GLERL/Sea Grant: Great Lakes Waterlife Photo Gallery - Insects

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Most Odonata nymphs are restricted to littoral or tributary benthos. Winged adults are often associated with emergent macrophytes (e.g., wetlands) or in nearshore terrestrial habitats. Both adults and nymphs are raptorial predators.

Keys to Odonata Nymphs

Note on juvenile stages - Nymphs are active stages. Nymphs have rudimentary wings (or wing buds) and usually have jointed legs (usually 3 pair) similar to adults. Nymphs are most easily identified to species when individuals are mature (late instar).

Odonata Nymphs - Key to the Suborders

Leucorrhinia intacta

Gills in the posterior digestive tract.

Suborder Anisoptera
(Dragonfly nymphs)

Lestidae

Gills consist of 3 flat external plates at the posterior end.

Suborder Zygoptera
(Damselfly nymphs)

Keys to Families and Genera

- Pennak. 1978. Freshwater Invertebrates of the United States. Second Edition
- Odonata Larvae of Michigan.
- University of Michigan Dearborn - Environmental Interpretive Center - Identifying Aquatic Insects
- Digital Key to Aquatic Insects of North Dakota

Species List

Suborder
- Family
  - Genus
    - Species - common name

Suborder Anisoptera
- Aeschnidae (Darners)
  - Aeschna spp.
    - Aeschna canadensis - Canada darner
    - Aeschna clepsydra - mottled darner
    - Aeschna constricta - lance-tipped darner
    - Aeschna eremita - lake darner
    - Aeschna interrupta - variable darner
    - Aeschna juncea - sedge darner
    - Aeschna maritimus -
    - Aeschna mutata - spatterdock darner
    - Aeschna sitchensis - zigzag darner
    - Aeschna subarctica - subarctic darner
    - Aeschna tuberculifera - black-tipped darner
    - Aeschna umbrosa - shadow darner
    - Aeschna verticalis - green-striped darner
  - Anax sp.
  - Basiaeschna sp.
  - Boyeria spp.
  - Epiaeschna sp.
  - Gomphaeschna sp.
  - Nasiaeschna sp.
- Cordulegastridae (Spiketails)
  - Cordulegaster spp.
    - Cordulegaster (Zoraena) bilineata - brown spiketail
    - Cordulegaster (Zoraena) diastatops - delta-spotted spiketail
    - Cordulegaster (Thecophora) erronea - tiger spiketail
    - Cordulegaster (Thecophora) maculata - twin-spotted spiketail
    - Cordulegaster (Taeniogaster) obliqua - arrowhead spiketail
- Corduliidae (Emeralds)
  - Cordulia sp.
    - Cordulia shurtleffi - american emerald
  - Dorocordulia sp.
    - Dorocordulia libera - racket-tailed emerald
  - Epitheca spp.
    - Epitheca (Tetragoneuria) canis - beaverpond baskettail
    - Epitheca (Tetragoneuria) costalis
    - Epitheca (Tetragoneuria) cynosura - common baskettail
    - Epitheca (Epicordulia) princeps - prince baskettail
    - Epitheca (Tetragoneuria) spinigera - spiny baskettail
  - Helocordulia sp.
    - Helocordulia uhleri - Uhler's sundragon
  - Neurocordulia sp.
    - Neurocordulia molesta - smoky shadowdragon
    - Neurocordulia obsoleta - umber shadowdragon
    - Neurocordulia yamaskanensis - stygian shadowdragon
  - Somatochlora spp.
    - Somatochlora albicinta - ringed emerald
    - Somatochlora cingulata - lake emerald
    - Somatochlora elongata - ski-tailed emerald
    - Somatochlora ensigera - plains emerald
    - Somatochlora charadraea
    - Somatochlora forcipata - forcipate emerald
    - Somatochlora franklini - delicate emerald
    - Somatochlora macrotana
    - Somatochlora hineana - Hine's emerald
    - Somatochlora hudsonica - Hudsonian emerald
    - Somatochlora incurvata - incurvate emerald
    - Somatochlora kennedyi - Kennedy's emerald
    - Somatochlora linearis - mocha emerald
    - Somatochlora lateralis
    - Somatochlora minor - ocellated emerald
    - Somatochlora tenebrosa - clamp-tipped emerald
    - Somatochlora walshii - brush-tipped emerald
    - Somatochlora williamsoni - Williamson's emerald
  - Williamsonia spp.
    - Williamsonia fletcheri - ebony boghunter (ebony boghaunter)
    - Williamsonia lintneri - ringed boghaunter
- Gomphidae (Clubtails)
  - Arigomphus spp.
    - Arigomphus cornutus - horned clubtail
    - Arigomphus furcifer - lilypad clubtail
    - Arigomphus submedianus - jade clubtail
    - Arigomphus villosipes - unicorn clubtail
  - Dromogomphus spp.
    - Dromogomphus spinosus - black-shouldered spinyleg
    - Dromogomphus spoliatus - flag-tailed spinyleg
  - Erpetogomphus sp.
    - Erpetogomphus designatus
  - Gomphus spp.
    - Gomphus (Hylogomphus) adelphus - mustached clubtail
    - Gomphus alleni
    - Gomphus borealis - beaverpond clubtail
    - Gomphus brevis
    - Gomphus (Gomphurus) crassus
    - Gomphus descriptus - harpoon clubtail
    - Gomphus (Gomphus) exilis - lancet clubtail
    - Gompus externus - plains clubtail
    - Gomphus flavocaudatus
    - Gomphus (Gomphurus) fraternus - midland clubtail
    - Gomphus (Gomphus) graslinellus - pronghorn clubtail
    - Gomphus (Gomphruus) lineatifrons - splendid clubtail
    - Gomphus (Gomphus) lividus - ashy clubtail
    - Gomphus (Gomphus) quadricolor - rapids clubtail
    - Gomphus sordidus
    - Gomphus (Gomphus) spicatus - dusky clubtail
    - Gomphus umbratus
    - Gomphus (Gomphurus) vastus - cobra clubtail
    - Gomphus (Gomphurus) ventricosus - skillet clubtail
