CALIFORNIA PETALTAIL, SPIKETAIL & CRUISER

CALIFORNIA PETALTAIL, SPIKETAIL & CRUISER

Petaltail, Spiketail, Cruiser (and other) checklists originally provided by Ron Lyons
with COMMON (English) NAMES OF DRAGONFLIES
as originally adopted by the Dragonfly Society of the Americas
(Argia, vol.8, no.2, 1 August 1996)
with all current revisions.

Information for this site has been collected and edited by Kathy Biggs who assumes full responsibility.

New links &/or information was added to this site
2008
Click here to access distribution in nearby states

Distribution Maps are based on information originally collected by Dennis Paulson and updated by confirmed sightings. If you find a species in a new county please contact Kathy and/or Tim.
The links in the first column are for photographs you can't won't find on other websites. To find out more about where and when any of these were pictures were taken, contact the photographer directly (email addresses for most can be found at the bottom of the 'sightings' page).
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The species of dragonflies indicated below have been found in California.
References to images/drawings/scans in guides &/or on websites are as follows:
CA Dragonflies = Common Dragonflies of California, A Beginner's Pocket Guide by Kathy Biggs 2000
CA Dragons&Damsels = Dragonflies and Damselflies of California by Tim Manolis. UCPress. April 2003
CA+SW Dragonflies = Dragonflies of California and Common Dragonflies of the Southwest, A Beginner's Pocket Guide by Kathy Biggs 2006
SW Dragonflies = Common Dragonflies the Southwest, A Beginner's Pocket Guide by Kathy Biggs 2004
CA Insects = California Insects by Jerry Powell and Charles Hogue

Dragonflies N.A. = Dragonflies of North America by James G. Needham, Minter J. Westfall, Jr., Michael L. May 2000
Dragonflies through Binoculars = Dragonflies through Binoculars, A Field Guide to Dragonflies of North America by Sidney W. Dunkle 2000
Stokes Guide = Beginner's Guide to Dragonflies by Blair Nikula, Jackie Sones. A Stokes Guide. May 2002
Audubon Guide = Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders

* = photograph/scanning(s) available to see at this Internet website

*Scientific Name* Common Name	Remarks/Description Habitat/Flight Dates	Picture in book *Photo/scan at website

FAMILY Petaluridae Petaltails	size: large male: black and yellow behavior: oviposit in wet leaves/mud in spring seeps habitat: found in alpine meadows	Scan by Kathy Biggs Dragonflies through Binoculars p. 31-text

GENUS: Tanypteryx	1 CA species nymph/adults contain characters considered primitive; nymph considered semi-terrestrial	Dragonflies through Binoculars p. 32-text Picture of habitat by Steve Valley at Oregon Odonata Photo Gallery Petaltail of the Southwest*

*Tanypteryx hageni* Black Petaltail photo male photo male photo male photo male photo male photo female photo female female, eating Am. Emerald! photo exuvia scans male scans male scans females scan nymph scans exuviae distribution map	size: large, length 54 - 62 mm; wingspread 68 - 76 mm male: dark separated eyes don't touch; thorax black with broken side stripes & top spots (not stripes) ; abdomen black with yellow marks on top of segments 2-7; abdominal appendages give flared (petal) appearance female: like male, except for appendages; body broader behavior: weak flyers; often perch with wings touching perch; often perch on light colored objects, even humans! nymph: do not live underwater; construct & live in burrows made in seeps/bogs; may be air-breathers with mostly nocturnal lie-in-wait ambushing of terrestrial arthropods; tolerate extended periods of exposure to air - from hours to even weeks similar species: smaller than River Cruiser or Pacific Spiketail; pattern more dotted, less striped; eyes not blue *habitat: seeps on hillsides, bogs; sometimes associated with the carnivorous pitcher plant (Darlingtonia)* and with serpentine soils flight period: May - August**	CA Dragons&Damsels p. 90-text; pl.20 drawing CA+SW & SW Dragons p. 86 Dragonflies through Binoculars p. 32-text; pl.1 picture Dragonflies N.A. p. 82 sketch, 107-109 Photos by Chris Heaivilin taken at Cherry Hill, Butte Co., CA Photos by Eric Preston at his photography site Photos by Alan Wight at his photography site Photos by Doug Aguillard at his dragonfly photography website Photos by Tom Murray at his California Dragonflies site Photos and scans at Southwest Dragonflies Photos by Steve Valley at Oregon Odonata Photo Gallery Photos by Dennis Deck at Dragonflies and Damselflies of Oregon and Washington Scanned dragonflies by Dennis Paulson at Washington Odonata Photo Gallery Photo by Dennis Paulson at ODONATA PHOTOS


FAMILY Cordulegasteridae Spiketails aka Biddies & Flying Adders	size: large, length 60 - 85 mm male: brownish black with yellow markings behavior: strong flyers; oviposit into the substrate; hairy nymphs spend 3 - 4 years in streams, buried in mud habitat: cruise along streams	Photo by Dave Biggs CA Dragonflies p. 54 Dragonflies through Binoculars p. 125-text

