Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata)

Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata)
of the St. Andrew Bay Ecosystem and Bay County, Florida
Banded Pennant (Celithemis fasciata). Photo by Ed Keppner
by
Edwin J. Keppner and Lisa A. Keppner
Co-Chairs, Biodiversity Subcommittee,
Friends of St. Andrew Bay
for
St. Andrew Bay Environmental Study Team, Inc.
And
Friends of St. Andrew Bay
November 2007
ii
Acknowledgements
We express our sincere appreciation to the St. Joe Foundation for the grant in 2004 that assisted
us by providing the means to collect and identify the specimens of the dragonflies and
damselflies from our area. This inventory would not have been possible without the help of Mr.
Jerrell Daigle of the Dragonfly Society of the Americas who confirmed and corrected the
identifications of the species collected by the authors and reviewed the lists for completeness.
We thank Dr. Neil Lamb for providing documentation of a species in his collection that is not
present in ours.
The St. Andrew Bay Environmental Study Team, Inc.
and the Friends of St. Andrew Bay
The St. Andrew Bay Environmental Study Team (BEST) was established in 1987 as a nonadvocacy organization with membership open to any person, industry, organization, or entity
interested in the St. Andrew Bay ecosystem and its enclosed estuary, St. Andrew Bay. In 2007,
the name was changed to the Friends of St. Andrew Bay (FSAB). The St. Andrew Bay
Environmental Study Team (BEST, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit Florida corporation formed
in 1996 to seek, receive, and disburse funds for projects; employ staff; and maintain the office to
achieve the goals of FSAB and BEST, Inc.
The mission of BEST, Inc. and FSAB is to evaluate the status of the St. Andrew Bay ecosystem,
identify problems where present, and recommend corrective actions where appropriate. Goals
include providing science based information to decision makers, improving coordination and
communication through forums regarding subjects of interest, and providing public education
regarding the St. Andrew Bay ecosystem and its estuary.
Biodiversity Subcommittee
The Biodiversity Subcommittee of the FSAB Steering Committee has been functioning since the
beginning of BEST in 1987. The Biodiversity Subcommittee collects, documents, and compiles
information regarding the diversity of species and biotic communities of the St. Andrew Bay
ecosystem. Documents prepared by the Biodiversity Subcommittee are found on the FSAB
website and include an inventory of the species associated with the St. Andrew Bay estuary, an
inventory of the vascular plants of Bay County, and other manuscripts documenting species and
biotic communities in the ecosystem.
iii
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................................................... ii
Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................................ iii
Purpose ........................................................................................................................................................................ 1
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 1
Taxonomy .......................................................................................................................................................... 2
Survey Area ....................................................................................................................................................... 2
Materials and Methods ................................................................................................................................................ 3
Results and Discussion ............................................................................................................................................... 4
Anisoptera ........................................................................................................................................................... 5
Zygoptera ............................................................................................................................................................ 9
Rare Dragonflies and Damselflies ............................................................................................................................ 11
Summary ................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Literature Cited ...........................................................................................................................................................13
1
Purpose
The purpose of this inventory is to provide a list of the species of the insect order Odonata
(dragonflies and damselflies) that have been reported to occur and may possibly occur in the St.
Andrew Bay ecosystem with emphasis on Bay County, Florida. The function of the inventory is
to provide additional information regarding the species diversity of the ecosystem and county in
accordance with the purpose of the Biodiversity Subcommittee.
Introduction
Dragonflies and damselflies are familiar and abundant insects in our area that belong to the order
Odonata of the phylum Arthropoda. Arnett (2000) and Needham et al. (2000) provide keys to
the suborders and families of Odonata and characterize adult odonates as having an elongate
cylindrical body, four wings that can be clear or contain various color patterns, a large head,
large compound eyes, three simple eyes, a pair of short and seta-like antennae, and large mouth
parts of the chewing type (Figure 1).
Common Green Darner (Anax junius). Photo by Lisa Keppner
Larvae are mostly aquatic and predaceous with a lower lip that is extendible and are quite
difference in appearance from the adults. Larvae come in number of shapes depending on their
habitat (Figure 2). The life cycle consists of adult males and females. Their aerial mating ritual
results in the male and female flying in tandem and fertilization occurs on the wing. The females
deposit eggs in aquatic habitats either directly in the water, on plants, or in plant tissue. The eggs
2
Figure 2. Larva of the Dragonhunter (Hagenius brevistylus). Photo by Ed Keppner
hatch into larvae (= nymphs or naiads) that undergo a series of molts, and the last larval stage
migrates from the water and attaches to vegetation or other objects. The adult odonate emerges
from the larval exoskeleton (leaves behind the exuviae), extends its wings, hardens the
exoskeleton, and begins its adult life.
