Test shots: Unknown odonate exuvia

An odonate exuvia from an unknown species of dragonfly (Anisoptera) was collected by a good friend during April 2018 in Vienna, Austria.

Based upon the crenulations along the margins of the labium, I think the specimen is a member of either the Family Corduliidae (Emeralds) or Family Libellulidae (Skimmers). I need to clean the anal pyramid for a clearer look at the terminal appendages in order to identify the family.

One-off

The first photo is a “one-off,” that is, not a composite image. The focus point is on the face mask/head; the rest of the subject is in soft focus.

Anisoptera (unknown species) | exuvia (face/head-dorsal)

Composite images

The next two “photos” are three-layer focus-stacked composite images: For each image, the focus point is on the face mask/head in the first photo; the thorax in the second photo; and the terminal appendages in the third photo. The entire body of the exuvia is acceptably in focus, including most of the legs.

The specimen has dorsal hooks on some abdominal segments (exact number unknown without closer examination), and lateral spines on abdominal segments eight and nine (S8-9).

Anisoptera (unknown species) | exuvia (dorsal)

I think this individual might be a female, as indicated by what appears to be a rudimentary ovipositor that is visible on the ventral side of abdominal segment nine (S9).

Anisoptera (unknown species) | exuvia (ventral)

Post Update

Sincere thanks to Benoit Guillon and Christophe Brochard, members of the “Dragonflies and Damselflies – Worldwide Odonata” Facebook group, for kindly identifying this specimen as an exuvia from a Downy Emerald dragonfly (Cordulia aenea). Downy Emerald is a member of the Family Corduliidae (Emeralds).

The following photo shows a plastic container of 20 Downy Emerald dragonfly (Cordulia aenea) exuviae, collected by a good friend during April 2018 in Vienna, Austria. Thanks to field marks shared by Benoit Guillon, I was able to quickly determine that all of the exuviae are the same species as the specimen featured in this blog post.

Downy Emerald dragonfly (Cordulia aenea) | exuviae (20)

Related Resources

• Cordulia aenea: exuviae (1/2), by Benoit Guillon.
• Odonate Exuviae – a hyperlinked list of identification guides to many species of odonate exuviae from seven families of dragonflies and three families of damselflies.

Tech Tips

The following equipment was used to shoot all of the preceding photographs: 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); and Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite set for “Master” mode, and several external flashes set for “Slave” mode including Canon 580 EX- and Canon 580EX II Speedlites and a Godox TT685C Thinklite TTL Flash fitted with a Lastolite Ezybox Speed-Lite 2 flash modifier.

Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 was used to create the two focus-stacked composite images, as well as spot-heal and sharpen the final output.

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. Field marks 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.

Related Resources

Odonate Exuviae – a hyperlinked list of identification guides to many species of odonate exuviae from seven families of dragonflies and three families of damselflies.

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.

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.

Related Resources

Odonate Exuviae – a hyperlinked list of identification guides to many species of odonate exuviae from seven families of dragonflies and three families of damselflies.

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.

Previews of coming attractions

Several test photos were taken for an upcoming identification guide for exuviae from Slaty Skimmer dragonfly (Libellula incesta).

The exuvia has a mask-like labium with smooth crenulations, indicating this specimen is a member of the Family Libellulidae (Skimmers), the largest family of dragonflies.

No. 1 | Libellula incesta | exuvia (face-head-dorsal)

Also notice the exuvia has “pointed” eyes, rather than “rounded” eyes like the exuvia from a Carolina Saddlebags dragonfly (Tramea carolina) shown below.

No. 2 | Tramea carolina | exuvia (face-head)

The pointed- versus rounded eyes dichotomy is a somewhat subjective decision, but if you make the right choice then this field mark can be used to narrow the range of possible Libellulidae genera.

Exuviae from three genera of Libellulidae have pointed eyes: Libellula (18 species); Orthemis (3 species); and Plathemis (2 species). Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta) is one of 18 species in the genus Libellula.

