Description: The eyes of males are green below and black above with blue post-ocular spots. The thorax is green with black stripes. Abdominal segments 1-6 are black above and pale gray to greenish laterally. Segments 7-10 are mostly uniform red. Female eyes greenish above, yellow below. Thorax more obscurely patterned than on male. Abdominal segments black above with orange orange at the base of each segment.
Size: Male Total length: 30-35 mm; abdomen: 25-29 mm; hindwing: 14-16 mm. Female Total length: 31-33 mm; abdomen: 26-27 mm; hindwing: 17 mm.
Similar Species: It is very similar to Leptobasis buchholzi, but this species is distributed in South America. Red-tipped Swampdamsel (Leptobasis vacillans) have red the first 4 o 5 segments of the abdomen and red tipped S7-10. Cream-tipped Swampdamsel (Leptobasis melinogaster) have segments 7-10 cream colored.
Habitat: The nymphs of this species live in mature cypress (Taxodium distichum) swamps. These swamps hold water for a variable period of time each year, usually going dry in the summer months. Nymphs are found in shaded areas of the swamp, in vicinity of aquatic plants and cypress knees in water varying from 10 to 40 cm in depth.
Natural History: This is a Mesoamerican species with extremely specialized habitat requirements. It has been recorded in Florida in Collier, Lee and Broward County from November through March. In Mexico it has been recorded in Biosphere Reserve of Calakmul in Campeche and near Los Tuxtlas in Veracruz. In Belize has been recorded in the Orange Walk District; in Costa Rica has been recorder in Finca La Selva, Heredia.
There is not much information available on the behavior of this species, but it is likely to be similar to other members of the genus.
Distribution: Southern Southern Florida, USA, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Costa Rica.
Source:
Garrison, R.W. and N. Von Ellenrieder. 2010. Redefinition of Leptobasis Selys whit the synonymy of Chrysobasis Rácenis and description of L. mauffrayi sp nov, from Peru (Odonata: Coenagrionidae). Zootaxa 2438: 1-36.
González-Soriano, E. & Novelo-Gutiérrez, R. 2007 Odonata of Mexico revisited, In: Tyagi, B.K. (Ed.), Odonata: biology of dragonflies. Pawan Kumar, Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur, India, pp. 105–136.
Tennessen, K. J. and R. S. Krotzer. 2013. Description of the last stadium nymph of Leptobasis lucifer (Odonata: Coenagrionidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 115(2): 182-188.
