Mexican species
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Work in progress (Jan 2026):
It was my plan to use last winter to work on the European species accounts, but then I decided to prepare all my butterfly photos from Mexico, and then found photos of three different dragonflies. Glad and surprised that I had taken them, but also instantly regretting that I didn't pick up this interest while still living in the country. I don't know if I'll ever return to Mexico, but hoping that I will, I felt inspired and worked my way through the available species lists and can now present them online - here and as pdf's for download. The main resources I've used to start out with, are the one maintained by Dennis Paulson at Puget Sound Museum of Natural History and the Mexican version of the iNaturalist site, where most Mexicans put their records. However, both resources are, in places, somewhat confusing concerning which species should be in which state lists, but it is an overall good starting point. Kathy Biggs is maintaining a site about the dragonflies of Jalisco from where you can also find species maps just like the ones I'm presenting here at my site. My material is overall more readable, though, but she has added brief species description to her species account why she has information that I've still not added here (but will in the future). I think the knowledge about the Mexican dragonflies is still much in the growing and the state lists will likely be expanding in the following years, as the interest for this fantastic group of insects grows. Still, I think it is already obvious that the diversity matches that of the birds, with the most species-rich regions being around the Tehuantepec isthmus (Chiapas, Oaxaca and Veracruz) and next West Central Mexico centered around Jalisco. Map showing the species I've seen here. State lists updated per June 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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Veracruz (ver) |
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| Total | Registered | ||
| Mexican endemics | |||
| True Species that normally do not occur outside of Mexico. | 5 | 0 | |
| Regionals US border states plus area south of Mexico including Nicaragua. | 1 | 0 | |
| 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 | |
| Regal Spreadwing (Archilestes regalis) map | Endemic to Mexico | 4 |
| Plateau Spreadwing (Lestes alacer) map | 5 | |
| Alfonso's Spreadwing (Lestes alfonsoi) map | 6 | |
| Rainpool Spreadwing (Lestes forficula) map | 7 | |
| Chalky Spreadwing (Lestes sigma) map | 8 | |
| Blue-striped Spreadwing (Lestes tenuatus) map | 9 | |
| Shadowdamsels (Platystictidae) | ||
| Presidio Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema desiderata) map | 10 | |
| Puebla Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema paulicaxa) map | 11 | |
| Córdoba Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema paulicoba) map | Endemic to Mexico | 12 |
| Tabasco Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema paulitaba) map | 13 | |
| Atoyac Shadowdamsel (Palaemnema paulitoyaca) map | Endemic to Mexico | 14 |
| Mayan Damsels (Amphipterygidae) | ||
| Mexican Mayan Damsel (Amphipteryx agrioides) map | 15 | |
| Demoiselles (Calopterygidae) | ||
| American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) map | 16 | |
| Cryptic Rubyspot (Hetaerina calverti) map | 17 | |
| Bronze Rubyspot (Hetaerina capitalis) map | 18 | |
| Highland Rubyspot (Hetaerina cruentata) map | 19 | |
| Emerald Rubyspot (Hetaerina infecta) map | 20 | |
| Racket-tipped Rubyspot (Hetaerina occisa) map | 21 | |
| Knob-tipped Rubyspot (Hetaerina pilula) map | 22 | |
| Forest Rubyspot (Hetaerina sempronia) map | 23 | |
| Smoky Rubyspot (Hetaerina titia) map | 24 | |
| Canyon Rubyspot (Hetaerina vulnerata) map | 25 | |
| Cascade Damsels (Thaumatoneuridae) | ||
| Clearwing Cascade Damsel (Paraphlebia hyalina) map | 26 | |
| Polymorphic Cascade Damsel (Paraphlebia quinta) map | 27 | |
| Showy Cascade Damsel (Paraphlebia zoe) map | 28 | |
| Pond Damselflies (Coenagrionidae) | ||
