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Firetails

 

genus: Telebasis

Firetails

There are two species of Firetails known to North America.  These are very small red or orangish-red damselflies.  The mature male thorax is almost entirely red with two black dorsal stripes.  The abdomen extends well beyond the wing tips and is almost completely red with little or no black markings.  The face is red with eyes that are black on top and reddish below.  Most species lack postocular spots.   Wings are clear. 

The female Firetails are similar to the males, but are a rusty brown coloration, with some dark on the dorsal abdomen.

The two species that exist in North America are almost identical in appearance, and only in hand examination of the male terminal appendages are helpful in identification. 

Firetails can be observed perching horizontally on floating vegetation and debrie.  They prefer heavily vegetated ponds with shallow waters which have algae scums such as swamps and slow moving streams.

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