Taxonomy. The order Odonata is divided into two suborders; Anisoptera (dragonflies) and
Zygoptera (damselflies). Arnett (2000) and others provided the differentiating characters of the
two suborders. The Anisoptera or unequal winged odonates have the hind wings broader at the
base than the front wings, the opposing wings are usually spread apart and held horizontally
when at rest, and the compound eyes converge or touch on the top of the head. The Zygoptera or
equal winged odonates have the front and hind pair of wings equal in size and shape, the
opposing wings are held together folded over the abdomen or at a slight angle when at rest, and
the compound eyes are well-separated.
Survey Area. The St. Andrew Bay ecosystem is located entirely within the State of Florida and
includes small areas of Calhoun, Jackson, and Walton Counties, and larger areas of Bay, Gulf,
and Washington counties, Florida (Figure 3). Bay County accounts for about 66% of the
ecosystem. Keppner and Keppner (2001) provided an overview of the St. Andrew Bay
ecosystem and its biotic communities. The only major habitat type absent from the ecosystem is
a large river system such as the Choctawhatchee or Chipola rivers. Therefore, the species of
odonates on the lists provided below that may possibly occur in the ecosystem but require large
riverine systems may not be present in our St. Andrew Bay ecosystem.
The majority of the collection sites were located in Bay County followed by the Washington
County portion of the ecosystem. A single site in the Gulf County portion of the ecosystem was
established, and collections were not made in the Calhoun and Jackson County portions of the
ecosystem. Sites were visited repeatedly during all seasons of the year in most instances.
3
Materials and Methods
Adult odonates were collected with an insect net, killed with ethyl acetate, soaked in acetone for
varying periods of time to retain the color of the specimen, dried, and placed in transparent
plastic envelopes with a label card for storage. A few adults were pinned in the traditional
manner. Larvae were collected with a dip net and were preserved in 70% isopropyl alcohol.
The lists of dragonflies and damselflies that occur or are likely to occur in the St. Andrew Bay
ecosystem were created by first listing the species reported to occur in Bay County as provided
by Abbott (2007) and Dunkle (1992). These species are checked (T) in the “Reported” column
Figure 3. St. Andrew Bay Ecosystem
in Tables 1 and 2. Both referenced authors created his list by examining collections and adding
records that each deemed reliable from the literature and reports of other odonatologists for each
4
county in Florida. The next step in creating the current list involved listing the species collected
in the ecosystem by the authors. These were added and are represented by a check mark (T) in
the “Local Voucher” column in Tables 1 and 2. Dunkle (1989, 1990, and 2000), Westfall and
May (1996), Needham et al. (2000), Lam (2004) and Beaton (2007) were used to identify the
specimens. Mr. Jerrell Daigle of the Dragonfly Society of the Americas examined the authors’
specimens to verify identifications and correct misidentifications.
Next, the species reported to occur in Walton, Washington, Jackson, Calhoun, and Gulf counties
by Abbott (2007) and Dunkle (1992) were added as possible occurrences in the ecosystem
because one can not determine if the specimen collected or referenced was from the St. Andrew
Bay ecosystem portion of that county. These species are checked (T) in the “Possible” column
of Tables 1 and 2. To further refine the list, range maps for every species listed in Dunkle (2000)
and Beaton (2007) were examined. If the species’ range appeared to be within the St. Andrew
Bay ecosystem, it was added to the Possible column as possibly occurring in the ecosystem. The
collection of a specimen or some other method of documentation of a species listed as possibly
occurring in our ecosystem is necessary to verify its occurrence here.
The lists are arranged alphabetically by family and include the common name, scientific name,
whether it had been previously reported to occur in Bay County (Dunkle 1992), whether a local
voucher specimen has been collected by the authors, whether it could otherwise occur in the
ecosystem (Dunkle 1992, 2000 and Beaton 2007), and general habitat type.
Results & Discussion
Using the information that is currently available to the authors, the St. Andrew Bay ecosystem
may support as many as 127 species of Odonata (Anisoptera and Zygoptera). To date, 81 species
(writers’ collection + Abbott 2007) of odonates have been confirmed to occur in the ecosystem.
