Hyacinth Glider vs Desert Threadtail Damselfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Hyacinth Glider Desert Threadtail Damselfly
Scientific Name Miathyria marcella Protoneuridae sp.
Order Odonata Odonata
Family Libellulidae Coenagrionidae
Size 35-42 mm 25-35 mm
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Deserts & Drylands
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions North America, South America North America
Conservation Least Concern Vulnerable

Hyacinth Glider

A delicate dragonfly with a violet-tinted thorax and a slender banded abdomen. It is common in the Americas from the southern US to Argentina.

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Did You Know?

Its larvae often develop among water hyacinth roots, giving the species its common name.

Desert Threadtail Damselfly

A tiny, thread-thin damselfly found near desert springs and oases. It has one of the most restricted habitats of any dragonfly, depending on permanent desert water.

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Did You Know?

Some desert threadtails exist in populations of fewer than 100 individuals at a single spring.