Macromia alleghaniensis exuvia

Michael Boatwright, founder and administrator of the Virginia Odonata Facebook group, collected an odonate exuvia on 07 June 2018 along either Little Otter Creek or Otter Creek near the place where both creeks are distributaries of Otter Lake in Amherst County, Virginia USA.

A two-step process was used to identify the genus and species of the exuvia.

1. Determine the family.
2. Determine the genus and species.

Step 1. Family

First, determine the family of the specimen. For reference, watch the excellent Vimeo video, Identifying dragonfly larva to family (8:06). Here’s the decision tree used to identify the exuvia as a member of the Family Macromiidae (Cruisers).

• The specimen has a mask-like labium (prementum) that covers the face, as shown in Photo No. 1, characteristic of four families of odonates: Cordulegastridae (Spiketails); Corduliidae (Emeralds); Libellulidae (Skimmers); and Macromiidae (Cruisers).
• The teeth on the margins of the labium have a regular pattern. (The pattern reminds me of a “spork.”)
• Its eyes are small, wide set, and stick up.
• Image No. 2 shows there is a horn on the face-head, characteristic of Macromiidae.

Photo No. 1 shows a face-head view of the exuvia, magnified approximately three times life size (~3x).

No. 1 | Macromia alleghaniensis | exuvia (face-head)

Image No. 2 shows the top of the head of the exuvia, magnified approximately three times life size (~3x). Notice the prominent horn on the face.

No. 2 | Macromia alleghaniensis | exuvia (head-horn)

Step 2. Genus and species

Two dichotomous keys found on p. 27 of Identification Keys to Northeastern Anisoptera Larvae, compiled by Ken Soltesz, were used to determine the genus and species of the exuvia. Markers that match this specimen are highlighted in boldface green text. Three boldface green asterisks (***) are used to highlight the thread for identification of this specimen.

Key to the Genera of the Family Macromiidae

***1b. Lateral spines of abdominal segment 9 do not reach to rearward level of tips of inferior appendages [paraprocts]; Sides of head somewhat convergent behind eyes to pair of low turbercules on hind angles; Lateral setae of labium = 6; Small dorsal hook on segment 10. [Macromia]

A small dorsal hook on abdominal segment 10 is characteristic of Genus Macromia.

No. 3 | Macromia alleghaniensis | exuvia (dorsal-lateral)

Look closely at the full-size version of Image No. 4. Notice the little “nub” on abdominal segment 10 (S10), below the underside of the dorsal hook on abdominal segment nine (S9). The same structure is labeled with a white question mark in Image No. 3.

No. 4 | Macromia alleghaniensis | exuvia (dorsal-lateral)

The lateral spines of abdominal segment 9 (S9) do not reach rearward to the tips of the inferior appendages (paraprocts).

No. 5 | Macromia alleghaniensis | exuvia (dorsal)

Key to the Species of Macromia

1a. Lateral spines of abdominal segments 8 and 9 directed straight to rearward. [illinoiensis]

***1b. Lateral spines of abdominal segments 8 and 9 incurved, especially 8. [alleghaniensis]

The lateral spines of abdominal segments 8 and 9 (S8-9) are incurved, especially segment 8 (S8), indicating this species is alleghaniensis.

No. 6 | Macromia alleghaniensis | exuvia (ventral)

This individual is probably a male, as indicated by what appear to be vestigial hamules located on the ventral side of abdominal segments two and three (S2-3).

Summary

A prominent horn on the face is a key field marker for the Family Macromiidae (Cruisers), a small dorsal hook on abdominal segment 10 is one characteristic of the Genus Macromia, and the lateral spines of abdominal segments 8 and 9 (S8-9) are incurved, indicating the species is alleghaniensis. Therefore this specimen is an Allegheny River Cruiser dragonfly (Macromia alleghaniensis).

