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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) » Dragonflies (Anisoptera) » Emeralds (Corduliidae) » Baskettails (Epitheca) » Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps)

Species Epitheca princeps - Prince Baskettail

Classification · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

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Dragonfly With 12 Spots - Epitheca princeps

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)

Suborder Anisoptera (Dragonflies)

Family Corduliidae (Emeralds)

Genus Epitheca (Baskettails)

Species princeps (Prince Baskettail)

Size

Length 5-8 cm

Identification

Flies constantly. Wing pattern resembles that of some skimmer, but narrow body shape is distinctive. Wings held in a slight dihedral (V) while flying.

Range

Eastern North America

Habitat

Permanent bodies of water: ponds, lakes, slow streams. Somewhat tolerant of muddy water.

Season

March-December in Florida, June to August in northernmost part of range.

Food

Predatory on flying insects. Often feeds high over trees, may form swarms in evening.

Life Cycle

Females oviposit in evening. A rope of eggs (up to 50 cm long!) is draped over a stem of emergent vegetation. Males patrol low (or up to 2 m high) over water for hours (or all day) gliding, then flitting wings.

Remarks

Larger in south, up to 8 cm, as large as a Darner. Typically seen as a male patrolling over a pond. Perches (in evening?) by hanging under twigs.

The southeastern form, regina, is usually larger, more heavily marked, and has a slightly different spot pattern:

Print References

Dunkle, p. 142, plate 23 (1)

Internet References

NJ Odes

Giff Beaton

Works Cited

1.	Dragonflies Through Binoculars: A Field Guide to Dragonflies of North America Sidney W. Dunkle. 2000. Oxford Press.

Contributed by Cotinis on 4 June, 2004 - 4:00pm
Additional contributions by john and jane balaban
Last updated 31 December, 2015 - 11:14am

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