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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) » Dragonflies (Anisoptera) » Clubtails (Gomphidae)
Photo#544918
Clubtail exuvia
Copyright © 2011 Ilze V-G.

Clubtail exuvia
City of Greater Sudbury, Fairbank Lake, Ontario, Canada
July 9, 2011
Size: approx 3.5cm
Would this be the skeleton of a damselfly or dragonfly? Found it on the edge of a dock.How long do they live in water before emerging to flight?
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Contributed by Ilze V-G. on 13 July, 2011 - 8:51am
Last updated 29 October, 2013 - 10:05am

Moved
Moved from Dragonflies.
… john and jane balaban, 10 October, 2011 - 8:53pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Charley Eiseman, 9 August, 2011 - 10:19pm login or register to post comments

Yes, cast-off larval skin...
They can live several YEARS in water as larvae before emerging as adults. This is especially true the further north one gets.
… Denis A. Doucet, 14 July, 2011 - 7:57am login or register to post comments

Dragonfly
looks like Gomphus Subgenus - Phanogomphus
… Bob Barber, 13 July, 2011 - 4:20pm login or register to post comments

 
Could indeed be...
If so, definitely interesting and warrants further attention. In any case, this is indeed the exuvia (cast off-larval skin) of a dragonfly, when it emerged as an adult, as I think you suspected Ilze.
… Denis A. Doucet, 14 July, 2011 - 7:56am login or register to post comments

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