Bonus Gallery

No. 7 | Macromia alleghaniensis | exuvia (face-head)

No. 8 | Macromia alleghaniensis | exuvia (dorsal-lateral)

No. 9 | Macromia alleghaniensis | exuvia (dorsal)

Related Resources

• Macromiidae larvae/exuviae are horny
• Identification Keys to Northeastern Anisoptera Larvae, compiled by Ken Soltesz
• Odonate Exuviae

Tech Tips

The following equipment was used to shoot Photo/Image No. 3-9: Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera, in manual mode; Kenko 20mm macro automatic extension tube; Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro lens (set for manual focus); Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite set for “Master” mode, and Canon 580 EX- and Canon 580EX II Speedlites set for “Slave” mode. Photo/Image No. 1 and 2: Canon MP-E 65mm Macro lens (manual focus only, set for ~3x magnification) plus the multiple-flash setup.

Image No. 2-8 are focus-stacked composite images created and annotated using Adobe Photoshop CC 2017: Image No. 2 (eight photos); Image No. 3 (six photos); Image No. 4 (four photos); Image No. 5 (five photos); Image No. 6 (five photos); Image No. 7 (seven photos); Image No. 8 (seven photos).

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

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Latest focus stacking workflow

I shot a small set of photos for a focus stack showing the ventral view of an unknown species of odonate exuvia. There are five “slices,” focused from head-to-tail along the body only (no shots focused on legs/feet).

The following gallery shows the five focus points along the body of the specimen, highlighted by a red square.

Focus on mid-body.

Focus on head.

Focus on tail (S9).

Focus between tail and mid-body.

Focus on base of prementum.

Although this photo set has fewer “slices” than I have been using to create focus stacks recently (~15-20 photos, on average), the resulting composite image (shown below) is perfectly in focus along the entire body and is serviceable for the purpose of identifying the genus and species of this specimen.

07 June 2018 | Amherst County, VA | exuvia (ventral)

The preceding composite image shows an exuvia from an unknown species of dragonfly (possibly River Cruiser sp.), collected by Mike Boatwright on 07 June 2018 at Otter Lake in Amherst County, Virginia USA. This individual probably is a male, as indicated by vestigial hamules located on the underside of abdominal segments two and three (S2-3).

Shooting the Photo Set

• Set the camera for Manual Mode.
• Set the lens for manual focus and turn off image stabilization (when the camera/lens is mounted on a tripod).
• Compose the image so the frame is a little bigger than the scene you really want. This will give you some wiggle room during post-processing.
• Set external flash(es) for Manual Mode. (~1/16 power is a good starting point.)
• Select single focus point; move focus point around image.
• Live View plus 5x and 10x magnification.
• Drive mode: 10s timer.
• DON’T MOVE THE CAMERA. Shoot as many images as necessary.

Advance Preparation – Edit Photos Using Aperture [or Lightroom]

Although Apple discontinued development of/support for Aperture years ago, the desktop application still works and in many ways I prefer Aperture over Adobe Lightroom.

• Edit one image: make all adjustments except spot and patch, vignette, and BFX.
• Right-click on edited photo; select “Lift Adjustments.”
• <Replace> <Stamp Selected Images>
• Add metadata: Lift and Stamp selected images.
• Select images (to be focus stacked); export as TIFFs (16-bit), 300 dpi; save in folder entitled either “TIFF” or “TIFF versions.” File / Export… / Version… [Export Preset: TIFF – Original Size (16-bit)]

Focus Stacking Using Adobe Photoshop

Launch Photoshop.

• File / Scripts / Load Files into Stack… [Alternate option: Add Open Files <OK>] Do not check the box for “Create Smart Object after Loading Layers.” By default, Ps creates a new document called “Untitled1.”
• Select all layers.
• Edit / Auto-Align Layers; Auto <OK>
• Edit / Auto-Blend Layers; Stack Images, Seamless Tones and Colors <OK>
• Duplicate all masked layers to a new document. Layer / Duplicate Layers… / Document: New / Name: Backup-copy
• Select Untitled1: Layer / Merge Layers. (Ps merges all layers into one TIFF, named after first file in sequence.)
• Straighten and Crop as necessary.
• Duplicate the layer; append name with “Spot Healing.” [Alternate option: drag layer to copy icon]
• Remove dust spots from the image: Spot Healing Brush: 27-54 pixels, Content-Aware.
• Duplicate the layer; append name with “HPF.” [Alternate option: drag Spot Healing layer to copy icon]
• Select the top layer: Filter / Other / High Pass…; adjust until you can just see outline of image <OK>; change Normal to Overlay. [Don’t oversharpen! ~2.6 used for the composite image featured in this blog post.]
• Untitled1: Save As… TIFF.
• Backup-copy (of masked layers): Save As… either PSD or Large Document Format (for documents larger than 2 GB).
• Import composite TIFF file [Untitled1.tif] into Aperture [or Lightroom]: add additional keywords, as appropriate [e.g., annotated, composite image, focus stack, Photoshop]; Export using BorderBFX.