Using Abbott’s (2007) estimation of 167 species of odonates in Florida, the St. Andrew Bay
ecosystem is actually known to support 49% of Florida’s odonate species and may support up to
73% of Florida’s species of odonates if all those that possibly occur in the ecosystem are
confirmed in the future.
Collecting by the writers has been restricted to primarily adult odonates to date but a few
samples have been taken for larval odonates, and confirmed records of two species in Bay
County (Dragon hunter and Illinois River Cruiser)) was made from larvae. Donnelly (2007)
states that the collection and rearing of larval odonates is the key to establishing the presence of
the species that elude observation or capture as adults by resting near the tops of trees or in dense
vegetation or are wary and difficult to approach. The search for adults will continue, but
collection of larvae is being considered as a method of adding species to the lists. These lists
will be updated as collecting continues and when it is considered appropriate to do so.
5
Anisoptera (Dragonflies)
Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea). Photo by Ed Keppner
Table 1 provides the species of dragonflies reported from and possibly occurring in the St.
Andrew Bay ecosystem. There are 90 species and 1 subspecies on the list in Table 1 designated
as Reported, Local Voucher, and/or Possible. Of the 91 taxa, 29 of those species and 1
subspecies were previously reported to occur in Bay County by Abbott (2007) and/or Dunkle
1992. Table 1 also contains 52 species that are in the writers’ collection (Local Voucher) and
one confirmed species, Cyrano Darner (Nasiaeschna pentacantha), that is in the collection of
Neil Lamb. According to Abbott (2007) there are 123 species of dragonflies reported from
Florida. The 91 taxa in Table 1 represent 73% of the dragonflies reported from Florida. There
are about 58 % of the dragonflies reported or possibly occurring in the ecosystem on the list in
the writers’ collection (+ one in Lamb collection), and 43% of the dragonfly species reported
from Florida are in the collection.
Table 1. Dragonflies of the St. Andrew Bay Ecosystem.
Common Name
Genus and Species
Reported
Local Voucher
Possible
Habitat
T
T
T (wxyz)
T
T (wxyz)
Still, marshy water
Semi-permanent ., grassy ponds. No
fish.
Family - Aeshnidae
Common Green Darner
Anax junius
Comet Darner
Anax longipes
Springtime Darner
Basiaeschna janata
T (wxyz)
Rivers & streams w gentle currents
Fawn Darner
Boyeria vinosa
T (wxyz)
Regal Darner
Coryphaeschna ingens
Swamp Darner
Epiaeschna heros
T (wxyz)
Forested rivulets, streams, & rivers
Dense veg. lakes, slow streams,
ditches
Woodland ponds, slow streams,
swamps
Taper-tailed Darner
Gomphaeschna antilope
T (wxyz)
Swamps & bogs
Harlequin Darner
Gomphaeschna furcillata
T (wyz)
Swamps, marshy swamp edges
T (wxyz)
T
T
6
Twilight Darner
Gynacantha nervosa
Cyrano Darner
Nasiaeschna pentacantha
Phantom Darner
Triacanthagyna trifida
T (yz)
Temporary woodland ponds
T*
T (wxyz)
T
T (y)
Swampy streams, lakes, & ponds
Temporary forest pools
T (yz)
Small to large streams
Spring-fed, muck bottom forest
rivulets
Mucky seeps in HW forest near
sandhills
Family - Cordulagasteridae
Twin-spotted Spiketail
Cordulagaster maculata
