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Species Accounts & Photos Other Stuff NJ's Species of Concern

  Racket-tailed Emerald
            Dorocordulia libera (Selys, 1871)

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Species distribution map

Range & Habitat:

Fairly common in the northern tier of counties where it is found sympatrically with the Petite Emerald and the American Emerald.  It typically inhabits bogs and the boggy fringes of lakes and ponds.

 Racket-tailed Emerald male dorsal 

Click on the thumbnails to enlarge additional photos. 

Description:

A small Emerald with a strongly clubbed tail.  The cerci are strongly convergent when viewed dorsally. Even females have a larger club than the similar Petite Emerald. Also compare the larger American Emerald.

 

Conservation Status:

State: S2S3 - Rare to imperiled in New Jersey

Global: G5 - Secure globally, but possibly rare in parts of its range

For a full explanation of the ranks, click here

Flight season:

Early Date: 5/24
Late Date: 8/10

Please scroll down for monthly graph.

 

Flight Season
(hover your mouse over the bar for actual data)
 
Number of Records
16 
0 
3 16 2 1
J F M A M J J A S O N D

Months

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Click here for acknowledgments
Date, distribution, and status data courtesy of Allen Barlow, NJOS
© 2006 Jim Bangma, NJOS  Comments or suggestions?  Use the Feedback Form