Tech Tips

The following equipment was used to shoot the composite image (shown above): Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera, in manual mode; Kenko 20mm macro automatic extension tube; Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro lens (set for manual focus); Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite set for “Master” mode, and Canon 580 EX- and Canon 580EX II Speedlites set for “Slave” mode. A Sunpak LED-160 Video Light (with a white translucent plastic filter) was used to add soft light to the underside of the white “stage” used for posing the specimen.

Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 was used to create the focus-stacked composite image from five photos.

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Helocordulia uhleri exuvia

An odonate exuvia from the Family Corduliidae (Emeralds) was collected on 06 April 2018 by Michael Boatwright, founder and administrator of the Virginia Odonata Facebook group.

The Backstory

I found a recently-emerged teneral sundragon still clinging to its exuvia along Beck Creek in Amherst County, Virginia USA. Source Credit: Michael Boatwright.

Image used with permission from Michael Boatwright.

After snapping a photo, I gently moved the teneral adult to a nearby blade of grass, snapped another shot, and then collected the exuvia. Although I have seen both Selys’ Sundragon (Helocordulia selysii) and Uhler’s Sundragon (Helocordulia uhleri) in that area, I assumed this one was Selys’ since it’s the more common species there. Source Credit: Michael Boatwright.

Image used with permission from Michael Boatwright.

This is a small genus [Helocordulia] of only two known species found in only the eastern United States and Canada. Source Credit: Needham, J.G., M.J. Westfall, and M.L. May. March 2014. Dragonflies of North America, 3rd Edition: p. 376. Scientific Publishers, Gainesville, Florida.

A two-step process was used to verify the genus and species of the exuvia.

1. Determine the family.
2. Determine the genus and species.

Step 1. Family

First, determine the family of the specimen. For reference, watch the excellent Vimeo video, Identifying dragonfly larva to family (8:06). Here’s the decision tree used to identify the exuvia as a member of the Family Corduliidae (Emeralds).

• The specimen has a mask-like labium (prementum) that covers the face, as shown in Image No. 1, characteristic of four families of odonates: Cordulegastridae (Spiketails); Corduliidae (Emeralds); Libellulidae (Skimmers); and Macromiidae (Cruisers).
• There is no horn on the face-head, characteristic of Macromiidae, so it’s not a cruiser.
• Cordulegastridae has jagged crenulations on its labium, so it’s not a spiketail. The crenulations for Corduliidae and Libellulidae look similar.
• Look at the anal pyramid to differentiate Corduliidae and Libellulidae: It’s probably Corduliidae if the cerci are at least half as long as the paraprocts. [Editor’s Note: It’s probably Libellulidae if the cerci are less than half the length of the paraprocts.]

In summary, the exuvia has a mask-like labium with relatively smooth crenulations, and no horn on its face-head. Although the specimen is too dirty to see the anal pyramid clearly, field observation of the teneral adult confirms the dragonfly is a member of Genus Heliocordulia (Sundragons) in the Family Corduliidae (Emeralds).

Image No. 1 shows a face-head view of the exuvia, magnified approximately three times life size (~3x). Notice the labium that covers the face is missing one of two palpal lobes; the missing lobe is shown in Image No. 4.

No. 1 | Helocordulia uhleri | exuvia (face-head)

Step 2. Genus and species

The dichotomous key for “Helocordulia larvae” that appears on p. 377 in Dragonflies of North America (Needham, et al.) was used to verify the genus and species of the exuvia. Markers that match this specimen are highlighted in boldface green text. Three boldface green asterisks (***) are used to highlight the thread for identification of this specimen.

***1. Dorsal hooks on abdominal segments 7-9; palpal setae 7; lateral spines of segment 8 about 1/2 as long as on segment 9 [uhleri]
1’. Dorsal hooks on abdominal segments 6-9; palpal setae usually 6; lateral spines of segment 8 about as long as on segment 9 [selysii]

Image No. 2 shows a dorsal view of the specimen. Notice the mid-dorsal hooks on abdominal segments seven through nine (S7-9), labeled using white text.

