United States and Canada
This is a primarily south-central United States species that is easily recognized by its dark color and the large basal brown spots that extend out to not quite a forth the length of the wings. It is the only dark setwing in the region, with a broad dark basal spot in both pair of wings. The face is olivaceous in young males and females and bright red in older males. The brown middorsal and antehumeral stripes are broadly confluent above, exposing only a small isolated pale area. The side of the thorax is bluish-gray or olivaceous with four brown diffuse lateral stripes. The legs are black and the wings are as above with a smaller spot of brown at the nodus and generally with dark wingtips. The abdomen is bluish-gray to yellow basally and dark brown to black for most of length. There are pale spots laterally on segments 4-9 and middorsally on 4-7 that become large and most conspicuous on 7 giving it a distinctive checkered pattern. The remaining segments and caudal appendages are dark brown or black.
Size: Total length: 42-51 mm; abdomen: 30-35 mm; hindwing: 35-40 mm.
Similar Species (south-central US): No other setwing in the region has broad basal markings in both wings and a checkered abdomen. Marl Pennant (Macrodiplax balteata) does not have the characteristic checkered pattern on the abdomen and lacks a dark spot in the basal portion of the forewing.
Habitat: Ponds and lakes with emergent vegetation.
Natural History: This species may be abundant, perching on tall vegetation surrounding ponds and lakes or in open fields away from water. Males perch at the tips of vegetation and along fence lines with both pairs of wings depressed downward. When disturbed they usually don't fly far, returning quickly to their perch. It was only recently reported in Arkansas for the first time.
Distribution: South-central U.S.
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).
