White-faced meadowhawk

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White-faced meadowhawk
Female Sympetrum obtrusum in central Connecticut, 2008-07-21.jpg
Immature female, central Connecticut
White-faced Meadowhawk, Temagami.jpg
Mature male, Temagami, Ontario
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Infraorder: Anisoptera
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Sympetrum
Species:
S. obtrusum
Binomial name
Sympetrum obtrusum
(Hagen, 1867)

The white-faced meadowhawk (Sympetrum obtrusum) is a dragonfly of the genus Sympetrum . It is found in the northern United States and southern Canada. Adult males are identifiable by a distinctive pure white face and red bodies. [2] However, females are usually yellowish or brown. [3]

Contents

Female white-faced meadowhawk (Sympetrum obtrusum) Sympetrum obtrusum, Female 03.jpg
Female white-faced meadowhawk (Sympetrum obtrusum)

Similar species

Juvenile white-faced meadowhawks are almost indistinguishable from the ruby and cherry-faced meadowhawks. The three species habitats also overlap extensively. White-faces can be identified by having white faces, as the name implies, at maturity. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libellulidae</span> Family of dragonflies

The chasers, darters, skimmers and perchers and their relatives form the Libellulidae, the largest family of dragonflies. It is sometimes considered to contain the Corduliidae as the subfamily Corduliinae and the Macromiidae as the subfamily Macromiinae. Even if these are excluded, there remains a family of over 1000 species. With nearly worldwide distribution, these are almost certainly the most often seen of all dragonflies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common darter</span> Species of dragonfly

The common darter is a dragonfly of the family Libellulidae native to Eurasia. It is one of the most common dragonflies in Europe, occurring in a wide variety of water bodies, though with a preference for breeding in still water such as ponds and lakes. In the south of its range adults are on the wing all year round.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green darner</span> Species of dragonfly

The green darner or common green darner, after its resemblance to a darning needle, is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. One of the most common and abundant species throughout North America, it also ranges south to Panama. It is well known for its great migration distance from the northern United States south into Texas and Mexico. It also occurs in the Caribbean, Tahiti, and Asia from Japan to mainland China. It is the official insect for the state of Washington in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Variegated meadowhawk</span> Species of dragonfly

The variegated meadowhawk is a dragonfly of the family Libellulidae, native to North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western meadowhawk</span> Species of dragonfly

The Western Meadowhawk is a dragonfly of the family Libellulidae, native to western North America. In adult form, the Meadowhawk has a length of 1 1/4 to 1 5/8 inches. The key distinguishing feature is a cloudy, orange-brown band that covers the inner half of each wing. The band may appear darker towards the outside. Males have a yellowish thorax, marked with wavy black lines on each side, and a red to reddish brown abdomen, marked with black along the bottom edge of each side. Females are olive to golden brown and marked similarly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halloween pennant</span> Species of dragonfly

The Halloween pennant is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It is native to eastern North America, as well as the West Indies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banded darter (dragonfly)</span> Species of dragonfly

Sympetrum pedemontanum, the banded darter, is a dragonfly belonging to the genus Sympetrum. It is characterized by its small stature, dark wing bands, and red or yellow body. It lives in areas with low vegetation and stagnant or weakly flowing bodies of water. Although debate exists regarding the taxa's relationship to others in its genus, it can most commonly be identified by its wing bands, bilobed prothorax, and possibly its genitalia.

<i>Sympetrum</i> Genus of dragonflies

Sympetrum is a genus of small to medium-sized skimmer dragonflies, known as darters in the UK and as meadowhawks in North America. The more than 50 species predominantly live in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere; 15 species are native to North America. No Sympetrum species is native to Australia.

<i>Sympetrum danae</i> Species of dragonfly

Sympetrum danae, the black darter or black meadowhawk, is a dragonfly found in northern Europe, Asia, and North America. At about 30 mm (1.2 in) long, it is Britain's smallest resident dragonfly. It is a very active late summer insect typical of heathland and moorland bog pools.

<i>Sympetrum vicinum</i> Species of dragonfly

Sympetrum vicinum, the Yellow-Legged Meadowhawk is one of some fifteen North American species of autumn meadowhawk, which are members of the Odonate family Libellulidae. It grows to 26–35 mm long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Band-winged meadowhawk</span> Species of dragonfly

The band-winged meadowhawk is a dragonfly of the genus Sympetrum belonging to the family Libellulidae.

<i>Sympetrum ambiguum</i> Species of dragonfly

Sympetrum ambiguum, the blue-faced meadowhawk, is a dragonfly of the family Libellulidae.

<i>Sympetrum rubicundulum</i> Species of dragonfly

Sympetrum rubicundulum, commonly known as the ruby meadowhawk, is a species of dragonfly of the family Libellulidae. It is found in northern United States and southern Ontario, Canada. Adult males are identifiable by a distinctive orange to brown face and red bodies. Females faces have same colours as males; bodies are brown to dark-red.

<i>Sympetrum internum</i> Species of dragonfly

Sympetrum internum, the cherry-faced meadowhawk, is a dragonfly of the genus Sympetrum. It is found across northern and central United States and most of Canada, including southern portions of the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Its abdomen is brown, turning dark red at maturity in both sexes. The sides of the abdomen are marked with black triangles and the legs are black. Some females have amber in basal areas of their wings. As their name suggests, faces are dark red when mature. Size: 21–36 mm (0.83–1.42 in). This species overlaps with and is difficult to distinguish from the ruby, saffron-winged, and white-faced meadowhawks.

<i>Sympetrum madidum</i> Species of dragonfly

Sympetrum madidum, the red-veined meadowhawk, is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae.

<i>Sympetrum costiferum</i> Species of dragonfly

Sympetrum costiferum, the saffron-winged meadowhawk, is a dragonfly of the genus Sympetrum. It is found across northern and central United States and most of Canada, including a southern portion of the Northwest Territories.

<i>Sympetrum illotum</i> Species of dragonfly

Sympetrum illotum, the cardinal meadowhawk, is a species of skimmer in the dragonfly family Libellulidae. It is found in North America and South America, including islands in the Caribbean.

<i>Sympetrum pallipes</i> Species of dragonfly

Sympetrum pallipes, the striped meadowhawk, is a species of skimmer in the dragonfly family Libellulidae. It is found in North America.

<i>Sympetrum signiferum</i> Species of dragonfly

Sympetrum signiferum, known generally as the spot-winged meadowhawk or balsam, is a species of skimmer in the dragonfly family Libellulidae. It is found in Central America and North America.

References

  1. Paulson, D.R. (2017). "Sympetrum obtrusum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T51291811A65836604. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T51291811A65836604.en . Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  2. 1 2 Dunkle, S.W., Dragonflies through Binoculars: A Field Guide to Dragonflies of North America. New York:Oxford University Press, 2000:201.
  3. Marshall, Stephen A. (2006). Insects: their natural history and diversity; with a photographic guide to insects of eastern North America. A Firefly book (2. printing ed.). Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books. ISBN   978-1-55297-900-6.