No. 2 | Helocordulia uhleri | exuvia (dorsal)

Image No. 3 clearly shows the dorsal hooks on abdominal segments seven through nine (S7-9). This distinctive character confirms the identity of the species as H. uhleri.

No. 3 | Helocordulia uhleri | exuvia (lateral)

Image No. 4 shows a palpal lobe from the specimen, viewed from the inside, magnified approximately three times life size (~3x). There is one palpal seta and at least seven sites where setae might have been located before the palpal lobe broke off the prementum. Although this character is inconclusive for confirming the species (given the condition of the palpal lobe), it’s not exclusive.

No. 4 | Helocordulia uhleri | palpal lobe (inside)

Image No. 5 shows a ventral view of the specimen. Notice the lateral spine on abdominal segment eight (S8) is about half as long as the lateral spine on segment nine (S9).

When measuring spines, I measure them ventral from the inside corner to the tip. There is a suture on the ventral side, near the base, that makes a nice repeatable starting point for measuring. Source Credit: Ken Tennessen, personal communication.

No. 5 | Helocordulia uhleri | exuvia (ventral)

Takeaways

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from working to identify this exuvia is the fact that it enabled the correct identification of the teneral adult dragonfly that Mike observed and photographed. In fact, Mike is the one who first recognized the species is H. uhleri, based upon the number of mid-dorsal hooks on the exuvia.

Tech Tips

Mike Boatwright’s photographs, taken in-situ, were shot using a Canon EOS 7D digital camera and Canon 300mm prime lens paired with a Canon 1.4x Extender EF.

The following equipment was used to shoot Image No. 2, 3, and 5: Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera, in manual mode; Kenko 20mm macro automatic extension tube; Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro lens (set for manual focus); Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite set for “Master” mode, and Canon 580 EX- and Canon 580EX II Speedlites set for “Slave” mode. Image No. 1 and 4: Canon MP-E 65mm Macro lens (manual focus only, set for ~3x magnification) plus the multiple-flash setup.

Image No. 1-5 are focus-stacked composite images created and annotated using Adobe Photoshop CC 2017: Image No. 1 (seven photos); Image No. 2 (30 photos); Image No. 3 (16 photos); Image No. 4 (10 photos); Image No. 5 (24 photos).

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Studio macro photography rig

This blog post features a couple of quick-and-dirty photos that provide a behind-the-scenes look at some of the photography gear I use for studio macro photography.

The following equipment is shown in the first photo, taken using an iPad mini (with retina display): Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera, in manual mode; Kenko 20mm macro automatic extension tube; Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro lens (set for manual focus); Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite set for “Master” mode, and Canon 580 EX- and Canon 580EX II Speedlites set for “Slave” mode.

The Canon DSLR is mounted on a Neewer Pro 4-Way Macro Focusing Rail Slider using a Manfrotto quick-release plate. Although the quick-release plate isn’t essential gear, it makes set-up and tear-down easy and fast. The focusing rails are mounted on a Manfrotto 405 Pro Digital Geared Head, connected to a Manfrotto 055XPROB Pro Tripod [discontinued].

Photography gear used for studio macro photography.

A Canon 580EX II Speedlite is mounted on a Manfrotto 054 Magnesium Ball Head with Q2 Quick Release [discontinued], connected to a Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB 100 Aluminum Alloy Tripod. A Canon 580EX Speedlite is mounted on a Sunpak 8001 UT medium duty aluminum tripod.

The last photo, taken using a Panansonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 superzoom bridge camera, shows the “stage” used for posing subjects such as the Zebra Clubtail dragonfly (Stylurus scudderi) exuvia shown in the preceding photo. A Tether Tools “Rock Solid Master Articulating Arm & Clamp Kit” connects one end of the articulating arm to a leg of the Manfrotto tripod; a Manfrotto 2909 Super Clamp is connected to the other end of the articulating arm and used to hold a piece of opaque white plastic that is 12″ square. (Yep, that’s a folded paper towel used to prevent the clamp from scratching the plastic.) The plastic has a smooth side and a textured side; I prefer the textured side. An Opteka Triple Axis Spirit Level is used to level the “stage.”

