Smoky Rubyspot vs Japanese Narrow-Winged Damselfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Smoky Rubyspot Japanese Narrow-Winged Damselfly
Scientific Name Hetaerina titia Mnais costalis
Order Odonata Odonata
Family Calopterygidae Calopterygidae
Size 38-48 mm 50-65 mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions North America, Central America East Asia, Japan
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Smoky Rubyspot

A damselfly with dark smoky wings and amber-red basal patches in males. It is found along forested streams in the eastern United States and Mexico.

💡

Did You Know?

Its wings are much darker and smokier than those of its relative, the American Rubyspot.

Japanese Narrow-Winged Damselfly

A beautiful damselfly endemic to Japan, known as 'niko-nico-kawatombou.' Males come in two forms: orange-winged territorial males and clear-winged sneaker males. Found along clean forest streams.

💡

Did You Know?

The two male forms represent an evolutionary stable strategy: orange-winged males defend territories while clear-winged males sneak matings by mimicking females.