Epitheca Explained

Epitheca is a genus of dragonflies in the family Corduliidae. They are commonly known as baskettails. Baskettails' distinction is the specially adapted, upturned abdomen tip of the females which allows them to carry their egg masses in a small, orange-tinted globule.^[1]

Some authorities spin off the North American baskettails into two new genera, Epicordulia and Tetragoneuria, but this has not gained widespread acceptance and most references place them under this genus.^[2]

Species

The genus contains the following species:^[3]

• Epitheca bimaculata – Eurasian baskettail
• Epitheca canis – beaverpond baskettail
• Epitheca costalis – slender baskettail or stripe-winged baskettail
• Epitheca cynosura – common baskettail
• Epitheca marginata
• Epitheca petechialis – dot-winged baskettail
• Epitheca princeps – prince baskettail
• Epitheca semiaquea – mantled baskettail
• Epitheca sepia – sepia baskettail
• Epitheca spinigera – spiny baskettail
• Epitheca spinosa – robust baskettail
• Epitheca stella – Florida baskettail

References

• Web site: North American Odonata. University of Puget Sound. 5 August 2010. 2009. 11 July 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100711213624/http://www.pugetsound.edu/academics/academic-resources/slater-museum/biodiversity-resources/dragonflies/north-american-odonata/. dead.
• Genus Epitheca - Baskettails, BugGuide
• Image of female baskettail sp. with egg mass on tip of tail

Notes and References

1. Web site: Baskettails.
2. Book: Dragonfly Genera of the New World. Garrison . Rosser W. . von Ellenrieder . Natalia . Louton . Jerry A.. 2006 . . 0-8018-8446-2 . 157.
3. Web site: World Odonata List. University of Puget Sound. 11 August 2010. Martin Schorr . Martin Lindeboom . Dennis Paulson .