Arrowhead Spiketail
Cordulagaster obliqua
T (wxyz)
Say's Spiketail
Cordulagaster sayi
T (wyz)
Family Corduliidae
Stripe-winged Baskettail*
Epitheca costalis
T (wyz)
Sand bottom lakes
Common Baskettail
Epitheca cynosura
T
T (wxyz)
Lakes, ponds, marshes, swamps
Prince Baskettail
Epitheca princeps
T
T (xyz)
FW ponds, lakes
Sepia Baskettail
Epitheca sepia
T (wx)
Lakes and slow streams
Robust Baskettail
Epitheca spinosa
T (wx)
Swamps, bog ponds
Selys' Sundragon
Helocordulia selysii
Alabama Shadowdragon
Neurocordulia alabamensis
T (wxyz)
Clean sand bottom forested streams
Slow flowing sand bottom forest
streams
Smoky Shadowdragon
Neurocordulia molesta
T (wxyz)
Clean rivers and large streams
Cinnamon Shadowdragon
Neurocordulia virginiensis
T (wxyz)
Calvert’s Emerald
Somatochlora calverti
Fine-lined Emerald
Somatochlora filosa
Coppery Emerald
Somatochlora georgiana
Mocha Emerald
Somatochlora linearis
Treetop Emerald
Somatochlora provocans
T (yz)
Clamp-tipped Emerald
Somatochlora tenebrosa
(yz)
T
T
T (wxyz)
(y)
T (wxyz)
(y)
T (wxyz)
Clean rock-bottom rivers w riffles
Boggy forest seepages
unknown
Small sand-bottom forest streams
Small forest streams, can be
temporary
Forest seeps and trickles
Small shady forest streams
Family - Gomphidae
Two-striped Forceptail
Aphylla williamsoni
T
T (wxyz)
Gray-green Clubtail
Arigomphus pallidus
T
T (wxyz)
Muck bottom lakes, ponds, slow
streams
Perm. fertile ponds, lakes w muck
bottom
Southeastern Spinyleg
Dromogomphus armatus
T
T (wxyz)
Small spring-fed streams
Black-shouldered Spinyleg
Dromogomphus spinosus
T (wxyz)
Clear to muddy streams & rivers
Eastern Ringtail
Erpetogomphus designatus
Clearlake Clubtail
Gomphus australis
Sandhill Clubtail
Gomphus cavillaris
Blackwater Clubtail
Gomphus dilatatus
Lancet Clubtail
Gomphus exilis
Twin-striped Clubtail
Gomphus geminatus
Hodges' Clubtail
Gomphus hodgesi
Cocoa Clubtail
Gomphus hybridus
Ashy Clubtail
Gomphus lividus
T
T (wxyz)
Cypress Clubtail
Gomphus minutus
T
T (wxyz)
Cobra Clubtail
Gomphus vastus
Westfall’s Clubtail
Gomphus westfalli
Dragonhunter
Hagenius brevistylus*
T
T (wxyz)
Forested streams & rivers
Shining Clubtail
Stylurus ivae
T
T (wxyz)
Clean sand bottom streams & rivers
Laura's Clubtail
Stylurus laurae
T
T (wxy)
Russet-tipped Clubtail
Stylurus plagiatus
obs. with Daigle
T (wxyz)
Yellow-sided Clubtail
Stylurus potulentus
Clean sand-mud bottom streams
Rivers, streams, lakes w silty
bottoms
Sand bottom streams, western
panhandle
T (yz)
T (wxyz)
T
Rivers & large streams
Sand bottom lakes
T
T (xy)
T
T (wxyz)
T
T (wxyz)
Clean sand bottom streams & rivers
T (wxy)
Clean sand bottom streams & rivers
T (xyz)
T (yz)
T (yz)
(y)
T wxy)
Sand bottom lakes
Blackwater rivers & streams
Streams, marsh bordered lakes &
ponds
Rivers and large streams
Gently flowing water
Streams, rivers, occasionally lakes,
ponds
Rivers and large streams
Boggy streams & seepages, mucky
pools
7
T (wxy)
Sand bottom lakes, open sandy
trickles
T (wxyz)
Sand bottom streams, rivers, & lakes
T
T (wxyz)
Ponds & lakes
T
T
T (wxyz)
T
T
T (wxyz)
Ponds, lakes with emergent veg.
Sand bottom lakes, ponds, emergent
veg.
T
T (xyz)
T
T
T (wxyz)
Ponds, lakes, marshes
T
T
T (wxyz)
Sand bottom lakes
T
T
T (wxyz)
Ponds, lakes, w emergent veg.
T (wxyz)
Ponds, lakes, w emergent veg.
