United States and Canada
This is a small uncommon species, originally described from the Sam Houston National Forest in Southeast Texas. Its face a nd occiput are yellowish and the vertex is black. The thorax is pale yellow with a dark middorsal stripe that is nearly parallel sided. The dark antehumeral stripe is wide and connects to the middorsal stripe at its upper end. The humeral stripe is widest at the top where it is confluent with the antehumeral stripe. It also may come into contact with it at about 3/4 its length. The thin pale stripe between them often disappears at their upper end to form a rounded triangular spot. The midlateral stripe is complete but thin and the third lateral stripe is lacking or absent. The legs are black, except for the front and midfemora which are bright or obscurely yellow. The abdomen is dark brown with yellow middorsally and laterally on segments 1-3. The spots are narrowed apically on segments 4-7 and the lateral expansion of segments 7-9 are yellow. The male cerci are black.
Size: Total length: 34-37 mm; abdomen: 26-29 mm; hindwing: 23-27 mm.
Similar Species (south-central US): This species is shorter and general more robust than in other common clubtails (Gomphus). Similar clubtails will have more extensive pale markings on the abdomen.
Habitat: Small, shaded streams with loose flowing sand.
Natural History: To my knowledge this species has not been seen in Texas, except from the type locality at Big Creek near Shepherd, in San Jacinto Co., part of the Sam Houston National Forest. Little is known about the biology of this species, but it is known to forage at a height of five feet along the forest edge from morning to afternoon. It was described from mostly reared specimens and the adult is rarely seen. Interestingly it has not been found in southwest Louisiana.
Distribution: Southeastern U.S. from New Jersey to Texas.
Source: Abbott, J.C. 2006-2010. OdonataCentral: An online resource for the distribution and identification of Odonata. Available at OdonataCentral.
Edited by Drew Weber (9/24/2015).
