Explanation of Names
Neoerythromma cultellatum (Hagen in Selys, 1876)
"Caribbean" because this species is found through most of the Greater Antilles
Identification
In addition to the facial color, the abdomen is entirely dark dorsally except for the blue spot on S8-10. No similar damsel overlaps this species in its US range. Its only congener has never been recorded in the US.
Range
Hidalgo & Cameron Counties, TX; Monroe and Miami-Dade Counties, FL / Mexico to Venezuela / W. Indies -
Map (1)Habitat
Water with slow or no current and abundant vegetation
Season
Primarily March through November in the US, though there have been sightings as early as January 8. Probably year-round in tropics.
Life Cycle
Females often oviposit in mats of algae, water plants, or floating debris
tenerals emerge from water and migrate to open forest where they remain until mature
Remarks
Males seem to prefer perching as far from shore as possible, so are most easily spotted by searching floating debris or the vegetation that extends furthest away from the shoreline.
The Texas population of the species was discovered relatively recently. It was originally found only around Brownsville but in the past few years has been spotted in many other locations further north and west.
See Also
The face in Aurora Damsel (
Chromagrion conditum) is blue not yellow. No other damselfly in the south-central United States has the unique combination of blue and yellow that Caribbean Yellowface possesses.
(1)Print References
Abbott. 2005, Dragonflies and Damselflies of Texas
Dunkle. 1990, Damselflies of Florida, Bermuda, and the Bahamas
