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Three-striped Dasher

Like Spot-tailed Dasher (M. aequalis), Three-striped Dasher just gets in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Its face is white with the top of the head becoming metallic green in mature males and staying brown in females. The green thorax is marked with brown in front and with three oblique dark stripes laterally. The wings are clear, generally with two cells instead of one in the forewing triangle. The legs are black. The abdomen is slender and black with pale green trapezoidal spots on segments 2-7, the most prominent of which is on segment 7. Segments 8-10 and the caudal appendages are black.

Total length: 32-40 mm; abdomen: 22-28 mm; hindwing: 25-32 mm.

Spot-tailed Dasher (M. aequalis ) is smaller and has a pattern of stripes that appears as WII on the sides of the thorax and triangular spots dorsally on segment 7. Older males of Thornbush Dasher (M. hagenii ) become heavily pruinose and the midlateral thoracic stripe is forked at its upper end forming a IYI pattern. Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis ) has pale streaks on segment 7 and spots on abdominal segment 8 dorsally. Female Seaside Dragonlets (Erythrodiplax berenice ) have a prominent ventrally projecting ovipositor. Swift (Dythemis velox ) and Black (D. nigrescens ) Setwings are larger, have dark wingtips and a different lateral thoracic pattern. Pale-faced Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax ) is much larger.

Weedy pools, ponds, brooks and ditches in the shade.

The only record of this species in Texas is a single male taken at Bentsen State Park in Hidalgo County. This species is typically found along forest clearings where it feeds. Little has been written on its biology or behavior. One author described the habitat where he collected larvae as a "little, weedy, spring-fed brook." It is found year round throughout most if not all of its range.

Southern Florida and Texas, through Mexico, the West Indies and south to Ecuador.

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