Macro photography “stage.”

Product Reviews

See “Good news, bad news,” a related blog post in which I reviewed the Manfrotto 405 geared tripod head and Neewer focus rails.

Manfrotto makes an articulating arm that is similar to the one made by Tether Tools, shown above. The Manfrotto 244N Variable Friction Magic Arm is more expensive than the Tether Tools “Rock Solid Master Articulating Arm,” so I chose the less expensive arm. I’m reminded of the old saying “you get what you pay for.” In retrospect, I don’t recommend any of the articulating arms and clamps made by Tether Tools.

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Epitheca princeps exuvia

An odonate exuvia was collected by Michael Boatwright, founder and administrator of the Virginia Odonata Facebook group, on 07 June 2018 at Otter Lake in Amherst County, Virginia USA.

A two-step process was used to identify the genus and species of the specimen.

1. Determine the family.
2. Determine the genus and species.

Step 1. Family

First, determine the family of the specimen. For reference, watch the excellent Vimeo video, Identifying dragonfly larva to family (8:06). Here’s the decision tree used to identify the exuvia as a member of the Family Corduliidae (Emeralds).

• The specimen has a mask-like labium (prementum) that covers the face, as shown in Image No. 1, characteristic of four families of odonates: Cordulegastridae (Spiketails); Corduliidae (Emeralds); Libellulidae (Skimmers); and Macromiidae (Cruisers).
• There is no horn on the face-head, characteristic of Macromiidae, so it’s not a cruiser.
• Cordulegastridae has jagged crenulations on its labium, so it’s not a spiketail. The crenulations for Corduliidae and Libellulidae look similar.
• Look at the anal pyramid to differentiate Corduliidae and Libellulidae: It’s probably Corduliidae if the cerci are at least half as long as the paraprocts, as shown in Image No. 4. [Editor’s Note: It’s probably Libellulidae if the cerci are less than half the length of the paraprocts.]

In summary, the exuvia has a mask-like labium with relatively smooth crenulations, no horn on its face-head, and the cerci are more than half as long as the paraprocts, confirming that the specimen is a member of Family Corduliidae (Emeralds).

No. 1 | Epitheca princeps | exuvia (face-head)

Step 2. Genus and species

Characters from two dichotomous keys were used to identify the genus and species: Prince Baskettail dragonfly (Epitheca princeps). See Epitheca princeps exuvia, another of my illustrated guides to identification of odonate exuviae, for a detailed explanation of the decision tree used to identify the genus and species of this specimen.

No. 2 | Epitheca princeps | exuvia (dorsal)

This individual is a male, as indicated by the vestigial hamuli visible on the ventral side of abdominal segments two and three (S2-3).

No. 3 | Epitheca princeps | exuvia (ventral)

Notice the cerci are at least half as long as the paraprocts, as shown in Image No. 4.

No. 4 | Epitheca princeps | exuvia (posterior abdomen)

Image No. 5 shows a dorsal-lateral view of the mid-dorsal hooks.

No. 5 | Epitheca princeps | exuvia (dorsal-lateral)

Look-alike species

I really wanted this specimen to be Stream Cruiser dragonfly (Didymops transversa). I think exuviae from D. transversa and E. princeps are similar in appearance — an opinion not shared by at least one expert on identification of odonate exuviae.

Two characters proved to be the deal-breaker that forced me to abandon D. tranversa in favor of E. princeps. 1) The specimen does not have a horn on its face-head. 2) This specimen is only 25 mm long (2.5 cm); D. transversa larvae/exuviae are 30 mm long (3.0 cm), according to Dragonflies of North America, Needham, James G., et al.

Tech Tips

The following equipment was used to shoot Image No. 1-5: Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera, in manual mode; Kenko 20mm macro automatic extension tube; Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro lens (set for manual focus); Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite set for “Master” mode, and Canon 580 EX- and Canon 580EX II Speedlites set for “Slave” mode.

Image No. 1-5 are focus-stacked composite images created and annotated using Adobe Photoshop CC 2017: Image No. 1 (7 photos); Image No. 2 (22 photos); Image No. 3 (19 photos); Image No. 4 (10 photos); Image No. 5 (20 photos).