Exuviae from all other genera of Libellulidae have rounded eyes.

No. 3 | Libellula incesta | exuvia (dorsal)

This specimen needs to be rehydrated/relaxed in order to remove some distracting debris and reposition the legs for better photo poses.

No. 4 | Libellula incesta | exuvia (ventral)

To be continued…

The Backstory

A Slaty Skimmer dragonfly (Libellula incesta) nymph was collected by Bob Perkins on 29 May 2017 along Pine Creek in Carroll County, Virginia USA. The nymph was reared in captivity until it emerged on 29 June 2017 and metamorphosed into an adult male. This specimen is the exuvia from the nymph.

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Cordulegastridae exuvia

My good friend Mike Boatwright, a fellow Virginian and extraordinarily good odonate hunter, collected an exuvia on 22 June 2017 in Amherst County, Virginia USA. Mike sent the exuvia to me for identification. This specimen is a member of the Family Cordulegastridae (Spiketails).

Photo No. 1 enabled me to see all of the critical field marks required to make an identification to the family level for this specimen. Here’s the decision tree I used to identify the exuvia as a spiketail dragonfly, based upon the excellent Vimeo video, Identifying dragonfly larva to family (8:06).

• The specimen has a mask-like labium.
• The margins of the labium have “deeply jagged, irregular teeth.”

Of the four families of dragonflies that feature a mask-like labium, the crenulations on the face of Corduligastridae are unmistakeable!

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

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

The specimen is ~3.5 cm long (~1.4 in) and ~8 mm wide (0.3 in) at its widest. Notice the dorsal side of the exuvia is covered by sandy grit. The specimen will need to be cleaned in order to get a clearer view of the frontal shelf.

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

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

Photo No. 3 shows a ventral view of the exuvia.

No. 3 | Cordulegaster sp. | exuvia (ventral)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

Photo No. 4 shows a closer view of the “rudimentary ovipositor,” located on abdominal segment nine (S9). An ovipositor is used for egg-laying by all adult damselflies and some species of adult dragonflies: females have this feature; males do not. Therefore, this individual is a female spiketail.

No. 4 | Cordulegaster sp. | exuvia (ventral, rudimentary ovipositor)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

Photo No. 5 shows a closer view of the mentum, a two-segment hinged “jaw” that is used to grab food: the prementum is the segment of the labium closer to the mouth; the postmentum is the segment closer to the base of the head. Only the prementum can be seen in the following photo.

No. 5 | Cordulegaster sp. | exuvia (ventral, prementum)

Determining the genus and species

Although it’s easy to identify Cordulegastridae exuvia to the family level, it’s more challenging to identify a specimen to the species level. First, the exuvia must be cleaned in order to show the small hairs and brown dots on the frontal shelf. Second, the labium must be pulled forward to show the inside of the face mask in order to count palpal- and premental setae.

Related Resources

• Vimeo video: Identifying dragonfly larva to family (8:06)
• Anatomy of a Dragonfly Larva, annotated illustration courtesy Jay Smith
• Identification Keys to Northeastern Anisoptera Larvae, compiled by Ken Soltesz. Key to the Family Cordulegastridae, p. 6.
• Dragonfly hunting mosquito larvae and fishes (#221) (1:38)
• Odonate Exuviae – a hyperlinked list of identification guides to many species of odonate exuviae from seven families of dragonflies and three families of damselflies.

Tech Tips

The following equipment was used to shoot all of the macro photographs featured in this post: Fujifilm X-T1 digital camera; Fujifilm MCEX-11 extension tube; and Fujinon XF80mm macro lens. An off-camera Fujifilm EF-X500 external flash unit and Sunpak LED-160 Video Light (with a white translucent plastic filter) was used for Photo No. 1-3 and 5. A Raynox DCR-250 close-up filter and Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite was used for Photo No. 4.

Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 was used to annotate selected images.

Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Epitheca cynosura exuvia

On 13 April 2017, a late-stage emergent teneral female Common Baskettail dragonfly (Epitheca cynosura) was observed at Painted Turtle Pond during a photowalk around Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Prince William County, Virginia USA.

Several dragonfly exuviae were collected near the same location as the emergent teneral female. All of the exuviae look identical, although there is some variation in size. A two-step process was used to verify the genus and species for one of the larger exuvia.

• Determine the family.
• Determine the genus and species.

No. 1 | Common Baskettail (Epitheca cynosura) | exuvia (face-head)

This specimen is approximately 22 mm (~0.87 in) in length.

No. 2 | Common Baskettail (Epitheca cynosura) | exuvia (dorsal)

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 that covers the face, characteristic of four families: Cordulegastridae (Spiketails); Corduliidae (Emeralds); Libellulidae (Skimmers); and Macromiidae (Cruisers).
• There is no horn on top of 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 [See Photo No. 7.]: 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, 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. 3 | Common Baskettail (Epitheca cynosura) | exuvia (face-head)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

Notice that dorsal hooks are present and well developed on most abdominal segments.

No. 4 | Common Baskettail (Epitheca cynosura) | exuvia (dorso-lateral)

A lateral view of the exuvia provides a good look at the labium, also known as the mentum, a two-segment hinged “jaw” that is used to grab food: the prementum is the segment of the labium closer to the mouth; the postmentum is the segment closer to the base of the head.

The white filaments that extend from the split in the thorax (as shown in Photo No. 1-7) are breathing tubes, artifacts of the unique respiratory system of dragonfly nymphs.

No. 5 | Common Baskettail (Epitheca cynosura) | exuvia (lateral)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

A closer view of the head shows two “bumps” that may be a pair of tubercles.

No. 6 | Common Baskettail (Epitheca cynosura) | exuvia (face-head)

Step 2. Genus and species

Characters from Identification Keys to Northeastern Anisoptera Larvae, dichotomous keys compiled by Ken Soltesz, were used to identify the genus and species for the exuvia. Although palpal/mental setae were not examined, all other characters match Epitheca cynosura.

dichotomous key: a key for the identification of organisms based on a series of choices between alternative characters. Source Credit: Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Alternate Key to the Genera of the Family Corduliidae, p. 29.

• 1 Dorsal hooks present and well developed on some of the abdominal segments. [See Photo No. 4.] 2
• 2 Lateral spines on segment 8. [See Photo No. 7.] 3
• 3 Crenulations of labial palpi much shallower than a semicircle; … [See Photo No. 3.] 4
• 4 Lateral spines on segment 9 more than three times as long as those on segment 8, being at least as long as the mid-dorsal length of segment 9 and usually much longer. [See Photo No. 7.] = Epitheca (includes subgenera Epicordulia and Tetragoneuria)

Key to the species of the genus (subgenus) Tetragoneuria, p. 32.

• 1 Lateral spines of segment 9 pointing directly backward, their axes parallel. [See Photo No. 7.] 2
• 2 Lateral spines of segment 9 long, … [See Photo No. 7.] 4
• 4 Length of grown nymph about 22 mm. 5
• 5 Lateral spine of segment 9 about as long as mid-dorsal length of [S]9. [See Photo No. 7.] [premental setae not more than 10] = cynosura

No. 7 | Common Baskettail (Epitheca cynosura) | exuvia (anal pyramid)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

The last photo shows a ventral view of the exuvia. The vestigial hamuli located between abdominal segments two and three (S2-3) strongly suggests this individual is a male, therefore this specimen probably is not the same exuvia from which the teneral female emerged.

No. 8 | Common Baskettail (Epitheca cynosura) | exuvia (ventral)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

Related Resources

• Vimeo video: Identifying dragonfly larva to family (8:06)
• Anatomy of a Dragonfly Larva, annotated illustration courtesy Jay Smith
• Identification Keys to Northeastern Anisoptera Larvae, compiled by Ken Soltesz: Alternate Key to the Genera of the Family Corduliidae, p. 29; Key to the species of the genus (subgenus) Tetragoneuria, p. 32.
• Odonate Exuviae – a hyperlinked list of identification guides to many species of odonate exuviae from seven families of dragonflies and three families of damselflies.

