Possible Hybrid - 8 Spotted Skimmer - Plathemis subornata - BugGuide.Net

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) » Dragonflies (Anisoptera) » Skimmers (Libellulidae) » Whitetails (Plathemis) » Desert Whitetail (Plathemis subornata)

Photo#200090

Copyright © 2008 rkcamper

Possible Hybrid - 8 Spotted Skimmer - Plathemis subornata -

Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, near Roswell, N.M., Chaves County, New Mexico, USA
July 6, 2008
Size: Approximately 2"

Need help with identification. Wing markings similar to female desert whitetail, whereas coloration of wings and abdomen is similar to male 8 spotted skimmer. Primary resource is Dragonflies through Binoculars by Sidney Dunkle. I have photos of the Common and Desert Whitetails - male and female.

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Contributed by rkcamper on 10 July, 2008 - 10:15pm
Last updated 16 July, 2008 - 11:11pm

Moved

Moved from Dragonflies.

… john and jane balaban, 16 July, 2008 - 11:11pm

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My take is male Desert Whitet

My take is male Desert Whitetail.

Dragonflies and Damselflies of Texas and the South-Central United States (Abbott) says that the thorax has 2 pale yellow stripes which I believe I see on your shot (they obscure with age). Males have a pronounced clear stripe on the wings (similar to females), becoming obscured with age. So don't think your guy is very old (but not incredibly young, since he's somewhat pruniose).

I'm by no means an expert, just an owner of a book :)

… Seth Burgess, 10 July, 2008 - 11:04pm

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Possibly Juvenile Male Desert Whitewing

Thanks Seth. I have the same book. Dunkle's book also notes that juvenile males have the two wing bands that fill in with lighter brown with maturity but doesn't address the abdomen being light blue prior to turning white or the white surrounding the brown stripe at base. Hopefully an expert will step in and clarify this for me.

Rod

… rkcamper, 12 July, 2008 - 4:08pm

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Confirmed - Juvenile Male Desert Whitetail

Seth, I went further into the guide and found a posting by John and Jane Balaban (photo #125117) and it shows a juvenile male that is even more of a variant than mine. Further, their posting included a link to Arizona dragonflies. I clicked on that link and the first example is of a juvenile pruinose blue male desert whitetail. Almost exactly like mine. Thanks for steering me into further research.

Thanks also the John and Jane Balaban - experts.

Rod

… rkcamper, 12 July, 2008 - 4:32pm

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