    - Gomphus (Hylogomphus) viridifrons - green-faced clubtail
    - Gomphus williamsoni
  - Hagenius sp.
    - Hagenius brevistylus - dragonhunter
  - Lanthus spp.
    - Lanthus parvulus - northern pygmy clubtail
    - Lanthus vernalis - southern pygmy clubtail
  - Ophiogomphus spp.
    - Ophiogomphus anomalus - extra-striped snaketail
    - Ophiogomphus carolinus
    - Ophiogomphus carolus - riffle snaketail
    - Ophiogomphus colubrinus - boreal snaketail
    - Ophiogomphus howei - pygmy snaketail
    - Ophiogomphus mainensis - Maine snaketail
    - Ophiogomphus pictus
    - Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis - rusty snaketail
    - Ophiogomphus smithi (alt aspersus)- sand snaketail
    - Ophiogomphus susbehcha - Wisconsin snaketail
  - Progomphus sp.
    - Progomphus obscurus - common sanddragon
  - Stylogomphus sp.
    - Stylogomphus albistylus - least clubtail
  - Stylurus spp.
    - Stylurus amnicola - riverine clubtail
    - Stylurus laurae -
    - Stylurus notatus - elusive clubtail
    - Stylurus plagiatus - russet-tipped clubtail
    - Stylurus scudderi - zebra clubtail
    - Stylurus spiniceps - arrow clubtail
- Libellulidae - Skimmers
  - Celithemis spp.
    - Celithemis elisa - calico pennant
    - Celithemis eponina - halloween pennant
    - Celithemis fasciata - banded pennant
    - Celithemis monomelaena
  - Erythemis spp.
    - Erythemis simplicicollis - eastern pondhawk
  - Erythrodiplax sp.
    - Erythrodiplax berenice - seaside dragonlet
  - Ladona sp.
    - Ladona julia chalk-fronted corporal
  - Leucorrhinia spp.
    - Leucorrhinia frigida - frosted whiteface
    - Leucorrhinia glacialis - crimson-ringed whiteface
    - Leucorrhinia hudsonica - Hudsonian whiteface
    - Leucorrhinia intacta - dot-tailed whiteface
    - Leucorrhinia patricia - Canada whiteface
    - Leucorrhinia proxima - red-waisted whiteface
  - Libellula spp.
    - Libellula auripennis - golden-winged skimmer
    - Libellula basalis
    - Libellula basilinea
    - Libellula bifasciata
    - Libellula bistigma
    - Libellula confusa
    - Libellula cyanea - spangled skimmer
    - Libellula hersilia
    - Libellula incesta - slaty skimmer
    - Libellula julia - chalk-fronted corporal
    - Libellula luctuosa - widow skimmer
    - Libellula lydia - common Whitetail
    - Libellula maculata
    - Libellula odiosa
    - Libellula praenubila
    - Libellula pulchella - twelve-spotted skimmer
    - Libellula quadrimaculata - four-spotted skimmer
    - Libellula quadripunctata
    - Libellula quadrupla
    - Libellula relicta
    - Libellula semifasciata - painted skimmer
    - Libellula ternaria
    - Libellula versicolor
    - Libellula vibrans - great blue skimmer
  - Nannothemis sp.
    - Nannothemis bella - elfin skimmer
  - Pachydiplax sp.
    - Pachydiplax longipennis - blue dasher
  - Pantala spp.
    - Pantala flavescens - wandering glider
    - Pantala hymenaea - spot-winged glider
  - Perithemis sp.
    - Perithemis tenera - eastern amberwing
  - Plathemis sp.
    - Plathemis lydia - common whitetail
  - Sympetrum spp.
    - Sympetrum ambiguum - blue-faced meadowhawk
    - Sympetrum corruptum - variegated meadowhawk
    - Sympetrum costiferum - saffron-winged meadowhawk
    - Sympetrum danae - black meadowhawk
    - Sympetrum internum - cherry-faced meadowhawk
    - Sympetrum janeae - Jane's meadowhawk
    - Sympetrum obtrusum - white-faced meadowhawk
    - Sympetrum occidentale - western meadowhawk
    - Sympetrum rubicundulum - ruby meadowhawk
    - Sympetrum semicinctum - band-winged meadowhawk
    - Sympetrum vicinum - yellow-legged meadowhawk
  - Tramea spp.
    - Tramea carolina - Carolina saddlebags
    - Tramea lacerata - black saddlebags
    - Tramea onusta - red saddlebags
- Macromiidae - Cruisers
  - Didymops spp.
    - Didymops transversa - stream cruiser
    - Didymops servillei
  - Macromia spp.
    - Macromia australensis
    - Macromia illinoiensis - Illinois river cruiser
    - Macromia pacifica - gilded river cruiser
    - Macromia taeniolata - royal river cruiser
- Petaluridae - Petaltails
  - Tachopteryx sp.
    - Tachopteryx thoreyi - gray petaltail
Suborder Zygoptera
- Calopterygidae (Jewelwings and Rubyspots)
  - Calopteryx spp.
    - Calopteryx aequabilis - river jewelwing
    - Calopteryx amata - superb jewelwing
    - Calopteryx angustipennis - Appalachian jewelwing
    - Calopteryx maculata - ebony jewelwing
- Coenagrionidae
  - Amphiagrion sp.
    - Amphiagrion saucium - eastern red damsel
  - Argia spp.
  - Chromagrion sp.
  - Coenagrion spp.
  - Enallagma spp.
  - Ischnura spp.
  - Nehalennia spp.
- Lestidae (Spreadwings)
  - Archilestes sp.
    - Archilestes grandis - great spreadwing
  - Lestes spp.
    - Lestes congener - spotted spreadwing
    - Lestes disjunctus disjunctus - common spreadwing
    - Lestes disjunctus australis
    - Lestes dryas - emerald spreadwing
    - Lestes nympha
    - Lestes uncatus
    - Lestes eurinus - amber-winged spreadwing
    - Lestes forcipatus - sweetflag spreadwing
    - Lestes hamata
    - Lestes inaequalis - elegant spreadwing
    - Lestes rectangularis - slender spreadwing
    - Lestes unguiculatus - lyre-tipped spreadwing
    - Lestes vigilax - swamp spreadwing

