CHECKLIST OF NEBRASKA ODONATA (DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES) (100 Species)

Calopteryx aequabilis female. Photo by Roy J. Beckemeyer.With Data Sources, Notes, and Historical Records.        
Above right: Photograph of Calopteryx aequabilis female taken in August 1998 along Boardman Creek in Cherry County, Nebraska By Roy J. Beckemeyer.
Prepared by Roy J. Beckemeyer                                             
Last updated 23 January 2004 (added Argia bipunctulata on basis of Clopton et al, 1993)

Species have linked distribution maps that show counties of occurrence for Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.  Click HERE for info on Great Plains Odonata.

The URL for this page is: http://www.windsofkansas.com/Bodonata/neodchklst.html

ODONATA (ZYGOPTERA) -- DAMSELFLIES - 45 SPECIES

CALOPTERYGIDAE -- BROAD-WINGED DAMSELFLIES - 3 SPECIES

1. Calopteryx maculata (Beauvois, 1805) -- Ebony Jewelwing 
2. Calopteryx aequabilis Say, 1839 -- River Jewelwing
3. Hetaerina americana (Fabricius, 1798) -- American Rubyspot

LESTIDAE -- SPREADWING DAMSELFLIES - 7 SPECIES

4. Archilestes grandis (Rambur, 1842) -- Great Spreadwing
5. Lestes congener Hagen, 1861 -- Spotted Spreadwing
6.  Lestes disjunctus australis Walker, 1952 -- Common Spreadwing
7. Lestes dryas Kirby, 1890 -- Emerald Spreadwing
8. Lestes forcipatus Rambur, 1842 -- Sweetflag Spreadwing
9. Lestes rectangularis Say, 1839 -- Slender Spreadwing 
10. Lestes unguiculatus Hagen, 1861 -- Lyre-tipped Spreadwing 

COENAGRIONIDAE -- POND DAMSELS - 35 SPECIES

11. Amphiagrion sp. Selys, 1876 -- Red Damsel  (NOTE)
12. Argia alberta Kennedy, 1918 -- Paiute Dancer
13. Argia apicalis (Say, 1839) -- Blue-fronted Dancer 
14. Argia bipunctulata (Hagen, 1861) -- Seepage Dancer
15. Argia emma Kennedy, 1915 -- Emma's Dancer
16. Argia fumipennis violacea (Hagen, 1861) -- Variable Dancer 
17. Argia moesta (Hagen, 1861) -- Powdered Dancer
18. Argia plana Calvert, 1902 -- Springwater Dancer
19. Argia sedula (Hagen, 1861) -- Blue-ringed Dancer
20. Argia tibialis (Rambur, 1842) -- Blue-tipped Dancer
21. Argia vivida Hagen in Selys, 1865 -- Vivid Dancer
22. Coenagrion resolutum (Selys, 1876) -- Taiga Bluet
23. Enallagma anna Williamson, 1900 -- River Bluet
24. Enallagma antennatum (Say, 1839) -- Rainbow Bluet 
25. Enallagma aspersum (Hagen, 1861) -- Azure Bluet
26. Enallagma basidens Calvert, 1902 -- Double-striped Bluet 
27. Enallagma boreale Selys, 1875 -- Boreal Bluet 
28. Enallagma carunculatum Morse, 1895 -- Tule Bluet
29. Enallagma civile (Hagen, 1861) -- Familiar Bluet 
30. Enallagma clausum Morse, 1895 -- Alkali Bluet
31. Enallagma cythigerum (Charpentier, 1840) -- Northern Bluet
32. Enallagma ebrium (Hagen, 1861) -- Marsh Bluet
33. Enallagma exsulans (Hagen, 1861) -- Stream Bluet 
34. Enallagma geminatum Kellicott, 1895 -- Skimming Bluet 
35. Enallagma hageni (Walsh, 1863) -- Hagen's Bluet 
36. Enallagma praevarum (Hagen, 1861) -- Arroyo Bluet
37. Enallagma signatum (Hagen, 1861) -- Orange Bluet
38. Ischnura barberi Currie, 1903 -- Desert Forktail
39. Ischnura cervula Selys, 1876 -- Pacific Forktail
40. Ischnura damula Calvert, 1902 -- Plains Forktail
41. Ischnura hastata (Say, 1839) -- Citrine Forktail  (NOTE)
42. Ischnura perparva Selys, 1876 -- Western Forktail
43. Ischnura posita (Hagen, 1861) -- Fragile Forktail
44. Ischnura verticalis (Say, 1839) -- Eastern Forktail
45. Nehalennia irene (Hagen, 1861) -- Sedge Sprite
Return to Top of Checklist Page

