green-faced clubtail

(Hylogomphus viridifrons)

Conservation Status
green-faced clubtail
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

N3 - Vulnerable

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
           
 
Description
 
 

Green-faced clubtail is an early season, medium-sized clubtail. While it is more common in the northeast than in Minnesota, it is uncommon and considered rare over most of its range.

The upper (dorsal) side of the thorax is pale grayish-green on top with black markings including a broad central (middorsal) stripe, two lateral stripes, and a shoulder stripe. The side of the thorax is grayish-green with an incomplete first (anterior) stripe that arches around to join the shoulder stripe. There is no middle stripe found on most other clubtails.

The abdomen is slender and black with yellow markings. Abdominal segments 1 through 7 have small yellow dorsal spots and larger yellow lateral spots. On the male the dorsal spots are tiny. On the female they are larger but still small. Segments 8 through 10 are unmarked on top. Segment 9 is shorter than segment 8. Segments 8, 9, and 10 are expanded into a noticeable “club”.

The head is small. The large compound eyes are green. They do not meet at the top of the head. The area behind the compound eyes at the top of the head (occiput) is slightly convex. The face is grayish-green with a single horizontal stripe on the lower part of the face above the upper lip (labrum) that is divided in the middle horizontally.

The legs are black.

The wings are clear except for dark stigmas. The wing triangle, a section of intersecting veins about 20% of the way from the base to the wingtip, is about the same size in the forewing and the hindwing.

The female is similar but may have yellowish markings, especially on the face.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Total length: 1¾

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
  Mustached clubtail (Hylogomphus adelphus) has two black horizontal lines on the face and an inverted black triangle dividing the labrum. The lower line is not divided in the middle.  
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Rapid medium streams and rivers with gravel, silt, sand, and rocks

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

Mid-may to mid-July

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

Males are most active in late afternoon, especially under cloud cover.

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

The female does not have an ovipositor. She lays her eggs by washing them off in fast-flowing water. The eggs flow into slow water where the young (naiads) develop.

 
     
 

Naiad Food

 
 

 

 
     
 

Adult Food

 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

7, 17, 18, 29, 72.

 
  11/3/2015      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Uncommon

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)  
 

Suborder

Epiprocta  
  Infraorder Anisoptera (dragonflies)  
 

Superfamily

Aeshnoidea  
 

Family

Gomphidae (clubtails)  
 

Genus

Gomphus  
  Subgenus Gomphus (Hylogomphus) (common clubtails)  
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Hylogomphus viridifrons

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

green-faced clubtail

 
       

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Labrum

The upper part of the mouth, sometimes considered the lower part of the face, corresponding to the upper lip, on an insect or crustacean.

 

Naiad

The aquatic larval form (nymph) of a dragonfly, mayfly, or stonefly.

 

Occiput

The back of the head. In Odonata, Megaloptera, and Neuroptera, the upper part of the head behind the eyes.

 

Stigma

In plants, the portion of the female part of the flower that is receptive to pollen. In Lepidoptera, an area of specialized scent scales on the forewing of some skippers, hairstreaks, and moths. In other insects, a thickened, dark, or opaque cell on the leading edge of the wing.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

Share your photo of this insect.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.
 
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
    green-faced clubtail   green-faced clubtail  
           

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this insect.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
     
     
     
       

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this insect.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
   

 

   
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

Binoculars


Last Updated:

About Us | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved.