Common Clubtail vs Dune Spoonwing

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Common Clubtail Dune Spoonwing
Scientific Name Gomphus vulgatissimus Halter halteratus
Order Odonata Neuroptera
Family Gomphidae Nemopteridae
Size 50-55 mm wingspan 20-28 mm wingspan (forewings)
Habitat Rivers & Streams Beaches & Coastal
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Europe Mediterranean Basin, North Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Common Clubtail

A medium-sized dragonfly with a club-shaped abdomen tip and distinctive yellow and black markings. It emerges en masse from rivers in late spring.

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Did You Know?

Unlike most dragonflies, clubtails frequently perch on the ground or on flat surfaces rather than hanging from vegetation.

Dune Spoonwing

A small nemopterid with spoon-tipped hindwings found in coastal Mediterranean habitats. Commonly seen fluttering over sandy ground near the sea.

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Did You Know?

The species name 'halteratus' refers to the haltere-like form of its modified hindwings.