluca Dancer (Argia popoluca) | map | 23 | |
| Purple Dancer (Argia pulla) | map | 24 | |
| Dusky Dancer (Argia translata) | map | 25 | |
| Olmec Dancer (Argia ulmeca) | map | 26 | |
| Celestial Dancer (Argia variabilis) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 27 |
| Caribbean Damsel (Enacantha caribbea) | map | Belize, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico. | 28 |
| Neotropical Bluet (Enallagma novaehispaniae) | map | 29 | |
| Tiny Forktail (Ischnura capreolus) | map | 30 | |
| Citrine Forktail (Ischnura hastata) | map | 31 | |
| Rambur’s Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) | map | 32 | |
| Red-tipped Swampdamsel (Leptobasis vacillans) | map | 33 | |
| Bromeliad Helicopter (Mecistogaster modesta) | map | 34 | |
| Lemon-tipped Helicopter (Mecistogaster ornata) | map | 35 | |
| Mexican Blue-winged Helicopter (Megaloprepus latipennis) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 36 |
| Tropical Sprite (Nehalennia minuta) | map | 37 | |
| Broad-winged Helicopter (Pseudostigma aberrans) | map | 38 | |
| Wide-winged Helicopter (Pseudostigma accedens) | map | 39 | |
| Belize Firetail (Telebasis boomsmae) | map | 40 | |
| Dark-tailed Firetail (Telebasis collopistes) | map | 41 | |
| Marsh Firetail (Telebasis digiticollis) | map | 42 | |
| Striped Firetail (Telebasis filiola) | map | 43 | |
| Hyacinth Firetail (Telebasis levis) | map | 44 | |
| Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) | map | 45 | |
| Threadtails (Protoneuridae) | |||
| Amelia’s Threadtail (Neoneura amelia) | map | 46 | |
| Paya Threadtail (Neoneura paya) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Mexico. | 47 |
| Golden-orange Threadtail (Protoneura aurantiaca) | map | 48 | |
| Blue-fronted Threadtail (Protoneura cupida) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Mexico. | 49 |
| Shadowy Threadtail (Psaironeura remissa) | map | 50 | |
| Flamboyant Flatwings (Heteragrionidae) | |||
| Pale-faced Flatwing (Heteragrion albifrons) | map | 51 | |
| Golden Flatwing (Heteragrion alienum) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. | 52 |
| Highland Flatwing (Heteragrion tricellulare) | map | Guatemala, Mexico. | 53 |
| Bannerwings (Polythoridae) | |||
| Blue Cora (Cora marina) | map | 54 | |
| Hawkers (Aeshnidae) | |||
| Amazon Darner (Anax amazili) | map | 55 | |
| Common Green Darner (Anax junius) | map | 56 | |
| Blue-faced Darner (Coryphaeschna adnexa) | map | 57 | |
| Mangrove Darner (Coryphaeschna viriditas) | map | 58 | |
| Helen's Darner (Gynacantha helenga) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, USA. | 59 |
| Turquoise-tipped Darner (Rhionaeschna psilus) | map | 60 | |
| Caribbean Darner (Triacanthagyna caribbea) | map | 61 | |
| Ditzler's Darner (Triacanthagyna ditzleri) | map | 62 | |
| Pale-green Darner (Triacanthagyna septima) | map | 63 | |
| Clubtails (Gomphidae) | |||
| Broad-striped Forceptail (Aphylla angustifolia) | map | 64 | |
| Narrow-striped Forceptail (Aphylla protracta) | map | 65 | |
| Tuxtla Ringtail (Erpetogomphus ophibolus) | map | Belize, Guatemala, Mexico. | 66 |
| Tiny Forceptail (Phyllocycla volsella) | map | 67 | |
| Skimmers (Libellulidae) | |||
| Tawny Pennant (Brachymesia herbida) | map | 68 | |
| Little Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga nubecula) | map | 69 | |
| Slender Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga praecox) | map | 70 | |
| Gray-waisted Skimmer (Cannaphila insularis) | map | 71 | |
| Blue-eyed Setwing (Dythemis nigra) | map | 72 | |
| Brown Setwing (Dythemis sterilis) | map | 73 | |
| Black Pondhawk (Erythemis attala) | map | 74 | |
| Red Pondhawk (Erythemis haematogastra) | map | 75 | |
| Claret Pondhawk (Erythemis mithroides) | map | 76 | |
| Flame-tailed Pondhawk (Erythemis peruviana) | map | 77 | |
| Pin-tailed Pondhawk (Erythemis plebeja) | map | 78 | |
| Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) | map | 79 | |
| Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa) | map | 80 | |
| Red-mantled Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fervida) | map | 81 | |
| Red-faced Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fusca) | map | 82 | |
| Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata) | map | 83 | |
| Delta-spotted Sylph (Macrothemis hemichlora) | map | 84 | |
| Straw-colored Sylph (Macrothemis inacuta) | map | 85 | |
| Jade-striped Sylph (Macrothemis inequiunguis) | map | 86 | |
| Delicate Sylph (Macrothemis musiva) | map | 87 | |
| White-tailed Sylph (Macrothemis pseudimitans) | map | 88 | |
| Hyacinth Glider (Miathyria marcella) | map | 89 | |
| Dwarf Glider (Miathyria simplex) | map | 90 | |
| Spot-tailed Dasher (Micrathyria aequalis) | map | 91 | |
| Black Dasher (Micrathyria atra) | map | 92 | |
| Petén Dasher (Micrathyria debilis) | map | 93 | |
| Three-striped Dasher (Micrathyria didyma) | map | 94 | |
| Caribbean Dasher (Micrathyria dissocians) | map | 95 | |
| Square-spotted Dasher (Micrathyria ocellata) | map | 96 | |
| Glossy-fronted Dryad (Nephepeltia flavifrons) | map | 97 | |
| Carmine Skimmer (Orthemis discolor) | map | 98 | |
| Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) | map | 99 | |
| Slender Skimmer (Orthemis levis) | map | 100 | |
| Red-tailed Skimmer (Orthemis schmidti) | map | 101 | |
| Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) | map | 102 | |
| Slough Amberwing (Perithemis domitia) | map | 103 | |
| Pallid Amberwing (Perithemis mooma) | map | 104 | |
| Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) | map | 105 | |
| Mexican Scarlet-tail (Planiplax sanguiniventris) | map | 106 | |
| Garnet Glider (Tauriphila australis) | map | 107 | |
| Aztec Glider (Tauriphila azteca) | map | 108 | |
| Evening Skimmer (Tholymis citrina) | map | 109 | |
| Sooty Saddlebags (Tramea binotata) | map | 110 | |
| Striped Saddlebags (Tramea darwini) | map | 111 | |
| Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) | map | 112 | |