Editor’s Note: Sincere thanks to Sue Gregoire, Kestrel Haven Migration Observatory, for verifying my tentative identification, and for sharing some good odonate nymph knowledge regarding vestigial hamuli!

Tech Tips

The following equipment was used to shoot all of the preceding photographs: Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera, in manual mode; Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro lens (set for manual focus) plus a Kenko 20mm macro automatic extension tube; Canon 580EX II external flash tethered to the camera by a coiled six-foot Vello Off-Camera TTL Flash Cord for Canon Cameras, off-camera, in manual mode; the Canon flash optically triggered a small Nissin i40 external flash (in SF mode) used for backlight; and a Sunpak LED-160 Video Light with a white translucent plastic filter used for side light.

Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 was used to annotate selected images.

Copyright © 2017 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Macromia illinoiensis exuvia

Post update: Macromiidae exuvia

When this blog post was published on 19 April 2016, I was a novice at identifying odonate exuviae and I was just starting to get serious about studio macro photography. At the time, I was satisfied to be able to identify the dragonfly exuvia as a member of the Family Macromiidae (Cruisers).

What’s new?

I’ve learned a lot since then, including the identity of the specimen to the genus/species level. This is a Swift River Cruiser dragonfly (Macromia illinoiensis) exuvia that was collected along the Potomac River in Fairfax County, Virginia USA.

The first annotated image shows several characters that were used to identify the exuvia to the family level, including a mask-like labium featuring spork-like crenulations and a horn between its pointy eyes.

Swift River Cruiser (Macromia illinoiensis) | exuvia (face-head)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

The following dorsal view of the exuvia provides enough clues to identify the specimen to the genus/species level.

Swift River Cruiser (Macromia illinoiensis) | exuvia (dorsal)

The lateral spines of abdominal segment nine (S9) do not reach the tips of the inferior appendages (paraprocts), and if you look closely at the full-size version of the preceding photo then you should see a small mid-dorsal hook on abdominal segment 10 (S10). These characters indicate the genus is Macromia.

Notice the lateral spines of abdominal segments eight and nine (S8-9) are “directed straight to rearward,” indicating the species is illinoiensis.

Identification Keys to Northeastern Anisoptera Larvae

Where it all began.

The last photo shows a teneral male Swift River Cruiser dragonfly clinging to the exuvia from which it emerged — the same exuvia featured in this post! Matt Ryan collected the exuvia after the adult dragonfly flew away from its perch. When Matt gave the exuvia to me several years later, he was unable to remember where it was collected. As soon as I was able to identify the exuvia to the genus/species level, I remembered seeing the following photo posted in one of Matt’s spottings on Project Noah.

Photo used with permission from Matthew J. Ryan.

With a little detective work, I was able to solve the mystery of the specific identity of the exuvia as well as when and where it was collected. Like I said, I’ve learned a lot since I published the first blog post related to this specimen!

Editor’s Notes: A funny thing happened on the way to the forum. I rediscovered the “Key to the Genera of the Family Macromiidae” (p. 27, shown above) while paging through the document Identification Keys to Northeastern Anisoptera Larvae in search of the “Key to the Genera of the Family Corduliidae” (page 28). One look at the line drawing at the bottom of p. 27 and I knew the specific identity of the cruiser exuvia.

I need to refresh this blog post with more annotated images of the Macromia illinoiensis exuvia, including one that clearly shows the mid-dorsal hook on S10, but I was so eager to update the old post that I couldn’t wait to shoot and post-process the new images.

