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Stygian shadowdragon

Stygian shadowdragon (Neurocordulia yamaskanensis)
Photo © Paul Dacko

Features and Behaviors

FEATURES
The Stygian shadowdragon has a mostly brown body with a light face and large, brown eyes. They have broad wings with black veins and an orange spot at the base of each. The thorax is dark on front, lighter on the sides, and has a white line down the back. The abdomen is darker brown with a light-yellow stripe around each segment and lighter spots along the sides. The yellow spot near the legs on the sides of the thorax differentiates them from their look-alikes, of which there are several. Baskettails (Epitheca) have a different pattern on the thorax, sundragons (Helocordulia) are black bodied instead of brown, and while spotted darners (Boyeria) are seen at similar times of day, they have two big yellow spots along each side.

BEHAVIORS
The Stygian shadowdragon is found in southern Illinois near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers from June to July. They hang out in trees during the day and show up near large rivers about half an hour before sunset to feed and mate, flying fast and erratically. Large eyes and wide wings are characteristics of dragonflies active at night.

Illinois Range

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Family: Corduliidae

Illinois Status: common, native