ODONATA (ANISOPTERA) -- DRAGONFLIES - 55 SPECIES

AESHNIDAE -- DARNERS - 9 SPECIES

46. Aeshna californica Calvert, 1895 -- California Darner 
47. Aeshna canadensis Walker, 1908 -- Canada Darner 
48. Aeshna constricta Say, 1839 -- Lance-tipped Darner 
49. Aeshna interrupta lineata Walker, 1908 -- Variable Darner
50. Aeshna multicolor Hagen, 1861 -- Blue-eyed Darner 
51. Aeshna palmata Hagen, 1856 -- Paddle-tailed Darner
52. Aeshna umbrosa Walker, 1908 -- Shadow Darner
53. Anax junius (Drury 1770) -- Common Green Darner 
54. Boyeria vinosa (Say, 1839) -- Fawn Darner

GOM5HIDAE -- CLUBTAILS - 11 SPECIES

55. Arigomphus cornutus (Tough, 1900) -- Horned Clubtail
56. Arigomphus submedianus (Williamson, 1914) -- Jade Clubtail
57. Gomphus (Gomphurus) externus Hagen in Selys, 1858 -- Plains Clubtail 
58. Gomphus (Gomphurus) vastus Walsh, 1862 -- Cobra Clubtail 
59. Gomphus (Gomphus) graslinellus Walsh, 1862 -- Pronghorn Clubtail 
60. Gomphus (Gomphus) militaris Hagen in Selys, 1858 -- Sulpher-tipped Clubtail 
61. Ophiogomphus severus Hagen, 1874 -- Pale Snaketail
62. Progomphus obscurus (Rambur, 1842) -- Common Sanddragon 
63. Stylurus amnicola (Walsh, 1862) -- Riverine Clubtail 
64. Stylurus intricatus (Hagen, 1858) -- Brimstone Clubtail 
65. Stylurus notatus (Rambur, 1842) -- Elusive Clubtail 

COR6ULIIDAE (CORDULIINAE) -- EMERALDS - 9 SPECIES

66. Epitheca (Tetragoneuria) costalis Muttkowski, 1911 -- Stripe-winged Baskettail 
67. Epitheca (Tetragoneuria) cynosura (Say, 1839) -- Common Baskettail  
68. Epitheca (Tetragoneuria) petechialis Muttkowski, 1911 -- Dot-winged Baskettail 
69. Epitheca (Epicordulia) princeps (Hagen, 1861) -- Prince Baskettail  
70. Neurocordulia molesta (Walsh, 1863) -- Smoky Shadowdragon
71. Somatochlora ensigera Martin, 1906 -- Plains Emerald

LIBELLULIDAE -- SKIMMMERS 29 SPECIES

72. Brachymesia herbida ((Gundlach, 1889) -- Tawny Pennant
73. Celithemis elisa (Hagen, 1861) -- Calico Pennant 
74. Celithemis eponina (Drury, 1773) -- Halloween Pennant 
75. Erythemis simplicicollis (Say, 1839) -- Eastern Pondhawk 
76. Leucorrhinia hudsonica (Selys, 1850) -- Hudsonian Whiteface
77. Leucorrhinia intacta (Hagen, 1861) -- Dot-tailed Whiteface
78. Libellula auripennis Burmeister, 1839 -- Golden-winged Skimmer
79. Libellula forensis Hagen, 1861 -- Eight-spotted Skimmer
80. Libellula luctuosa Burmeister, 1839 -- Widow Skimmer 
81. Libellula pulchella Drury, 1773 -- Twelve-spotted Skimmer 
82. Libellula quadrimaculata Linnaeus, 1758 -- Four-spotted Skimmer
83. Pachydiplax longipennis (Burmeister, 1839) -- Blue Dasher 
84. Pantala flavescens (Fabricius, 1798) -- Wandering Glider 
85. Pantala hymenaea (Say, 1839) -- Spot-winged Glider 
86. Perithemis tenera (Say, 1839) -- Eastern Amberwing
87. Plathemis lydia Drury, 1770 -- Common Whitetail
88. Plathemis  subornata (Hagen, 1861) -- Desert Whitetail 
89. Sympetrum ambiguum (Rambur, 1842) -- Blue-faced Meadowhawk 
90. Sympetrum corruptum (Hagen, 1861) -- Variegated Meadowhawk
91. Sympetrum costiferum (Hagen, 1861) -- Saffron-winged Meadowhawk
92. Sympetrum internum Montgomery, 1943 -- Cherry-faced Meadowhawk
93. Sympetrum madidum  (Hagen, 1861) -- Red-veined Meadowhawk
94. Sympetrum obtrusum (Hagen, 1867) -- White-faced Meadowhawk
95. Sympetrum occidentale fasciatum Walker, 1951 -- Western Meadowhawk
96. Sympetrum pallipes (Hagen, 1874) -- Striped Meadowhawk
97. Sympetrum rubicundulum (Say, 1839) -- Ruby Meadowhawk
98. Sympetrum vicinum (Hagen, 1861) -- Yellow-legged Meadowhawk
99. Tramea lacerata Hagen, 1861 -- Black Saddlebags
100. Tramea onusta Hagen, 1861 -- Red-mantled Saddlebags
Return to Top of Checklist Page