Related Resources

• Vimeo video: Identifying dragonfly larva to family (8:06)
• Anatomy of a Dragonfly Larva, annotated illustration courtesy Jay Smith
• Identification Keys to Northeastern Anisoptera Larvae, compiled by Ken Soltesz: Key to the Genera of the Family Macromiidae, page 27.
• Swift River Cruiser on exuvia – Macromia illinoiensis – Male, by Matthew J. Ryan
• Odonate Exuviae, by Walter Sanford

Copyright © 2017 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Epitheca princeps exuvia

The following Prince Baskettail dragonfly (Epitheca princeps) exuvia, on temporary loan from a friend, had been identified before I borrowed the specimen. 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 that covers the face, characteristic of four families: Cordulegastridae (Spiketails); Corduliidae (Emeralds); Libellulidae (Skimmers); and Macromiidae (Cruisers).
• There is no horn on top of 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 [See Photo No. 4.]: 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, 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 | Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps) | exuvia (face-head)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

Step 2. Genus and species

Characters from two dichotomous keys were used to identify the genus and species for the exuvia. Although palpal/mental setae were not examined, all other characters match Epitheca princeps.

dichotomous key: a key for the identification of organisms based on a series of choices between alternative characters. Source Credit: Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Dichotomous Key 1

Identification Keys to Northeastern Anisoptera Larvae, compiled by Ken Soltesz.

Key to the Families of Anisoptera, page 5.

• 6 Lateral caudal appendages (cerci) generally more than half as long as inferior appendages (paraprocts) [fig. 12] [See Photo No. 4.]; lateral spines of segment 9 longer than its mid-dorsal length [fig. 13] [See Photo No. 4.]; mid-dorsal hooks on abdomen often cultriform [fig 14] [See Photo No. 3.] Corduliidae

Key to the Genera of the Family Corduliidae, page 28.

• 1 Pair of small tubercles on top of head [See Photo No. 1.]; lateral lobe of labium with 4 or 5 setae… 2
• 2 Lateral spines of abdominal segment 8, if divergent at all, much weaker than those of 9; small setae on middle lobe of mentum numerous. Epicordulia (One species, Epicordulia princeps) [Editor’s Note: Epicordulia was previously considered to be a subgenera of Epitheca.]

Dichotomous Key 2

Corduliidae Selys – Emeralds, Odonata Nymphs of Michigan, by Ethan Bright and Mark F. O’Brien, UMMZ-Insect Division.

• 1b. Mid-dorsal hooks present, well-developed on some abdominal segments (picture) [See Photo No. 3.] – 4
• 4b. With lateral spines on Ab8 [See Photo No. 4.] – 5
• 5b. Crenulations on distal margin shallower than semicircle (picture) [See Photo No. 1.]; lateral spines on Ab9 equal or longer than those on Ab8, those on Ab8 not divergent (fig) [See Photo No. 4.] – 6
• 6a(5b). Lateral spines on Ab9 at least 2.0x as long as those on Ab8, at least equal to mid-dorsal length of Ab9 [See Photo No. 4.] – Epitheca

Epitheca Burmeister, 1839 (Corduliidae) – Baskettails

• 1a. Distal half of dorsal surface of prementum heavily setose; palpal setae usually 4, rarely 5(Fig. 2) – Subgenus Epicordulia, E. princeps

More annotated images

No. 2 | Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps) | exuvia (dorsal)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

“Mid-dorsal hooks present, well-developed on some abdominal segments.”

No. 3 | Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps) | exuvia (dorso-lateral)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

“With lateral spines on Ab8 [S8].” “Lateral spines on Ab9 [S9] at least 2.0x as long as those on Ab8 [S8], at least equal to mid-dorsal length of Ab9 [S9].” The cerci are at least half as long as the paraprocts.

No. 4 | Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps) | exuvia (anal pyramid)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

Photo No. 5 shows a wider view of the ventral side of the specimen.

No. 5 | Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps) | exuvia (ventral)

Photo No. 6 shows a zoomed-in view of the prementum.

No. 6 | Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps) | exuvia (prementum)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

Photo No. 7 shows another view of the prementum.