Erythemis simplicicollis
T
T
T (wxyz)
Most calm water
N/A
Erythemis simplicicollis simplicicollis
T
T (wxyz)
Most calm water
Seaside Dragonlet
Erythrodiplax berenice
T
T
T (wxyz)
Salt marshes
Little Blue Dragonlet
Erythrodiplax minuscula
T
T
T (wxyz)
Marshy ponds & lakes
Golden-winged Skimmer
Libellula auripennis
T
T
T (wxyz)
Bar-winged Skimmer
Libellula axilena
T
T
T (wxyz)
Ponds & lakes, ditches & streams
Forest pools, ditches, sedgy woody
bogs
Blue Corporal
Libellula (= Ladona) deplanata
T
T (xyz)
Ponds, lakes occas. streams
Yellow-sided Skimmer
Libellula flavida
T
T
T (wxyz)
Mucky or boggy seepages
Slaty Skimmer
Libellula incesta
T
T
T (wxyz)
Still water with muck bottom
Purple Skimmer
Libellula jesseana
T
T
T (wxy)
Clear sand bottom lakes & ponds
Common Whitetail
Libellula lydia
T
T (wxyz)
Still or slow moving shallow water
Needham's Skimmer
Libellula needhami
T
T (wxyz)
FW Ponds and lakes - mostly coastal
Painted Skimmer
Libellula semifasciata
T
T (wxyz)
Marshy forest ponds, slow streams
Great Blue Skimmer
Libellula vibrans
T
T (wxyz)
Elfin Skimmer
Nannothemis bella
Swamp pools, forest streams, ponds
Bogs, calcareous fens w sedge
meadows
Roseate Skimmer
Orthemis ferruginea
T
T (wxyz)
lakes, ponds, ditches, slow streams
Blue Dasher
Pachydiplax longipennis
T
T
T (wxyz)
Most still water
Wandering Glider
Pantala flavescens
T
T
T (wxyz)
Temporary ponds & pools
Spot-winged Glider
Pantala hymenaea
T
T (wxyz)
Temporary ponds & pools
Hyacinth Glider
Miathyria marcella
T (yz)
Still water with Water Hyacinths
Eastern Amberwing
Perithemus tenera
T
T (wxyz)
Blue-faced Meadowhawk
Sympetrum ambiguum
Yellow-legged Meadowhawk
Sympetrum vicinum
T (wxy)
most still or slow moving waters
Semi-shaded pools, floodplains,
swamps
Marshes, ponds, lakes, wooded
streams
Carolina Saddlebags
Tramea carolina
T
T
T (wxyz)
Ponds, lakes, swamps, slow streams
Black Saddlebags
Tramea lacerata
T
T
T (wxyz)
Ponds, lakes, ditches without fish
Florida Cruiser
Didymops floridensis
T
T
T (wxy)
Sand-bottomed lakes w grasses ,
cypress
Stream Cruiser
Didymops transversa
T
T
T (wxyz)
Streams, rivers, occasionally lakes
Swift River Cruiser
Macromia illinoiensis georgina
T
T (wyz)
Streams and rivers
Georgia River Cruiser
Macromia illinoiensis subspp.*
T
T
T (wxyz)
Streams & rivers
Royal River Cruiser
Macromia taeniolata
T
T
T (wxyz)
Clean rivers, streams, & lakes
T
T (wyz)
Hillside seepages in deciduous forest
Belle's Sanddragon
Progomphus bellei
Common Sanddragon
Progomphus obscurus
T
Four-spotted Pennant
Brachymesia gravida
T
Amanda's Pennant
Celithemis amanda
Red-veined Pennant
Celithemis bertha
Calico Pennant
Celithemis elisa
Halloween Pennant
Celithemis eponina
Banded Pennant
Celithemis fasciata
Faded Pennant**
Celithemis ornata
Double-ringed Pennant
Celithemis verna
Eastern Pondhawk
T
Family - Libelluliidae
T
T (wxyz)
T
T (wxyz)
T
Ponds, lakes, w emergent veg.
Family - Macromiidae
Family Petaluridae
Gray Petaltail
Tachopteryx thoreyi
* = based on a larval specimen. T = yes. T* = in collection of Neil Lamb. w = Abbott 2007. x = Dunkle
1992. y = Dunkle 2000. z = Beaton 2007. * = common name changed to Slender Baskettail ** = common
name changed to Ornate Pennant by Paulson 2006.
8
Of the species in the writers’ collection, 24 species appear to be new records for Bay County.
The collection of the Phantom Darner (Triacanthagyna trifida) from Bay County apparently
extends the range of this species westward from Jefferson County to Bay County. The
specimens from Bay County were collected from the writers’ property. The property has a
freshwater pond, a small bog, a temporary small seep hole, and is adjacent to a small wooded
stream that eventually flows to Mill Bayou.
Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina) Photo by Ed Keppner
Dragonfly exuviae, unknown species. Photo by Ed Keppner
9
Zygoptera (Damselflies)
Sparkling Jewelwing (Calopteryx dimidiata). Photo by Lisa Keppner
Table 2 provides the list of species of damselflies that are known to occur and possibly occur in
the St. Andrew Bay ecosystem from Abbott (2007) and Dunkle (1992). Five of the 6 species of
damselfly that had previously been reported for Bay County have been collected. According to
Abbott (2007) there are 44 species of damselflies reported from Florida. There are 39 species on
the list of damselflies that actually or possibly may occur in our area, and 29 species are in the
writers’ collection leaving 10 species still in need of documentation. The writer’s collection
contains about 74% of the damselflies that occur or may possibly occur in the ecosystem, and the
total number of species on the list contains about 66% of the species reported from Florida. Of
the 29 species of damselflies in the writers’ collection, 23 species appear to be new records for
Bay County.