Mead, K. 2003. Dragonflies of the North Woods

Bright, E. Aquatic Insects of Michigan. Museum of Zoology Insect Division and School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan.

Smith, et al. Checklist of Wisconsin Dragonflies. Wisconsin Entomological Society Miscellaneous Publication No. 2. June 1993.

USGS - Odonata of New York

USGS - Odonata of Pennsylvania

USGS - Odonata of Minnesota

Browse Odonata by Genera
Dragonflies


Aeschna	Anax	Basiaeschna	Boyeria	Epiaeschna


Gomphaeschna	Nasiaeschna	Cordulegaster	Cordulia	Dorocordulia


Epitheca	Helocordulia	Neurocordulia	Somatochlora	Williamsonia


Arigomphus	Dromogomphus	Erpetogomphus	Gomphus	Hagenius


Lanthus	Ophiogomphus	Progomphus	Stylogomphus	Stylurus


Celithemis	Erythemis	Erythrodiplax	Ladona	Leucorrhinia


Libellula	Nannothemis	Pachydiplax	Pantala	Perithemis


Plathemis	Sympetrum	Tramea	Didymops	Macromia


Tachopteryx
Damselflies


Calopteryx	Hetaerina		Amphiagrion	Argia


Chromagrion	Coenagrion	Enallagma	Ischnura	Nehalennia


Archilestes	Lestes