Family GOMPHIDAE CLUBTAILS Some of the 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 rarely possible. Click on the thumbnails.

Texas clubtails comparison: Eastern Ringtail, Sulphur-tipped Clubtail, Flag-tailed Spinyleg, and Five-striped Leaftail

Moustached Clubtail Gomphus (Hylogomphus) adelphus Casselman River, MD (Awaiting in hand photos for confirmation.)

Maine Snaketail Ophiogomphus mainensis Casselman River, MD (Originally reported as possible O. carolus, latest photos suggest Maine Snaketail--awaiting further study)

......Arigompus villosipes, Unicorn Clubtail

.. Dromogomphus spinosus, Black-shouldered Spinylegs

,,Dromogomphus spoliatus, Flag-tailed Spinylegs

....Eastern Ringtail Erpetogomphus designatus

..Moustached Clubtail..Gomphus adelphus West Virgina. Comparison of faces of G. adelphus and G. viridifrons

....Harpoon Clubtail..Gomphus descriptus Highland Co VA

....male Lancet Clubtail Gomphus exilis, Mt Nebo Garrett Co MD Jun 2002

..newly emerged female Lancet Clubtail Gomphus exilis, Mt Nebo Garrett Co MD Jun 2002

......Ashy Clubtails, Gomphus lividus

..Midland Clubtail Gomphurus fraternus Seneca, Potomac River MD

..Midland Clubtail Gomphurus fraternus Tenerals, note yellow-green color, plain face, Potomac river MD Comparison, Midland and Cobra Clubtails

.... Gomphurus lineatifrons Splendid Clubtail, Washington Co MD First photos for MD?

.. Sulphur-tipped Clubtail Gomphus militaris, teneral male, Lower Rio Grande Valley TX, May 2002

....Rapids Clubtail Gomphus quadricolor Potomac River, Montgomery Co.  MD. This species is known from widely scattered sites in MD, including the Patapsco River, Sidling Creek, Monoccacy River, and the Potomac in Montgomery Co. It usually quite scarce, and I find it on average in one year out of three. The habitat is silty, with few rapids, at some sites.

Gomphus (Stenogomphurus) rogersi, Sable Clubtail

..Sable Clubtail Gomphus (Stenogomphurus) rogersi Garrett Co MD

......  Cobra Clubtail Gomphurus vastus, recently emerged males, Potomac River MD

..Cobra Clubtail Gomphurus vastus Potomac River MD. Sometimes showing a bit of amber in the wings.

....older males and females, Cobra Clubtail Gomphus vastus. Compare with the photos above and note how much darkening occurs in a week or so.

..Cobra Clubtail emergence sequence, Potomac River MD

Female Cobra Clubtail eating a live female Cobra Clubtail which it has caught and carried to a tree. Potomac River

........ Green-faced Clubtail Gomphus viridifrons In flight, Little Orleans, Potomac River MD. First adult found in Maryland.

....Dragonhunter Hagenius brevistylus Not posed..this is the crazy way they perch, resting on the femur. larval and emerging Dragonhunters

....Lanthus parvulus..Northern Pygmy Clubtail, at its only known breeding location in Maryland. It is very scarce at this site. One of the rarest MD dragonflies.

......Lanthus vernalis Southern Pygmy Clubtail, Lanthus vernalis larval skin

..Brook Snaketail Ophiogomphus aspersus male, Machias River Maine

....Brook Snaketail Ophiogomphus aspersus female, Machias River Maine

Boreal Snaketail Ophiogomphus colubrinus Ausable River, Adirondacks NY, Jul 1999

Maine Snaketail..Ophiogomphus mainensis West Branch Penobscot River, ME

Rusty Snaketail Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis Moose River, ME

........ Rusty Snaketail Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis, Little Orleans, Potomac River MD

Pale Snaketail..Ophiogomphus severus Colorado

Phyllocycla breviphylla or elongata Rio Grande Valley, Texas, May 2002. A new genus of dragonfly for the United States

Five-striped Leaftail Phyllogomphoides albrighti Rio Grande Valley, Texas, May 2002

Tawny Sanddragon Progomphus alachuensis FL

..Progomphus borealis, Gray Sanddragon  Lake Balmorhea TX

Progomphus obscurus, Common Sanddragon  Patuxent River MD

.. Stylogomphus albistylus, Eastern Least Clubtail

MD Stylurus ID Page

Stylurus laurae, Laura's Clubtail emerging from Potomac River.

.. Stylurus plagiatus, Russet-tipped Clubtail, male and female

Stylurus plagiatus, with blue eyes, Hidalgo Co. TX

Stylurus scudderi, Zebra Clubtail  Muddy Creek, Garrett Co MD. Newly discovered population, Sep 2002

.. Stylurus spiniceps, Arrow Clubtail emergence sequence

Stylurus spiniceps, Arrow Clubtail live larva

photos and video grabs by Dave Czaplak dma3@aol.com

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