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Stylurus sp. exuvia

Two similar odonate exuviae were collected by Michael Boatwright on 11- and 13 July 2018 along a medium-size stream in Amherst County, Virginia USA. Mike and I collaborated to identify the specimen collected on 13 July.

A two-step process was used to identify the genus and species of the exuvia.

1. Determine the family.
2. Determine the genus and species.

Step 1. Family

First, determine the family of the specimen. For reference, watch the excellent Vimeo video, Identifying dragonfly larva to family (8:06). Here’s the decision tree used to identify the exuvia as a member of the Family Gomphidae (Clubtails).

• The specimen has a flat labium (prementum) that doesn’t cover the face (not mask-like), as shown in Image No. 1, 3-5.
• Antennae are club-like (not thin and thread-like, as in Aeshnidae larvae), as shown in Image No. 1.
• Eyes not exceptionally large compared to the size of the head (not large, as in Aeshnidae), as shown in Image No. 1.

It’s relatively simple and straightforward to recognize this specimen is a clubtail. Determination of the genus and species is more challenging.

No. 1 | Stylurus sp. | exuvia (face-head)

Step 2. Genus and species

Several dichotomous keys were used to determine the genus and species of the exuvia. (See Related Resources.) By far the easiest keys to use are found in Identification Keys to Northeastern Anisoptera Larvae, compiled by Ken Soltesz. Markers that match this specimen are highlighted in boldface green text. Three boldface green asterisks (***) are used to highlight the thread for identification of this specimen.

p. 7 – Key to the Genera of the Family Gomphidae

p. 9
***8a. Tibial burrowing hooks vestigial or lacking; 1-4 palpal teeth [see Image No. 5]; abdomen slender, no wider than head [see Image No. 2]. [Stylurus]

p. 16
[diagrams (showing palpal lobe)] … traced from Walker (1928)

This specimen is a species from the genus Stylurus, confirmed by Kenneth J. Tennessen, Ph.D. in Entomology (personal communication).

p. 17 – Key to the Species of the Genus Stylurus

***1b. Abdominal segment 9 less than twice as long as wide at base [see Image No. 2]. [2]

2a. Vestigial dorsal hook, represented on segment 9 by small flattened triangular rearward projection on mid-dorsal line, not hooklike in form. [3]
***2b. Nothing representing a hook on 9. [4]

3a. … [notatus] ← Elusive Clubtail
3b. … [plagiatus] ← Russet-tipped Clubtail

4a. Total length less than 34 mm; median lobe of labium very convex. [amnicola] ← Riverine Clubtail
***4b. Total length more than 34 mm [see Image No. 2]; median lobe of labium only slightly convex [see Image No. 5]. [scudderi] ← Zebra Clubtail

Note: See Walker (1928) for a complete description of the nymphs of Stylurus.

[diagrams (showing posterior abdomen)] … traced from Walker (1928)

The exuvia is ~37 mm (~3.7 cm) long, measured from end-to-end, including the antennae that extend ~1-2 mm in front of the face. The overall shape of the posterior abdomen most closely matches S. scudderi, as shown by tracings in the Soltesz key. The length of abdominal segment nine (S9) is less than its basal width. S9 is only slightly longer than S8. S10 is wider than its length.

No. 2 | Stylurus sp. | exuvia (dorsal)

Notice the flat labium (prementum) doesn’t cover the face of the specimen, as shown in Image No. 1, 3-5. The basal width of the lateral spine on abdominal segment nine (S9) in lateral view is approximately equal to the basal width of the spine in dorsal view.

No. 3 | Stylurus sp. | exuvia (lateral)

The lateral spine on abdominal segment nine (S9) is nearly as long as abdominal segment 10 (S10).

No. 4 | Stylurus sp. | exuvia (ventral)

The overall shape of the palpal lobes most closely matches S. scudderi, as shown by tracings in the Soltesz key. Note the median lobe of the labium (prementum) is only slightly convex, as shown by both the tracings and Image No. 5.

No. 5 | Stylurus sp. | exuvia (prementum)

What it is

According to the identification key for the genus Stylurus compiled by Ken Soltesz, this specimen is Zebra Clubtail (Stylurus scudderi).

