Desert Forktail
Ischnura barberi
This record describes Ischnura barberi (species). Recorded family: Coenagrionidae. Recorded order: Odonata.
Identification and Appearance
ramburii vs barberi: In Rambur's Forktail the antehumeral stripe is narrow, wide in Desert Forktail. In Rambur's the black markings on the dorsal side of the abdominal segments are straight-edged on the sides of the segments. In the Desert the distal ends of the black markings on the abdominal segments are invaded by the ventral orange color. This causes the black markings to look torpedo shaped in a dorsal view and to show a distal indentation in a lateral view. In Rambur's, abdominal segment 8 is completely blue while only the bottom of 9 is blue, though on pg. 111 of D&D of the West, Paulson states in his Rambur's Forktail account that some populations at the far western edge of the U.S. range have all of S9 blue. In the Desert, abdominal segments 8 and 9 are completely blue. … William Edwards, 16 August, 2009 Rambur's: Desert:
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)
- Suborder
- Zygoptera
- Family
- Coenagrionidae (Narrow-winged Damselflies)
- Genus
- Ischnura (Forktails)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
About Dragonflies and Damselflies: the wider group
Order-level background for Odonata, the group containing Ischnura barberi. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Odonata includes ~6,000 described species of dragonflies and damselflies. Dragonflies are among the fastest flying insects, reaching 36 mph (58 km/h). They can fly in any direction including backward, and hover in place - each wing operates independently.
Ecological role of the group
Dragonflies predate dinosaurs by nearly 100 million years - fossils date to 325 million years ago. The largest dragonfly ancestor, Meganeuropsis permiana (285 mya), had a 75cm wingspan, enabled by atmospheric oxygen levels of 31-35% compared to today's 21%. Dragonflies have a 95% hunting success rate - the highest of any predator.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Dragonflies are voracious predators that consume hundreds of mosquitoes daily, providing natural pest control worth millions in reduced mosquito-borne disease risk. A single dragonfly can eat 30 to hundreds of mosquitoes per day.
Recorded sources for this group: Natural History Museum London, Britannica, fossil record research. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Desert Forktail (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by john and jane balaban; Additional contributions by William Edwards