No. 7 | Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps) | exuvia (prementum)

Related Resources

• Vimeo video: Identifying dragonfly larva to family (8:06)
• Anatomy of a Dragonfly Larva, annotated illustration courtesy Jay Smith
• Identification Keys to Northeastern Anisoptera Larvae, compiled by Ken Soltesz: Key to the Families of Anisoptera, page 5; Key to the Genera of the Family Corduliidae, page 28.
• Odonata Nymphs of Michigan, by Ethan Bright and Mark F. O’Brien, UMMZ-Insect Division: Corduliidae Selys – Emeralds; Epitheca Burmeister, 1839 (Corduliidae) – Baskettails.
• Odonate Exuviae – a hyperlinked list of identification guides to many species of odonate exuviae from seven families of dragonflies and three families of damselflies.

Tech Tips

The following equipment was used to shoot all of the preceding photographs: Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera, in manual mode; Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro lens (set for manual focus) plus a Kenko 20mm macro automatic extension tube and a Raynox DCR-250 close-up filter; Canon 580EX II external flash, off-camera, in manual mode; Canon 580EX external flash, off-camera, in manual mode; and a Yongnuo YN-622C-TX E-TTL II Wireless Flash Controller for Canon plus a two-pack of Yongnuo YN-622C II E-TTL Wireless Flash Transceivers for Canon.

A Canon Extender EF 1.4x II was used for more magnification in Photo No. 4, 6, 7 and 9. Adding the tele-extender results in a 1 f/stop loss of light; additional backlight was added to the scene using a Nissin i40 external flash unit (off-camera, in SF mode).

Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 was used to annotate selected images.

Photo No. 8 and 9 show early work to get a good shot of the face-head, before Photo No. 1 emerged as the clear winner. I prefer Photo No. 1 because it provides the best view of the face-head, has the best composition and exposure, plus I like the way the exuvia seems to be floating in mid-air.

No. 8 | Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps) | exuvia (face-head)

No. 9 | Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps) | exuvia (face-head)

Although I have never seen a perching adult Prince Baskettail dragonfly, I was fortunate to shoot the following photo of a male in flight, featured in the blog post Changing of the guard.

No. 10 | 14 JUN 2016 | JMAWR | Prince Baskettail (male, in flight)

Copyright © 2017 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Tramea carolina exuvia

An exuvia from an unknown species of dragonfly was collected on 04 October 2016 at Mason Neck West Park (MNWP), Fairfax County, Virginia USA. A two-step process was used to identify the genus and species of the specimen.

Family

First, determine the family of the specimen. For reference, watch the excellent Vimeo video, Identifying dragonfly larva to family (8:06).

The exuviae has a mask-like labium (not flat) with evenly-toothed crenulations, indicating this individual is a member of Family Libellulidae (Skimmers). [See Photo No. 2.]

Genus and species

A dichotomous key was used to tentatively identify the exuvia as Carolina Saddlebags dragonfly (Tramea carolina), as indicated by the following morphological characteristics.

• No dorsal hooks on any abdominal segments.
• Lateral spines of abdominal segment nine (S9) are much longer than its mid-dorsal length. Lateral spines on segment eight (S8) are nearly as long as on segment nine (S9).[See Photo No. 3.]
• Superior abdominal appendage (epiproct) is shorter than inferior abdominal appendages (paraprocts). [See Photo No. 3.]

Sincere thanks to Sue Gregoire, Kestrel Haven Migration Observatory, for verifying my preliminary observations and tentative identification!

No. 1

The specimen is approximately 2.4 cm (~0.9″) in length. Notice there are no dorsal hooks on any abdominal segments.

No. 1 | Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina) | exuvia (dorso-lateral)

The white filaments that extend from the split in the thorax (as shown in Photo No. 1-2, 4-6) are breathing tubes, artifacts of the unique respiratory system of dragonfly nymphs.

No. 2

The eyes are rounded and widely separated. Notice the mask-like labium (sometimes referred to as “spoon-shaped”) with evenly-toothed crenulations along the margins between two lateral lobes.