| Narrow-tipped Wedgetail (Acanthagrion inexpectum) map | 29 | |
| Mexican Wedgetail (Acanthagrion quadratum) map | 30 | |
| Black-and-white Damsel (Apanisagrion lais) map | 31 | |
| Cerulean Dancer (Argia anceps) map | 32 | |
| Argia annae (Argia annae) map | Endemic to Mexico | 33 |
| Calida Dancer (Argia calida) map | 34 | |
| Big Blue Dancer (Argia chelata) map | 35 | |
| Coppery Dancer (Argia cuprea) map | 36 | |
| Thorn-tipped Dancer (Argia elongata) map | 37 | |
| Spine-tipped Dancer (Argia extranea) map | 38 | |
| Green-eyed Dancer (Argia frequentula) map | 39 | |
| Big Red Dancer (Argia funcki) map | 40 | |
| Springwater Dancer (Argia funebris) map | 41 | |
| Petén Dancer (Argia gaumeri) map | 42 | |
| Kiowa Dancer (Argia immunda) map | 43 | |
| Swamp Dancer (Argia indicatrix) map | 44 | |
| Sierra Madre Dancer (Argia lacrimans) map | 45 | |
| Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens) map | 46 | |
| Apache Dancer (Argia munda) map | 47 | |
| Argia noveloi (Argia noveloi) map | 48 | |
| Oculate Dancer (Argia oculata) map | 49 | |
| Fiery-eyed Dancer (Argia oenea) map | 50 | |
| Chalk-fronted Dancer (Argia percellulata) map | 51 | |
| Pipila Dancer (Argia pipila) map | 52 | |
| Popoluca Dancer (Argia popoluca) map | 53 | |
| Purple Dancer (Argia pulla) map | 54 | |
| Golden-winged Dancer (Argia rhoadsi) map | 55 | |
| Rudolph's Dancer (Argia rudolphi) map | 56 | |
| Blue-ringed Dancer (Argia sedula) map | 57 | |
| Tarascan Dancer (Argia tarascana) map | 58 | |
| Tezpi Dancer (Argia tezpi) map | 59 | |
| Tonto Dancer (Argia tonto) map | 60 | |
| Dusky Dancer (Argia translata) map | 61 | |
| Olmec Dancer (Argia ulmeca) map | 62 | |
| Celestial Dancer (Argia variabilis) map | 63 | |
| Westfall's Dancer (Argia westfalli) map | 64 | |
| Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile) map | 65 | |
| Neotropical Bluet (Enallagma novaehispaniae) map | 66 | |
| Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum) map | 67 | |
| Claw-tipped Bluet (Enallagma semicirculare) map | 68 | |
| Painted Damsel (Hesperagrion heterodoxum) map | 69 | |
| Tiny Forktail (Ischnura capreolus) map | 70 | |
| Black-fronted Forktail (Ischnura denticollis) map | 71 | |
| Citrine Forktail (Ischnura hastata) map | 72 | |
| Rambur’s Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) map | 73 | |
| Caribbean Swampdamsel (Leptobasis candelaria) map | 74 | |
| Lucifer Swampdamsel (Leptobasis lucifer) map | 75 | |
| Cream-tipped Swampdamsel (Leptobasis melinogaster) map | 76 | |
| Red-tipped Swampdamsel (Leptobasis vacillans) map | 77 | |
| Bromeliad Helicopter (Mecistogaster modesta) map | 78 | |
| Lemon-tipped Helicopter (Mecistogaster ornata) map | 79 | |
| Mexican Blue-winged Helicopter (Megaloprepus latipennis) map | Near-endemic to Mexico | 80 |
| Tropical Sprite (Nehalennia minuta) map | 81 | |
| Caribbean Yellowface (Neoerythromma cultellatum) map | 82 | |
| Broad-winged Helicopter (Pseudostigma aberrans) map | 83 | |
| Wide-winged Helicopter (Pseudostigma accedens) map | 84 | |
| Dark-tailed Firetail (Telebasis collopistes) map | 85 | |
| Marsh Firetail (Telebasis digiticollis) map | 86 | |
| Striped Firetail (Telebasis filiola) map | 87 | |
| Hyacinth Firetail (Telebasis levis) map | 88 | |
| Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva) map | 89 | |
| Threadtails (Protoneuridae) | ||
| Amelia’s Threadtail (Neoneura amelia) map | 90 | |
| Paya Threadtail (Neoneura paya) map | 91 | |
| Golden-orange Threadtail (Protoneura aurantiaca) map | 92 | |
| Orange-striped Threadtail (Protoneura cara) map | 93 | |
| Peach-fronted Threadtail (Protoneura corculum) map | 94 | |
| Blue-fronted Threadtail (Protoneura cupida) map | 95 | |
| Shadowy Threadtail (Psaironeura remissa) map | 96 | |
| Flamboyant Flatwings (Heteragrionidae) | ||
| Pale-faced Flatwing (Heteragrion albifrons) map | 97 | |
| Golden Flatwing (Heteragrion alienum) map | 98 | |
| Azure Flatwing (Heteragrion azulum) map | 99 | |
| Bannerwings (Polythoridae) | ||
| Blue Cora (Cora marina) map | 100 | |
| Hawkers (Aeshnidae) | ||
