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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) » Dragonflies (Anisoptera) » Skimmers (Libellulidae) » Paltothemis » Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes)
Photo#78152
California Dragon 1 - Paltothemis lineatipes - male
Copyright © 2006 Ron Hemberger

California Dragon 1 - Paltothemis lineatipes - Male
Peters Canyon, Orange, Orange County, California, USA
September 7, 2005
Might this be a Red Rock Skimmer female?
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Contributed by Ron Hemberger on 19 September, 2006 - 4:36pm
Last updated 19 September, 2006 - 11:04pm

Very nice Ron
Hope I can find one.
… Craig Morgan, 17 July, 2013 - 4:27pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks, Craig
Mike and I are searching for odes now. If I see one of these or something else nice, I'll be in touch. Now through October is the best time, based on past shoots.
… Ron Hemberger, 17 July, 2013 - 6:03pm login or register to post comments

Male
Look at the well-developed claspers. Hasn't developed mature colors yet.
… Cliff Bernzweig, 19 September, 2006 - 8:53pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks, Cliff
I'm doing this with about 90% emphasis on color and pattern, now realizing it's more complex than that.

Colors start pale, then go strong, then sometimes pale again, right?
… Ron Hemberger, 19 September, 2006 - 10:48pm login or register to post comments

 
It varies a bit
Most of the time, they are palest right after hatching. As they dry off, the bright areas become very intense, while black and brown areas darken, giving the bug a vivid appearance. In some species like Slaty and Great Blue Skimmers, the pale areas eventually get duller and the bug may end up almost uniformly dark (Slaty) or evenly pruinose (Great Blue). When they are in peak condition and match the book, color can be useful for ID, but a lot of the time color and even pattern cannot be counted on.
… Cliff Bernzweig, 20 September, 2006 - 11:48am login or register to post comments

 
Good stuff, even if a bit disheartening
Maybe we need eight sets of photos for each ode: teneral, semi-teneral (it's already catching on!), adult, and decrepit, with each by sex. Publishers should love the concept. LOL!
… Ron Hemberger, 20 September, 2006 - 3:06pm login or register to post comments

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