No. 2 | Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina) | exuvia (face-head)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

No. 3

A vertical white line marks the mid-dorsal length of abdominal segment nine (S9), as shown in the following annotated image; the vertical black line labeled “mid-dorsal length” is the same length as the white line. Notice the lateral spines of abdominal segment nine (S9) are much longer than its mid-dorsal length.

No. 3 | Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina) | exuvia (anal pyramid)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

One of the keys to identifying skimmer dragonflies to the species level is to carefully examine the anal pyramid (S10), including the cerci (sing. cercus), epiproct, and paraprocts. Notice the epiproct is shorter than the paraprocts.

There is a lot of “seaweed” (aquatic vegetation) clinging to the exuvia, especially noticeable at the posterior end. Some collectors like to clean their specimens; I prefer to photograph them “as is.”

More photos of the exuvia are shown below.

No. 4

No. 4 | Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina) | exuvia (dorsal)

No. 5

No. 5 | Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina) | exuvia (face-head)

No. 6

No. 6 | Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina) | exuvia (anal pyramid)

Related Resources

• Vimeo video: Identifying dragonfly larva to family (8:06)
• Anatomy of a Dragonfly Larva, annotated illustration courtesy Jay Smith
• Odonate Exuviae, by Walter Sanford
• Identification Keys to Northeastern Anisoptera Larvae, compiled by Ken Soltesz. Key to the Genera of the Family Libellulidae, p. 36; Key to the species of the genus Tramea, p. 41.

dichotomous key: a key for the identification of organisms based on a series of choices between alternative characters. Source Credit: Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Assuming the convention of labeling the two branches of each dichotomy as “a” and “b”, e.g. 1a, 1b, etc., a list of branches in the decision tree that I used to identify the genus of the dragonfly exuviae is as follows: 1b; 4b; 5b; 10a; 11b; 12b Tramea. A supplemental key featuring one dichotomy was used to identify the species: 1a carolina BINGO!

In long form, the decision tree is as follows:

p. 36, Key to the Genera of the Family Libellulidae
1b – Eyes lower, more broadly rounded and more lateral in position; abdomen usually ending more bluntly. [Go to] 4
4b – These appendages [inferior abdominal appendages (paraprocts)] straight or nearly so. [Go to] 5
5b – No dorsal hooks on any abdominal segments. [Go to] 10
10a – Lateral spines of segment 9 much longer than its mid-dorsal length. [Go to] 11
11b – Lateral spines on 8 nearly as long as on 9. [Go to] 12
12b – Superior abdominal appendage (epiproct) shorter than inferiors [inferior abdominal appendages (paraprocts)]. Tramea BINGO!

p. 41, Key to the species of the genus Tramea
1a – Lateral spines of segment 8 directed straight to rearward; paraprocts longer than epiproct; two rows of spinules on upper surface of epiproct. carolina BINGO!

Tech Tips

The following equipment was used to shoot the preceding photographs:

• Photo No. 1-5: Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera; Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro lens; Canon 580EX II external flash (ETTL mode) off-camera, using a coiled six-foot Vello Off-Camera TTL Flash Cord for Canon Cameras; and a Nissin i40 external flash (off-camera, in SF mode). A Raynox DCR-250 close-up filter was used for Photo No. 2-3.
• Photo No. 6: Fujifilm X-T1 digital camera; Fujinon XF18-55mm (27mm-82.5mm, 35mm equivalent) zoom lens plus “Fotasy” brand 10mm and 16mm extension tubes; Fujifilm Shoe Mount Flash EF-42 (ETTL mode) off-camera, using a coiled six-foot Vello Off-Camera TTL Flash Cord for Canon Cameras; Nissin i40 external flash unit (off-camera, in SD mode).

Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 was used to annotate selected images.

Copyright © 2016 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Perithemis tenera exuviae

Several unknown dragonfly exuviae were collected on 07 July 2016 from the Potomac River, Fairfax County, Virginia USA; two of the specimens are featured in this post. A two-step process was used to identify the genus and species of the specimens.