| Mountain Stream Darner (Aeshna williamsoniana) map | 101 | |
| Amazon Darner (Anax amazili) map | 102 | |
| Blue-spotted Comet Darner (Anax concolor) map | 103 | |
| Common Green Darner (Anax junius) map | 104 | |
| Blue-faced Darner (Coryphaeschna adnexa) map | 105 | |
| Icarus Darner (Coryphaeschna apeora) map | 106 | |
| Fiery Darner (Coryphaeschna diapyra) map | 107 | |
| Mangrove Darner (Coryphaeschna viriditas) map | 108 | |
| Helen's Darner (Gynacantha helenga) map | 109 | |
| Little Brown Darner (Gynacantha laticeps) map | 110 | |
| Bar-sided Darner (Gynacantha mexicana) map | 111 | |
| Twilight Darner (Gynacantha nervosa) map | 112 | |
| Riffle Darner (Oplonaeschna armata) map | 113 | |
| Malachite Darner (Remartinia luteipennis) map | 114 | |
| Secretive Darner (Remartinia secreta) map | 115 | |
| Arroyo Darner (Rhionaeschna dugesi) map | 116 | |
| Black-tailed Darner (Rhionaeschna jalapensis) map | 117 | |
| Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor) map | 118 | |
| Turquoise-tipped Darner (Rhionaeschna psilus) map | 119 | |
| Caribbean Darner (Triacanthagyna caribbea) map | 120 | |
| Black-legged Darner (Triacanthagyna dentata) map | 121 | |
| Ditzler's Darner (Triacanthagyna ditzleri) map | 122 | |
| Pale-green Darner (Triacanthagyna septima) map | 123 | |
| Clubtails (Gomphidae) | ||
| Slender Clubtail (Agriogomphus tumens) map | 124 | |
| Broad-striped Forceptail (Aphylla angustifolia) map | 125 | |
| Narrow-striped Forceptail (Aphylla protracta) map | 126 | |
| Mexican Snouttail (Archaeogomphus furcatus) map | 127 | |
| Donnelly’s Knobtail (Epigomphus donnellyi) map | 128 | |
| Tuxtla Knobtail (Epigomphus sulcatistyla) map | 129 | |
| Dark Ringtail (Erpetogomphus agkistrodon) map | 130 | |
| Boa Ringtail (Erpetogomphus boa) map | 131 | |
| One-striped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus bothrops) map | 132 | |
| Knob-tipped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus constrictor) map | 133 | |
| Straight-tipped Ringtail (Erpetogomphus elaps) map | 134 | |
| Eric’s Ringtail (Erpetogomphus erici) map | 135 | |
| Blue-faced Ringtail (Erpetogomphus eutainia) map | 136 | |
| Tuxtla Ringtail (Erpetogomphus ophibolus) map | 137 | |
| Rio Hondo Ringtail (Erpetogomphus oxybelis) map | 138 | |
| Viper Ringtail (Erpetogomphus viperinus) map | 139 | |
| Ringed Forceptail (Phyllocycla breviphylla) map | 140 | |
| Tiny Forceptail (Phyllocycla volsella) map | 141 | |
| Five-striped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides albrighti) map | 142 | |
| Double-toothed Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides duodentatus) map | 143 | |
| Tuxtla Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides pugnifer) map | 144 | |
| Common Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides suasus) map | 145 | |
| Zebra-striped Sanddragon (Progomphus clendoni) map | 146 | |
| Mexican Sanddragon (Progomphus mexicanus) map | 147 | |
| Pygmy Sanddragon (Progomphus pygmaeus) map | 148 | |
| Goldenrings (Cordulegastridae) | ||
| Apache Spiketail (Cordulegaster diadema) map | 149 | |
| Cloudforest Spiketail (Cordulegaster virginiae) map | 150 | |
| Skimmers (Libellulidae) | ||
| Common Blue-eye (Anatya guttata) map | 151 | |
| Red-tailed Pennant (Brachymesia furcata) map | 152 | |
| Tawny Pennant (Brachymesia herbida) map | 153 | |
| Broad-winged Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga latialata) map | Endemic to Mexico | 154 |
| Little Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga nubecula) map | 155 | |
| Masked Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga pertinax) map | 156 | |
| Slender Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga praecox) map | 157 | |
| Amber-banded Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga rapax) map | 158 | |
| Tepeaca Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga tepeaca) map | 159 | |
| Vivacious Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga vivax) map | 160 | |
| Gray-waisted Skimmer (Cannaphila insularis) map | 161 | |
| Blue-tailed Skimmer (Cannaphila vibex) map | 162 | |