Daigle and McPeek (2007) separated Enallagma cardinium from Enallagma coecum and
established that E. cardinium is the species present in Florida. We have chosen to keep the
species in the list as E. coecum because that is the species cited for the area in the existing guides
to the Odonata. However, one must keep this separation in mind when identifying E. coecum in
Florida.
10
The writers collected a species of Nehalennia in April of 2007 that they keyed to Nehalennia
pallidula (Everglades Sprite). The specimens were taken to Mr. Jerrell Daigle of the Dragonfly
Society of the Americas who tentatively identified the specimens as the Everglades Sprite. He
obtained confirmation of the identification, and he and the writers collected additional specimens
on August 21, 2007 at the same site. The Everglades Sprite is the only damselfly that is endemic
to Florida, and prior to this discovery its range was limited to the Everglades region and a few
locations in the Florida Keys. Daigle et al. (in press) have described the population in Bay
County and established the range extension.
Table 2. Damselflies of the St. Andrew Bay Ecosystem.
Common Name
Genus and Species
Reported
Local
Voucher
Possible
Habitat
Family Calopterygidae
Sparkling Jewelwing
Calopteryx dimidiata
T
T (wxz)
Sand bottom streams w emerg. & submerg. veg.
Ebony Jewelwing
Calopteryx maculata
T
T (wxz)
Streams & rivers, wanders into adjacent trees
Smokey Rubyspot
Hetaerina titia
T
T (wxz)
Rivers & streams with permanent current
Family Coenagrionidae
Blue-fronted Dancer
Argia apicalis
T
T (wxz)
Rivers, streams, lakes & ponds
Seepage Dancer
Argia bipunctulata
T
T
T (wxz)
Small lakes, ponds, streams, seepage areas
Variable Dancer
Argia fumipennis
T
T
T (wxz)
Small lakes, ponds, streams, seepage areas
Powdered Dancer
Argia moesta
T
T (wxz)
Rivers & streams with permanent current
Blue-ringed Dancer
Argia sedula
Blue-tipped Dancer
Argia tibialis
Familiar Bluet
Enallagma civile
Purple Bluet
Enallagma coecum
Cherry Bluet
Enallagma concisum
Double-striped Bluet
Enallagma basidens
Attenuated Bluet
Enallagma daeckii
Sandhill Bluet
Enallagma davisi
Turquoise Bluet
Enallagma divagans
Atlantic Bluet
Enallagma doubledayi
Burgundy Bluet
Enallagma dubium
Big Bluet
Enallagma durum
T (z)
Skimming Bluet
Enallagma geminatum
Pale Bluet
Enallagma pallidum
Florida Bluet
Enallagma pollutum
Orange Bluet
T
T
T
T (wxz)
Lakes, ponds, ditches, streams w gentle current
T
T (wxz)
Swift creeks to slow streams, swamps, & ponds
T
T (wxz)
Ponds & sometimes slow streams
T
T w(xz)
Streams
T
T (wxz)
Lakes & ponds in sandhills & flatwoods
T (wz)
Slow streams and margins of ponds and lakes
T (wxz)
Swamps & densely veg. lake & pond margins
T (wxz)
Sandhill Lakes of Southeast
T
T (wxz)
Slow streams, sloughs, & lakes
T
T (wxz)
Sand bottom ponds, newly created ponds
T (wxz)
Weedy lakes & small weedy streams, lilypads
T
T
T (wxz)
Brackish sections of coastal plain rivers
Slow clear streams, ponds & lakes w floating veg.
T (wxz)
Lakes & ponds w swampy margins
T
T (wxz)
Lakes & ponds w ample emergent veg.
Enallagma signatum
T
T (wxz)
Primarily slow streams & lakes
Vesper Bluet
Enallagma vesperum
T
T (wxz)
Small lakes, & slow streams w dense emerg. veg.
Blackwater Bluet
Enallagma weewa
T (wxz)
Slow blackwater streams
Citrine Forktail
Ischnura hastata
T
T w(xz)
Ponds, lakes, slow streams w dense emerg. veg.