Family

First, determine the family of the specimens. For reference, watch the excellent Vimeo video, Identifying dragonfly larva to family (8:06).

The exuviae have a mask-like labium (not flat) with smooth crenulations, indicating these individuals are members of Family Libellulidae (Skimmers).

Genus and species

A dichotomous key was used to tentatively identify the exuviae as Eastern Amberwing dragonfly (Perithemis tenera), as indicated by the following morphological characteristics.

• The cerci (sing. cercus) are slightly less than half the length of the paraprocts.
• Dorsal hooks are clearly visible on abdominal segments four through nine (S4-9), plus a “nub” that is visible on segment three (S3).
• Lateral spines are clearly visible on abdominal segments eight and nine (S8-9).

These specimens are the first odonate exuviae that I was able to identify to the species level. Sincere thanks to Sue Gregoire, Kestrel Haven Migration Observatory, for verifying my preliminary observations and tentative identification.

No. 1

Each specimen is approximately 1.4 cm (~0.6″) in length and approximately 0.6 cm (~0.2″) in maximum width. In Photo No. 1, the specimen shown on the left is an emergent nymph that was stuck in its exuvia.

No. 1 | Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) | exuviae (lateral, dorsal)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

The white filaments that extend from the split in the thorax (as shown in Photo No. 1-3) are breathing tubes, artifacts of the unique respiratory system of dragonfly nymphs.

No. 2

No. 2 | Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) | exuviae (dorsal)

No. 3

The eyes are relatively small and widely separated. Notice the mask-like labium (sometimes referred to as “spoon-shaped”) with smooth crenulations along the margins between two lateral lobes.

No. 3 | Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) | exuviae (head-on)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

No. 4

One of the keys to identifying skimmer dragonflies to the species level is to carefully examine the anal pyramid (see S10, shown below), including the cerci (sing. cercus) and paraprocts. Notice the cerci are slightly less than half the length of the paraprocts.

No. 4 | Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) | exuviae (anal pyramid)

(See a full-size version of the original photo, without annotation.)

Related Resources

• Vimeo video: Identifying dragonfly larva to family (8:06)
• Anatomy of a Dragonfly Larva, annotated illustration courtesy Jay Smith
• Odonate Exuviae, by Walter Sanford
• Identification Keys to Northeastern Anisoptera Larvae, compiled by Ken Soltesz. Key to the Genera of the Family Libellulidae, p. 36.

dichotomous key: a key for the identification of organisms based on a series of choices between alternative characters. Source Credit: Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Assuming the convention of labeling the two branches of each dichotomy as “a” and “b”, e.g. 1a, 1b, etc., a list of branches in the decision tree that I used to identify the species of the dragonfly exuviae is as follows: 1b; 4b; 5a; 6a BINGO!

In long form, the decision tree is as follows:

p. 36, Key to the Genera of the Family Libellulidae
1b – Eyes lower, more broadly rounded and more lateral in position; abdomen usually ending more bluntly. [Go to] 4
4b – These appendages [inferior abdominal appendages (paraprocts)] straight or nearly so. [Go to] 5
5a – Dorsal hooks on some abdominal segments. [Go to] 6
6a – Dorsal hook on 9. Perithemis (One species, Perithemis tenera.) BINGO!

Tech Tips

The following equipment was used to shoot the preceding photographs:

• Photo No. 1: Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera; Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro lens; Canon 580EX external flash (ETTL mode) off-camera, using a pair of Yongnuo YN622C II Wireless Flash Trigger Transceivers; and a Nissin i40 external flash (off-camera, SF mode).
• Photo No. 2-4: Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera; Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro lens; Canon 580EX II external flash (ETTL mode) off-camera, using a coiled six-foot Vello Off-Camera TTL Flash Cord for Canon Cameras; Nissin i40 external flash (off-camera, in SF mode). A Raynox DCR-250 close-up filter was used for Photo No. 3-4.

Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 was used to annotate selected images.

Copyright © 2016 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.