| Mayan Setwing (Dythemis maya) map | 163 | |
| Blue-eyed Setwing (Dythemis nigra) map | 164 | |
| Black Setwing (Dythemis nigrescens) map | 165 | |
| Brown Setwing (Dythemis sterilis) map | 166 | |
| Golden Streamskimmer (Elasmothemis aliciae) map | 167 | |
| Ruddy Streamskimmer (Elasmothemis cannacrioides) map | 168 | |
| Black Pondhawk (Erythemis attala) map | 169 | |
| Red Pondhawk (Erythemis haematogastra) map | 170 | |
| Claret Pondhawk (Erythemis mithroides) map | 171 | |
| Flame-tailed Pondhawk (Erythemis peruviana) map | 172 | |
| Pin-tailed Pondhawk (Erythemis plebeja) map | 173 | |
| Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) map | 174 | |
| Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa) map | 175 | |
| Andagoya Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax andagoya) map | 176 | |
| Plateau Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax basifusca) map | 177 | |
| Seaside Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax berenice) map | 178 | |
| Red-mantled Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fervida) map | 179 | |
| Black-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax funerea) map | 180 | |
| Red-faced Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax fusca) map | 181 | |
| Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata) map | 182 | |
| Metallic Pennant (Idiataphe cubensis) map | 183 | |
| Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis) map | 184 | |
| Red-mantled Skimmer (Libellula gaigei) map | 185 | |
| Hercules Skimmer (Libellula herculea) map | 186 | |
| Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata) map | 187 | |
| Marl Pennant (Macrodiplax balteata) map | 188 | |
| Delta-spotted Sylph (Macrothemis hemichlora) map | 189 | |
| Ivory-striped Sylph (Macrothemis imitans) map | 190 | |
| Straw-colored Sylph (Macrothemis inacuta) map | 191 | |
| Jade-striped Sylph (Macrothemis inequiunguis) map | 192 | |
| Delicate Sylph (Macrothemis musiva) map | 193 | |
| White-tailed Sylph (Macrothemis pseudimitans) map | 194 | |
| Hyacinth Glider (Miathyria marcella) map | 195 | |
| Dwarf Glider (Miathyria simplex) map | 196 | |
| Spot-tailed Dasher (Micrathyria aequalis) map | 197 | |
| Black Dasher (Micrathyria atra) map | 198 | |
| Petén Dasher (Micrathyria debilis) map | 199 | |
| Even-striped Dasher (Micrathyria dictynna) map | 200 | |
| Three-striped Dasher (Micrathyria didyma) map | 201 | |
| Caribbean Dasher (Micrathyria dissocians) map | 202 | |
| Thornbush Dasher (Micrathyria hagenii) map | 203 | |
| Square-spotted Dasher (Micrathyria ocellata) map | 204 | |
| Upland Dasher (Micrathyria paulsoni) map | 205 | |
| Glossy-fronted Dryad (Nephepeltia flavifrons) map | 206 | |
| Carmine Skimmer (Orthemis discolor) map | 207 | |
| Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) map | 208 | |
| Slender Skimmer (Orthemis levis) map | 209 | |
| Red-tailed Skimmer (Orthemis schmidti) map | 210 | |
| Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) map | 211 | |
| Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) map | 212 | |
| Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) map | 213 | |
| Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea) map | 214 | |
| Slough Amberwing (Perithemis domitia) map | 215 | |
| Mexican Amberwing (Perithemis intensa) map | 216 | |
| Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) map | 217 | |
| Mexican Scarlet-tail (Planiplax sanguiniventris) map | 218 | |
| Filigree Skimmer (Pseudoleon superbus) map | 219 | |
| Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) map | 220 | |
| Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum) map | 221 | |
| Garnet Glider (Tauriphila australis) map | 222 | |
| Aztec Glider (Tauriphila azteca) map | 223 | |
| Evening Skimmer (Tholymis citrina) map | 224 | |
| Vermilion Saddlebags (Tramea abdominalis) map | 225 | |
| Sooty Saddlebags (Tramea binotata) map | 226 | |
| Striped Saddlebags (Tramea darwini) map | 227 | |
| Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) map | 228 | |
| Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta) map | 229 | |