Lilypad Forktail
Ischnura kellicotti
T
T (wxz)
Entire life cycle associated with lilypads
Fragile Forktail
Ischnura posita
T
T w(xz)
Ponds, marshes, slow streams, dense veg.
Furtive Forktail
Ischnura prognata
T
T (wxz)
Shaded swampy ponds or ditches
Rambur's Forktail
Ischnura ramburii
T
T (wxz)
Sphagnum Sprite
Nehalennia gracilis
Southern Sprite
Nehalennia integricollis
T
Everglades Sprite
Nehalennia pallidula
T
Duckweed Firetail
Telebasis beyersi
T
T (z)
T (wxz)
Lakes, ponds, & marshes w emergent veg.
Boggy seeps & ponds with sphagnum
Margins of sandhill lakes in Florida
Everglades – Sawgrass marsh in Bay Co.
T (z)
Ponds and swamps with mats of duckweed
T
T (wxz)
Ponds, lakes, slow streams, w emerg. veg.
T
T (wxz)
Temp. or perm. ponds & ditches, sparse veg.
Family Lestidae
Common Spreadwing
Lestes australis
Carolina Spreadwing
Lestes vidua
T
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Swamp Spreadwing
Lestes vigilax
Elegant Spreadwing
Lestes inaequalis
Slender Spreadwing
Lestes rectangularis
T
T (wxz)
T (z)
T (wz)
Boggy ponds, lakes, swamps, blackwater streams
Marshes & marshy edges ponds & lakes
Marshes, edges of ponds & lakes, veg. streams
T = yes. w = Abbott 2007 (actual occurrence in county). x = Dunkle 1992. z = Beaton 2007.
Rare Dragonflies and Damselflies
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
do not list any species of Odonata as protected under the appropriate State and Federal Statutes.
The Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI), however, tracks rare and imperiled species in
Florida in accordance with their own criteria and definitions of rare and imperiled. FNAI
designations are not regulatory. FNAI tracks 38 species of odonates in Florida of which five
species are damselflies and 33 species are dragonflies (FNAI 2007).
Two damselflies in the St. Andrew Bay ecosystem are tracked, the Elegant Spreadwing (Lestes
inaequalis) with a status of S2; imperiled in Florida because of rarity or because of vulnerability
to extinction due to some natural or man-made factor and the Everglades Sprite (Nehalennia
pallidula) with a status of SNR or not yet ranked (FNAI 2007). Table 3 lists the 21 species of
dragonflies that occur or may occur in the St. Andrew Bay ecosystem that are tracked by FNAI
along with their designation. These 21 species represent 64% of the dragonflies tracked by
FNAI in Florida. The Presence Confirmed column is the tracked species collected during this
survey, and the records have been provided by the writers to FNAI.
Table 3. Dragonflies of the St. Andrew Bay Ecosystem Tracked by FNAI
Common Name
Say’s Spiketail
Florida River Cruiser
Southeastern Spinyleg
Robust Baskettail
Eastern Ringtail
Taper-tailed Darner
Sandhill Clubtail
Twin-striped Clubtail
Hodge’s Clubtail
Cocoa Clubtail
Westfall’s Clubtail
Sely’s Sundragon
Purple Skimmer
Smoky Shadowdragon
Belle’s Sanddragon
Calvert’s Emerald
Coppery Emerald
Treetop Emerald
Laura’s Clubtail
Yellow-sided Clubtail
Gray Petaltail
Genus & species
Cordulagaster sayi
Didymops floridensis
Dromogomphus armatus
Epitheca spinosa
Erpetogomphus designatus
Gomphaeschna antilope
Gomphus cavillaris
Gomphus geminatus
Gomphus hodgesi
Gomphus hybridus
Gomphus westfalli
Helocordulia selysii
Libellula jesseana
Neurocordulia molesta
Progomphus bellei
Somatochlora calverti
Somatochlora georgiana
Somatochlora provocans
Stylurus laurae
Stylurus potulentus
Tachopteryx thoreyi
FNAI
S2
S4
S4
S2
S1
S4
S4
S3
S3
SX
S1S2
S4
S1
S1
S3
S3
S2
S3
S3
S2
S4
Presence Confirmed
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
S1 = critically imperiled. S2 = imperiled. S3 = very rare or local throughout range. S4 = apparently secure
(may be rare in parts of range). SX = Believed to be extirpated from Florida.
