Family CORDULIIDAE EMERALDS Some of these dragonflies were caught, photographed, and released, to better show identifying details of face etc. Many of them are rarely observed perching, and flight identification is challenging. Click on the thumbnails below:

Neurocordulia obsoleta, Umber Shadowdragon, teneral female.

Neurocordulia larval skin, probably Stygian Shadowdragon, N. yamaskanensis

....Cordulia shurtleffi, American Emerald Catoctin Mtns MD. A new species for Frederick Co. Observed in 2003 and 2004. American Emerald in flight American Emerald emerging

.. Dorocordulia lepida, Petite Emerald

Dorocordulia libera, Racket-tailed Emerald

..Epicordulia princeps, Prince Baskettail  Wings can show little or much dark in flight.

Helocordulia selysii, Selys' Sundragon or Sunfly

......Somatochlora elongata, Ski-tailed Emerald  male and female, Highland CO VA, Jul 1994

......Somatochlora filosa, Fine-lined Emerald

Somatochlora hudsonica, Hudsonian Emerald

......Somatochlora incurvata, Incurvate Emerald  Thousand Acre Heath, Penobscot CO Maine, Aug2002

Somatochlora linearis, Mocha Emerald  photos from Sugarloaf Mtn MD

......Somatochlora provocans, Treetop Emerald  female and male, northern Cape May CO NJ, Jul 1993

......Somatochlora semicircularis, Mountain Emerald

male Somatochlora tenebrosa, Clamp-tipped Emerald  Cape May CO NJ. As seen on QVC

........ female Somatochlora tenebrosa, Clamp-tipped Emerald  Muddy Creek MD Jun 2002

.......... male Somatochlora tenebrosa, Clamp-tipped Emerald Muddy Creek MD

.. Somatochlora walshii, Brush-tipped Emerald

........ Somatochlora williamsoni, Williamson's Emerald

.... Tetrgoneuria (Epitheca) canis, Beaverpond Baskettail  Mt Nebo, Garrett Co MD Jun 2002

..Tetrgoneuria (Epitheca) cynosura, Common Baskettail  Mt Nebo, Garrett Co MD Jun 2002. Flies earlier in the lowlands.

Comparison of male Beaverpond and Common Baskettails. No readily useful distinctions!

.. Tetrgoneuria (Epitheca) cynosura, Common Baskettail  Mt Nebo, Garrett Co MD Jun 2002. A younger male? Compare with the photos above. Note difference in eye color and thoracic markings (age related?), and difference in black at base of wings (individual variation?). Better view of terminal appendages.

..Male Tetragoneuria (Epitheca) spinosa, Robust Baskettail,  Fran Uhler Area, Prince George's Co MD, APR 2004. A known locality for this dragonfly, which has a very limited distribution in MD. A specialist of swamps with slow moving water. Photo with 300mm telephoto lens. A positive ID without catching...does not happen often with Baskettails.

..Presumed female Robust Baskettail, based on width of abdomen. Photo of swamp habitat at Fran Uhler Area, Prince George's Co MD.

Photos and video grabs by Dave Czaplak Email me at: dma3@aol.com

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