GENUS: Cordulegaster	1 CA species	CA Dragonflies p. 54 Dragonflies through Binoculars p. 125-text Spiketails of the Southwest

*Cordulegaster dorsalis* Pacific Spiketail aka Western Flying Adder aka Yellow-backed Biddie photo male photo male photo male photo male photo male photo male photo male photo male photo young male photo young male photos female photo female photo female photo female photos female photo pair in wheel photo female ovipositing female ovipositing photo desert race photo desert race photo desert race scans male scans male scans desert race scan female distribution map	size: very large, 70 - 85 mm; wingspan 86 - 105 mm male: pale face with tear-drop shaped blue eyes that barely touch; broad black stripe across face; dark thorax has two wide yellow stripes top and each side; yellow on thorax between clear wings; yellow costa (leading edge of wing); abdomen dark with yellow spots on at least segments 2-9 female: similar to male but long spike-like ovipositor; oviposits into mud at creek edge at 90 degree angle, 'sewing machine-like' nymph: usually found submerged under sand & silt, often protected under pieces of large woody/leafy debris waiting for prey; long-lived; probably require over three years in which to develop into adults behavior: powerful flyer; rarely perch during daytime except to eat a large meal such as a honey bee or yellow-jacket; both sexes perch by hanging similar species: compare to Petaltail (dark eyes) and Cruiser (clubed abdomen); slower than River Cruiser habitat: small wooded streams, rivulets flight period: May - October distribution: common statewide, especially in foothills; canyons of Coast Range & Sierras but wide ranging;	CA Dragonflies p. 54 CA Dragons&Damsels p. 121-text; pl.24 drawing CA+SW & SW Dragonflies p. 88 Dragonflies through Binoculars p. 126-text; pl.20 picture Dragonflies N.A. p. 465-466 Audubon Guide: Western Flying Adder plate 368 CA Insects: Yellow-backed Biddie p 49 #31 Photos by Douglas Aguillard at Dragonflies of San Diego & Imperial Counties Photo of CA Desert race by Dennis R. Paulson at his Dragonflies Photo site Photo by John Stirling at his Odonata Photo site Photo by Tom Murray at his Dragonflies of California Photos and scans at Southwest Dragonflies Photo by Dennis R. Paulson at The Dragonflies of Washington Scans male by Dennis R. Paulson at WA Odonata Gallery Photo of nmyph by Dave McShaffrey at Ohio Odonata


FAMILY Macromiidae Cruisers	1 CA Genus/species size: large, robust male: usually black or dark brown with yellow markings nymph: large sprawlers in loose substrates; long, slender legs with simple, slender long tarsal claw oval, broad abdomens adorned with dorsal hooks; erect horn front of face! behavior: active; patrol territories; fly fast & relentlessly; oviposit by dragging abdomen tip in water while flying habitat: found over rivers or flowing water: absent from stagnant waters	Scan by Kathy Biggs CA Dragonflies p. 55 Dragonflies through Binoculars p. 129-text Photos of nymph by Curt Williams at The TIARA (TX) Biodiversity Project Cruisers of the Southwestt*

*Macromia magnifica* Western River Cruiser photo male photo male side photo male side photo male photo male photo male photo male photo female side photo female side scan male top scan male top scans male scan male side scan female top scan female side distribution map	size: very large, length 69 - 74 mm; wingspan 86 - 100 mm male: pale face; dull gray eyes touch each other; dark thorax has single yellow side stripe; no yellow on thorax between wings; abdomen black with yellow square-ish bands down top, last spot is largest female: like male but abdomen end not flared nymph: sprawlers, appear 'spider-like' similar species: compare to Spiketail &/or Petaltail behavior: quick, fast flyer; flies low over water/edges; oviposit when calm by striking water surface habitat: streams and rivers <4,000'; found at lower elevations than Petaltail nymph:found in fibrous alder root masses exuvia: often found under bridges, on supports flight period: April - September distribution: Sierra Nevada and western side of Sierra Nevada slope;	CA Dragonflies p. 55 CA Dragons&Damsels p. 123-text; pl.24 drawing CA+SW & SW Dragonflies p. 87 Dragonflies through Binoculars p. 132-text; pl.21 picture Dragonflies N.A. p. 473, 478, 480, 482-483, 489 Photos by John Sterling at his CA Dragonflies site Photos and scans at Southwest Dragonflies Photos at Arizona Odonates Scans by Dennis Paulson at Washington Odonata Photo Gallery

DRAGONFLIES of California and
Common DRAGONFLIES of the Southwest
A Beginner's Pocket Guide

by Kathy Biggs
(includes damselflies)

A coloring book -
Dragonflies of North America
A Color and Learn Book
with Activities
May 2007 Click here for more information

by Kathy Biggs and Tim Manolis
For children, grandchildren & your inner child!

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