Family: Gomphidae
White-belted Ringtail		Plains Clubtail
Pronghorn Clubtail		Pale Snaketail
Gray Sanddragon		Olive Clubtail

Gomphidae: The Clubtails

Family Facts:

• This family is known as the Clubtails, because of the widened segments at the end of their abdomens or "clubs". These "clubs" are most prominent in the males, though females of many species have them as well, but usually to a lesser degree than the males.
• In North America, this family contains 98 species in 13 genera. The greatest number of species is found in the southeastern United States. In Idaho, there are six species in five genera.
• Unlike most dragonflies, a number of species in this family have very small ranges and do not disperse widely. Consequently, new species are still being discovered, the most recent in 1994.
• These dragonflies are even more dependent than most dragonflies on sunlight to maintain their body temperature, and are rarely seen flying on cool or cloudy days. Members of this family are rare at high altitudes and northern latitudes.
• The ovipositor of the females is greatly reduced, and the females lay eggs (oviposit) by dipping the tip of the abdomen in the water while hovering just above the surface. The females oviposit by themselves, without a male in attendance.
• The naiads of these dragonflies are usually found in streams and rivers, though some species do occur in lakes. They are very selective in their habitat choices and will often be found only in certain stretches of a stream or river.
• The naiads are characterized by up-turned tips on their abdomens. These special tips allow the naiads to burrow under bottom sand or mud and still breathe. They do this by pumping water in and out of the abdomen through these tips.
• Unlike most dragonflies the naiads emerge during the day. They crawl out onto a horizontal bank and emerge within a matter of minutes.

Genus: Erpetogomphus
These dragonflies are medium-sized with clear wings and relatively short legs. They have rings of white on each segment of the abdomen, which gives them the common name Ringtails. Only males have clubbed abdomens.

Erpetogomphus compositus- White-belted Ringtail

Genus:Gomphus
These are medium sized dragonflies with clear wings. They tend to range further north than most other members of this family. In most species the thorax is yellow-green stripes with brown. The abdomen is dark brown to black, and is striped lengthwise with yellow on the upper surface and on each side.

Gomphus externus- Plains Clubtail
Gomphus graslinellus- Pronghorn Clubtail

Ophiogomphus severus- Pale Snaketail

Genus: Progomphus
The Sanddragons are large members of this family. The abdomen is usually brown or black marked with yellow. The naiads live in the sandy bottoms of streams and lakes and are good burrowers.

Progomphus borealis- Gray Sanddragon

Genus: Stylurus
These are relatively large Clubtails with clear wings. Both the males and the females have the last segments of the abdomen widened into a "club"; the males to a greater degree than the females. The thorax is green to light olive with black markings.

Stylurus olivaceous- Olive Clubtail