United States and Canada
This is a large dark black Mexican species found in Southwestern New Mexico. The face and head are dark except for the small pale postocular spots and occipital bar. The antehumeral stripe is pale and narrow, only 1/10 or less as wide as the dark violet or metallic middorsal stripe. The antehumeral stripe in females is broader extending 1/4 to 1/2 the width of the middorsal stripe and the humeral stripe is usually forked. In males the dark humeral stripe is wide, covering most of the mesepimeron. The legs are dark brown or black and the wings are clear or often slightly amber. Abdom inal segments 1-7 are black dorsally with metallic reflections. Segments 3-7 each have a pale, narrow basal ring that may be interrupted dorsally. Segment 8 is entirely black and segments 9 and 10 are largely black, usually more than 2/3 of the semgent. The male cerci are half the length of the paraprocts, when viewed dorsally. The female mesostigmal plates each bear a small medially directed posterior lobe and the mesepisternal tubercles are well-developed.
Size: Total length: 35-41 mm; abdomen: 28-35 mm; hindwing: 22-26 mm.
Similar Species (south-central US): Dusky Dancer (A. translata) is an equally large and dark species that may be found flying with Tezpi Dancer. It can be recognized by the clear wings (usually amber in Tezpi Dancer) and divided humeral stripe.
Habitat: Streams and rivers of the arid southwest.
Natural History: This is a Mexican species that barely ranges in to the United States where it is known from both Arizona and New Mexico. It may be locally common, but it is not widely distributed in our area. It is often found alongside Dusky Dancer throughout much of its range.
Distribution: Arizona and New Mexico south through Mexico to Costa Rica.
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).