We have in the collection specimens of 9 of the 21 (43%) tracked species of dragonflies that
occur or possibly occur in the ecosystem. Libellula jesseana inhabits the sandhill ponds of our
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ecosystem, and we have seen it at three separate locations and collected it at two of those
locations. Didymops floridensis, Gomphus cavillaris, and Progomphus bellei were also collected
at sandhill ponds. Gomphus geminatus was collected from three locations along small, sand
bottom streams in Bay County. Helocordulia selysii was collected at one site near a freshwater
pond and wooded stream. Stylurus laurae was collected from one location along a trail in a
slope forest above a small tributary to Econfina Creek. Tachopteryx thoreyi was collected at two
sites in Bay County among trees near small seeps and streams and observed at two other sites.
Dromogomphus armatus was collected at the edge of a cypress dome in the Gulf County portion
of the ecosystem.
Summary
The St. Andrew Bay ecosystem supports a significant number of species of odonates considering
that the collection currently has 49% of the total number of species reported from Florida. The
presence of the number of species of odonates is indicative of the variety of aquatic habitats that
the area supports. The inventory establishes the presence of a number of species not previously
reported from Bay County or the ecosystem (24 Anisoptera and 23 Zygoptera) including
Phantom Darner, Swamp Darner, Laura’s Clubtail, Gray Petaltail, etc. Keppner and Keppner (in
press) provide a list of the new records for Bay County, Florida.
The survey extended the range of two species, Everglades Sprite and Phantom Darner in Florida.
Collecting will continue in an attempt to document the species listed as possibly occurring in the
county and ecosystem. Anyone who collects a specimen of odonate can aid in this endeavor to
document the species in Bay County and the St. Andrew Bay ecosystem by depositing the
specimen(s) in our collect or another collection that will be available for examination by
interested individuals.
Belle’s Sanddragon (Progomphus bellei). Photo by Ed Keppner
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Literature Cited
Gray Petaltail (Tachopteryx thoreyi) on pine tree. Photo by Lisa Keppner.
Abbott, J.C. 2007. OdonataCentral: An online resource for the Odonata of North America.
Austin, Texas. Available at http://www.OdonateCentral.com. Accessed Sept. 2007.
Arnett, R.H., Jr. 2000. American Insects. A Handbook of the Insects of America North of
Mexico. CRC Press, New York, NY. 1003 pp.
Beaton, G. 2007. Dragonflies and Damselflies of Georgia and the Southeast. University of
Georgia Press, Athens, GA. 355 pp.
Donnelly, N. Rearing is the Key to Finding Those Elusive Clubtails. Argia 19(1):1.
Daigle J.J., Keppner, E.J., and Keppner, L.A. (2007). The Occurrence of Nehalennia pallidula
in Bay County, Florida. Argia 18:
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Daigle, J.J. and McPeek, M.A. 2007. DNA status of Enallagma coecum Hagen (Purple Bluet)
and E. cardinium Hagen. Argia 18(4):13.
Dunkle, S.W. 1989. Dragonflies of the Florida Peninsula, Bermuda, and the Bahamas,
Scientific Publishers, Gainesville, FL. 155 pp.
Dunkle, S.W. 1990. Damselflies of Florida, Bermuda, and the Bahamas, Scientific Publishers,
Gainesville, FL. 145 pp.
Dunkle, S.W. 1992. Distribution of Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) in Florida. Bulletin
of American Odonatology. 1(2):29-50.
Dunkle. S.W. 2000. Dragonflies through Binoculars. A Guide to Dragonflies of North
America. Oxford University Press, New York, NY. 266 pp.
Florida Natural Areas Inventory. 2007. FNAI – Element Tracking Summary. www.fnai.org. 28
pp.
Keppner, E. J. and Keppner, L.A. 2001. The St. Andrew Bay Ecosystem, Our Environment. A
Revision of “A Look to the Future”. BEST 2001. 90 pp.
Keppner, E.J. and Keppner, L.A. (in press). Odonata Survey of Bay County and the St. Andrew
Bay Ecosystem, Florida. Argia
Lam, E. 2004. Damselflies of the Northeast. A Guide to the Species of Eastern Canada and
Northeastern United States. Biodiversity Books, Forest Hills, NY. 96 pp.
Needham, J.G., Westfall, M.J., and May, M.L. 2000. Dragonflies of North America. Scientific
Publishers, Gainesville, FL. 939 pp.
Paulson, D. 2006. New Common Names for Three North American Odonates. Argia 18(3):23.
Westfall, M.J. and May, M.L. 1996. Damselflies of North America. Scientific Publishers,
Gainesville, FL. 649 pp.
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