''Dromogomphus spinosus'', the black-shouldered spinyleg, is a
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
of
dragonflies
A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of dragonflies are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threate ...
in the family
Gomphidae
The Gomphidae are a family of dragonflies commonly referred to as clubtails or club-tailed dragonflies. The family contains about 90 genera and 900 species found across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa. The name refers ...
.
Like other spinylegs, ''D. spinosus'' have long spines on their legs that help in the capture of prey.
[Mead, Kurt. (2009) Dragonflies of the North Woods. Duluth, MN:Kollath+Stensaas.] True to their name their shoulders are black. The dorsal thorax has a light green I-shaped mark with pale ovals on either side. Their flight time is between late May and early September from southern Manitoba to the east coast of the US as far south as Florida.
[ Terminal segments form a club with yellow lateral markings.][Dunkle, Sidney W. (2000) Dragonflies through Binoculars. New York:Oxford University Press. p 95-6.]
Adults average .[
]
References
Gomphidae
Insects described in 1854
{{Gomphidae-stub