Soltesz’s key is based, in part, on the excellent work of E. M. Walker in 1928. (See Related Resources.) Neither Walker’s paper nor Soltesz’s identification key includes Laura’s Clubtail (Stylurus laurae), described in 1932 (Benjamin Coulter, personal communication). There is considerable overlap in the characters used to identify S. laurae and S. scudderi that cannot be ignored.

We referred to two more identification keys, one of which is known to contain misinformation in the keys for S. laurae and S. scudderi (Kenneth J. Tennessen, personal communication) — if one is flawed, then so is the other since both keys refer to many of the same characters. That being said, the greatest number of matching characters indicates S. scudderi although S. laurae cannot be 100% ruled out.

Further evidence

One of the two virtually identical odonate exuviae that Mike Boatwright collected included a teneral adult that failed to emerge successfully.

After careful examination, Mike tentatively identified the adult as a male Zebra Clubtail (Stylurus scudderi) based on the following characteristics.

Face yellow with crossbars forming a dark “X” with a light center. Front half of frons yellowish; rear of frons and vertex dark. Top of thorax dark brown with two vertical yellowish white stripes, and a light colored mid-dorsal stripe narrowing to a point at the yellowish-white collar stripe. Humeral and anti-humeral stripes (T1 and T2) dark brown and almost completely fused. Area between T2 and T3 a fairly broad yellow stripe. T3 and T4 dark brown, mostly fused, and bordered by light colored broad oval area below.

Abdomen slender with dark blackish-brown segments. Two pale yellow spots on the sides of S2 with one completely covering the auricle. Anterior end of S3-6 and posterior end of S9 with thin pale yellow to whitish ring. Lateral edges of S7-9 widely expanding forming a club with broad irregular whitish-yellow markings on lateral surfaces. Source Credit: Michael Boatwright.

Significance

Either Zebra Clubtail (S. scudderi) or Laura’s Clubtail (S. laurae) are new species of odonates for Amherst County, Virginia USA, as shown by the Dragonfly Society of the Americas species checklist for Amherst County.

Zebra Clubtail is not within range of Amherst County; Mike’s discovery could indicate expansion of its range farther eastward into Virginia. Laura’s Clubtail is within range of Amherst County, although unknown to occur there.

According to records for the Commonwealth of Virginia maintained by Dr. Steve Roble, a zoologist at the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, the adult flight period for Zebra Clubtail is 13 July to 02 October; Laura’s Clubtail is 20 June to 26 September.

Related Resources

• Identification Keys to Northeastern Anisoptera Larvae, compiled by Ken Soltesz.
• Walker, E. M., The Nymphs of the Stylurus Group of the Genus Gomphus with Notes on the Distribution of this Group in Canada, 1928.
• Needham, J.G., M.J. Westfall, and M.L. May. March 2014. Dragonflies of North America, 3rd Edition. Scientific Publishers, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 310-312.
• Stylurus: Needham, 1897 – Hanging Clubtails

Tech Tips

The following equipment was used to shoot Image No. 1-4: Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera, in manual mode; Kenko 20mm macro automatic extension tube; Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro lens (set for manual focus); Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite set for “Master” mode, and Canon 580 EX- and Canon 580EX II Speedlites set for “Slave” mode. Image No. 5: Canon MP-E 65mm Macro lens (manual focus only, set for ~2x magnification) plus the multiple-flash setup.

Image No. 1-5 are focus-stacked composite images created and annotated using Adobe Photoshop CC 2017: Image No. 1 (13 photos); Image No. 2 (14 photos); Image No. 3 (11 photos); Image No. 4 (18 photos); Image No. 5 (six photos).

Mike Boatwright’s photos, taken soon after the specimens were collected, were shot using a Samsung Model SM-G950U cell phone.

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Stylurus sp. exuvia, ongoing work

The work to identify an unknown species of odonate exuvia continues. More focus-stacked composite images are in the pipeline to be published in one or more follow-up blog posts.

13 JUL 2018 | Amherst County, VA | Stylurus sp. exuvia (dorsal view)

Tech Tips

The preceding image is a composite of 21 photos taken using the following equipment: Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera, in manual mode; Kenko 20mm macro automatic extension tube; Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro lens (set for manual focus); Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite set for “Master” mode; and Canon 580 EX- and Canon 580EX II Speedlites in “Slave” mode.

Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 was used to create the composite image.

Related Resource: Stylurus sp. exuvia

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Stylurus sp. exuvia

The following image is a composite of 18 photos taken using the following equipment: Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera, in manual mode; Kenko 20mm macro automatic extension tube; Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro lens (set for manual focus); Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite set for “Master” mode; and Canon 580 EX- and Canon 580EX II Speedlites in “Slave” mode.

Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 was used to create the composite image.

13 JUL 2018 | Amherst County, VA | Stylurus sp. exuvia (ventral view)

The Backstory

I am collaborating with my good friend Mike Boatwright, administrator of the Virginia Odonata Facebook group, to identify an odonate exuvia that he collected on 13 July 2018 in Amherst County, Virginia USA. We know the exuvia is from the Family Gomphidae (Clubtails) and are fairly certain it is a species from the genus Stylurus. At this point, several species are still in play.

Sincere thanks to Benjamin Coulter for providing guidance and related resources as Mike and I work through several dichotomous keys for identification of Stylurus larvae.

Look for one or more follow-up blog posts as the work progresses.

Related Resource: Stylurus sp. exuvia, ongoing work

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Swift River Cruiser exuvia

A late-stage emergent teneral female Swift River Cruiser dragonfly (Macromia illinoiensis) was spotted on 27 May 2017 along the Potomac River at Riverbend Park in Fairfax County, Virginia USA. The exuvia was collected, with permission from park staff, after the female flew away from the place where she metamorphosed from a nymph to an adult.

No. 1 | 27 MAY 2017 | Riverbend Park | Swift River Cruiser (female)

The next image is a composite of 35 photos. The specimen is perfectly in focus from head-to-tail, including the legs.

No. 2 | Swift River Cruiser (Macromia illinoiensis) | exuvia (dorsal)

The last image is a composite of eight photos. The focus point for each photo in the set is limited to the body only. Surprisingly, all six legs are acceptably in focus except for the tip of the left hind leg.

No. 3 | Swift River Cruiser (Macromia illinoiensis) | exuvia (ventral)

The official early-date for Swift River Cruiser dragonfly is 08 May in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Since the early-date for Royal River Cruiser dragonfly (Macromia taeniolata) is 15 May, the exuvia helps to confirm the identity of the adult is Swift River Cruiser. 10 October is the late-date for both species.

Tech Tips

Photo No. 1 was taken using my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 superzoom bridge camera plus Canon 580EX Speedlite, my go-to kit for photowalking.

The following equipment was used to shoot Photo No. 2 and 3: Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera, in manual mode; Kenko 20mm macro automatic extension tube; Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro lens (set for manual focus); Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite set for “Master” mode, and Canon 580 EX- and Canon 580EX II Speedlites set for “Slave” mode.

Photo No. 2-3 are focus-stacked composite images created using Adobe Photoshop CC 2017.

Related Resource: Swift River Cruiser (emergent female).

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Another focus stacking face-off

Here’s another face-off between a single macro photo and a focus-stacked composite image. Let’s start with the composite image this time.

The first example is a composite image created from 14 photos.

American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) | exuvia (ventral)

In a recent blog post, I wrote…

My goal is to shoot the fewest number of photos (using a relatively small aperture such as f/18) that will show the entire specimen in focus when the photo set is focus-stacked to create a composite image. Source Credit: More Calico Pennant exuvia composite images.

I used to shoot several photos of a single focus point, e.g., the prementum, and select the sharpest image for editing/focus stacking. Now I’m using a wider aperture such as either f/11 or f/8 (for sharpness), shooting more photos, and using every photo that I take. My rationale is simple: A single photo may not be the sharpest photo of a single focus point, but it probably shows other areas that are in focus. In this case, I think more “raw material” is better than less.

The last example is one of the better photos from the set of 14. When you click on the images they open in a new tab automatically. Toggle back-and-forth between tabs and I think you will agree the composite image is clearly better than the following single photo.

American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) | exuvia (ventral)

The Backstory

An American Rubyspot damselfly (Hetaerina americana) nymph was collected by Bob Perkins on 06 August 2017 along the New River in Grayson County, Virginia USA. The nymph was reared in captivity, albeit briefly, until it emerged on 09 August 2017.

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.