Blue-faced Darner
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Coryphaeschna adnexa
Hagen, 1861
Order Odonata
Suborder Anisoptera
Superfamily Aeshnoidea
Family Aeshnidae
Genus Coryphaeschna
Species adnexa (Hagen, 1861) [Aeschna]
Identification
The face is bright sky blue with a dark black "T" spot on the frons. The rear of the head is pale blue in both sexes. The thorax is green.with narrow brown stripes. The legs are black. The abdomen is dark brown marked with green. In females, the lateral abdominal spots on segments 5-10 are crimson.
Size
Total length: 66-70 mm; abdomen: 48-52 mm; hindwing: 42-45 mm.
Similar Species
This species is much smaller than Regal Darner (C. ingens
) and the brown lateral thoracic stripes are distinctly narrower than the broad intervening green areas. Blue-eyed Darner (Aeshna multicolor
) has blue lateral thoracic stripes and a blue abdomen.
Habitat
Heavily vegetated lakes, canals and marshy areas.
Discussion
This species was only recently reported from Texas where J.S. Rose discovered it at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. A breeding population is known along creeks in the King Ranch (Kingsville
) area of south Texas. Males patrol in short beats 1-2 m over marshy breeding areas.
Distribution
Florida, south Texas and Mexico south to Brazil.
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