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Pale-faced Clubskimmer

This species is widespread throughout the western portion of the region. It has a pale face and bluish-gray thorax. There are two broadly confluent stripes middorsally on the thorax for 2/3 to 3/4 of its length. The broad humeral stripe is brown. There are two additional lateral stripes confluent above. The wings wich some times become amber in females have a dark basal spot that is more prominent in the hindwing. The legs are brown becoming darker distally. The abdomen is largely black with pale basal segments. It is slender basally, then slightly expanded at segments 7-9 in males. There are paired bluish-gray spots dorsally on segments 3-6, but these quickly become obscured with age. Segment 7 bears a pair of large pale dorsal spots that are never obscured.

Total length: 52-64 mm; abdomen: 34-46 mm; hindwing: 32-44 mm.

The stout shape, clubbed abdomen, color and markings of this species may lead to its misidentifications as a clubtail (Gomphidae), but the eyes are in contact on top of the head. Tropical dashers (Micrathyria ) are much smaller and behave differently.

Sand and cobble streams and rivers.

Males of this species typically have small territories that they patrol low over the water, less than 1 m, and can be elusive. It has been described as the most graceful on the wing of any odonate. Females lay eggs by making short straight or figure eight runs low over the water and dipping eggs at the surface. Adults are active all day, but may retreat to shaded areas of the stream in the heat of the day. They are often abundant at dusk in clearings near streams where they feed on emerging mayflies and caddisflies.

Southwestern U.S. and Great Plains.

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