Bronzed River Cruiser
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Macromia annulata
Hagen, 1861
Order Odonata
Suborder Anisoptera
Superfamily Libelluloidea
Family Macromiidae
Genus Macromia
Species annulata Hagen, 1861 [Macromia]
Syn Macromia caderita Needham, 1950
Identification
This southwestern species is the only one with a whitish-yellow vertex and uninterrupted middorsal abdominal spots. The top of the frons is broadly marked with yellow and pale narrow brown line medially on the sulcus. The thorax is dull to dark brown with long well-developed antehumeral stripes. These stripes lack touching the alar crest by a distance equal to their width. The wings are clear with yellow costa and a hint of brown basally in females. The legs are brown, becoming black distally. The first abdominal segment bears yellow streak
laterally, unique among North American species. There is a wide uninterrupted yellow ring on segment 2 and a row of pale dorsal spots uninterrupted middorsally on segments 3-8.
Size
Total length: 68-75 mm; abdomen: 52-57 mm; hindwing: 45-52 mm.
Similar Species
Stream Cruiser (Didymops transversa
) is brown, emerges earlier in the spring and lacks pale stripes on the front of the thorax. Gilded River Cruiser (M. pacifica
) has brilliant green eyes and the yellow color is much brighter.
Habitat
Large rivers and streams.
Discussion
This is the only western river cruiser occurring in the area. Nothing has been published about its biology, but it seems to be typical for the genus. Individuals, particularly males, fly fast over the water some distance from shore. It can be abundant on some pristine western streams.
Distribution
New Mexico, Texas and northern Mexico
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