SOURCE DATA:

  1. Beckemeyer, R.J., 1998, Some Nebraska Odonata specimens in the University of Nebraksa-Lincoln Collection, Argia, 9(4):7
  2. Beckemeyer, R.J., 1998, "Some midwestern Odonata records for 1997", Argia: The news journal of the Dragonfly Society of the Americas, 9(4):6.
  3. Beckemeyer, R.J., 1998, A brief history fo the Plains Emerald - Somatochlora ensigera, Argia, 10(1):17-20
  4. Beckemeyer, R.J., 1998, Nebraska and South Dakota Odonata - a compilation of collecting reports related to the July, 1998 Valentine, Nebraska Annual Meeting of the Dragonfly Society of the Americas, Argia, 10(4):27-28
  5. Beckemeyer, R.J., 1999, Ischnura barberi Currie 1903 -- "A salty Fork-tale", Argia, 11(1):22-23
  6. Beckemeyer, R.J., 2000, "Some county Odonata records for Kansas and Nebraska for 1999 and 2000", Argia: The news journal of the Dragonfly Society of the Americas, 12(3):27-28.
  7. Beckemeyer, R.J., & M.S. Hummel, 1998, Could Valentine, Nebraska be Odonata heaven? The 1998 DSA Annual Meeting, Ariga, 10(2):4-6
  8. Beckemeyer, R.J., & M.S. Hummel, 1998, Two notes on Somatochlora ensigera, The Plains Emerald, Argia, 10(4):28-30
  9. Bedel, P.,  2001, Some recent Odonata records for Nebraska, Argia, 13(2):2
  10. Bick, G.H., & L.E. Hornuff, 1972, Odonata collected in Wyoming, South Dakota, and Nebraska, Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., 74(1):1-8 [ North America]
  11. Clopton, R.E., T.J. Percival, & J. Janovy, Jr., 1993, Nubenocephalus nebraskensis n gen., n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Actinocephalidae) from adults of Argia bipunctulata (Odonata: Zygoptera), J. Parasitology, 79(4):533-537
  12. Montgomery, B.E., 1967, Geographical distribution of the Odonata of the North Central States, Proc. N. Central Branch, ESA, 22:121-124
  13. Pruess, N.C., 1967, Checklist of Nebraska Odonata, Proc. N. Central Branch,, ESA, 72:11256:1-5
Return to Top of Checklist Page

NOTES:

  1. This list is arranged taxonomically by SUBORDER : FAMILY, then alphabetically by Genus: Species within each FAMILY. Entries include: Entry No. Genus species Author who described species (In parentheses if species is now assigned to a different genus than when described by author), Date described -- Common Name.
  2. References used to update nomenclature include: R.W. Garrison (1991, "A Synonomic List of the New World Odonata", Argia, 3(2):1-30); M.J. Westfall, Jr., & M.L. May, (1996, "Damselflies of North America", Scientific Publishers, Gainesville, FL);K.J. Tennessen, (1977, "Rediscovery of Epitheca costalis", Ann. Ent. Soc. Am., 70(2):267-273); K.J. Tennessen, (1995, Personal Communication regarding genus Epitheca); Dennis Paulson (1996, Personal Communication regarding nomenclature). Please note the following regarding the cited entries:

    No. 11. Amphiagrion sp.: The late Mrs. L.K. Gloyd studied Amphiagrion for many years. Rosser Garrison has told me that she had examined over 3000 specimens of the genus and was planning on describing the "mid-American" form (AZ to the Midwestern states) as A. mesonum. This name was in use as a manuscript name, and many workers during that time period therefore described Amphiagrion from the region as A. sp. Some workers today apparently consider Amphiagrion as a species with gradual clinal variation from east to west. The problem remains to be closed. Thanks to Rosser Garrison (Personal Communication, Sept. 1995) for discussing the issue with me.  In their recent master work on the Zygoptera of North America, Westfall and May (1996) state: "There is evidence that populations from the midwest, southwest into Arizona, probably repesent a third species, but their status is as yet unclear. Amphiagrion not clearly assignable to either A. abbreviatum or A. saucium are known from: AZ, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, NE, NM, ND, OK, SD, WI."

    No. 40. I have followed Garrison(1991) and Westfall & May (1996) by transferring Anomalagrion hastatum into the genus Ischnura as I. hastata (Say), 1839.

  3. Common names are from D.R. Paulson & S.W. Dunkle, 1996, "Common names of North American dragonflies and damselflies, adopted by the Dragonfly Society of the Americas", ARGIA, 8(2). Link to Internet Version of List
Return to Top of Checklist Page

HISTORICAL RECORDS:

 

Return to Top of Checklist Page

Return to Top of Checklist Page

RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE                           RETURN TO ODONATA HOME PAGE