Identification Patterns Clubtails, Family Gomphidae

Family Gomphidae Rambur, 1842

Features:

Clubtails are relatively uniform in appearance,

  • Lack the bright colours of other families: black, brown, yellow and green predominate,
  • Eyes are often blue (if not green).
  • Vary strongly in the structure of the male appendages.
  • Most species have an identifyable thorax pattern
  • Members of the family are easily recognised by their separated eyes.
Synopsis
  • Images of the thorax patters of males and females are show (where available)
  • Images are puclished in aphabetical order of genus, species, male and female.
  • Click on images will link to description page

By Features - Foliations and Clubtails

Images sorted by features: Foliations and Clubtails

By Feature: Thorax Patterns
Images Sorted by  sorted by genus common names
Claspertails: Genus Onychogomphus
100 1766 Onychogomphus supinus Lined Claspertail Male Melkrivier LP RSA Dec 2017r 6
100 1768 Onychogomphus supinus Lined Claspertail Male Melkrivier LP RSA Dec 2017r 14
100 1769 Onychogomphus supinus Lined Claspertail Male Melkrivier LP RSA Dec 2017r 18
100 1763 Onychogomphus supinus Lined Claspertail Ezemvelo1 River Dec 2016r 1
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Lined Claspertail, Onychogomphus supinus, Male
Lined Claspertail, Onychogomphus supinus, Female
Fairytails: Genus Lestinogomphus
100 2669 Lestinogomphus angustus Spined Fairytail Male Close up Songimvelo MPRSAFebr 2019r 2
100 2671 Lestinogomphus angustus Spined Fairytail Male Close up Songimvelo MPRSAFebr 2019r 8
100 3338 Lestinogomphus angustus Spined Fairytail Male Weltevreden RSA Dec 2017r 16
100 3343 Lestinogomphus angustus Spined Fairytail Female Vaalwater LP RSA Mch 2021r 5
100 3345 Lestinogomphus angustus Spined Fairytail Female Vaalwater LP RSA Mch 2021r 16
100 3347 Lestinogomphus angustus Spined Fairytail Female Vaalwater LP RSA Mch 2021r 22
Spined Fairytail, Lestinogomphus angustus, Male
Spined Fairytail, Lestinogomphus angustus, Female
Fingertails: Genus Gomphidia
100 3124 Gomphidia guarrei Southern Fingertail Male Close up Leselo Lodge LP RSA OCT 2020r 8
100 3127 Gomphidia guarrei Southern Fingertail Male Close up Leselo Lodge LP RSA OCT 2020r 14
100 3130 Gomphidia guarrei Southern Fingertail Male Close up Leselo Lodge LP RSA OCT 2020r 17
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Southern Fingertail, Gomphidia guarrei, Male
Southern Fingertail, Gomphidia guarrei, Female
Hooktails: Genus Paragomphus
100 947 Paragomphus genei Common Hooktail Male Ndumo KZN RSA Mch 2019r 5
100 2492 Paragomphus genei Common Hooktail Male Ndumo KZN RSA Mch 2019r 14
100 2501 Paragomphus genei Common Hooktail Male Close UP Ndumo KZN RSA Mch 2018r 28
100 1546 Ceratogomphus pictus Common Thorntail Female Close up Wilgerivier MP RSA Nov 2017r 3
100 1548 Ceratogomphus pictus Common Thorntail Female Close up Wilgerivier MP RSA Nov 2017r 10
100 2591 Paragomphus genei Common Hooktail Female Close up Bang Neck KZN RSA Mch 2019r 16
Common Hooktail, Paragomphus genei, Male
Common Hooktail, Paragomphus genei, Female
100 3666 Paragomphus elpidius Corckscrew Hooktail Male Close up 2 Verena MP RSA Jan 2023r 5
100 3668 Paragomphus elpidius Corckscrew Hooktail Male Close up 2 Verena MP RSA Jan 2023r 17
100 3671 Paragomphus elpidius Corckscrew Hooktail Male Close up 2 Verena MP RSA Jan 2023r 28
Not yet found or photographed by us
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Corkscrew Hooktail, Paragomphus elpidius, Male
Corkscrew Hooktail, Paragomphus elpidius, Female
100 1908 Paragomphus sabicus Flapper Hooktail Male Close up Ndumo KZN RSA Mch 2018r 2
100 1911 Paragomphus sabicus Flapper Hooktail Male Close up Ndumo KZN RSA Mch 2018r 13
100 1912 Paragomphus sabicus Flapper Hooktail Male Close up Ndumo KZN RSA Mch 2018r 19
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Flapper Hooktail, Paragomphus sabicus, Male
Flapper Hooktail, Paragomphus sabicus, Female
100 1787 Paragomphus magnus Great Hooktail Male Ndumu Mch 2017r 5
100 1804 Paragomphus magnus Great Hooktail Male Ndumu Mch 2017r 1
107 520 Great Hooktail 1 3

 

107 585 P21816431 1 2
107 523 Great Hooktail r 3
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Great Hooktail, Paragomphus magnus, Male
Great Hooktail, Paragomphus magnus, Female
100 1470 Paragomphus cognatus Rock Hooktail Male Close up Ezemvelo GP RSA Nov 2018r 4
100 1472 Paragomphus cognatus Rock Hooktail Male Close up Ezemvelo GP RSA Nov 2018r 9
100 3558 Paragomphus cognatus Rock Hooktail Male Magoebaskloof LP RSA Jan 2020r 21
100 3641 Paragomphus elpidius Corckscrew Hooktail Famale Close up Verena MP RSA Jan 2023r 4
100 3570 Paragomphus cognatus Rock Hooktail Female Close up Verena MP RSA Nov 2021r 12
100 3573 Paragomphus cognatus Rock Hooktail Female Close up Verena MP RSA Nov 2021r 20
Rock Hooktail, Paragomphus cognatus, Male
Rock Hooktail, Paragomphus cognatus, Female
Leaftails: Genus Phyllogomphus
100 2681 Phyllogomphus selysi Bold Leadtail Male Close up Ndumo KZN RSA Mch 2018r 6
100 2683 Phyllogomphus selysi Bold Leadtail Male Close up Ndumo KZN RSA Mch 2018r 14
100 2684 Phyllogomphus selysi Bold Leadtail Male Close up Ndumo KZN RSA Mch 2018r 18
101 514 Phyllogomphus selysi Bold Leaftail Female Tshipise LP RSA December 2012
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Bold Leaftail, Phyllogomphus selysi, Male
Bold Leaftail, Phyllogomphus selysi, Female
Siphontail: Genus Neurogomphus
107 556 Zambezi Siphontail Male Phalaborwa GP RSA Oct 2017r 4
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100 2267 Neurogomphus zambeziensi Zambezi Siphontail Female Close up Ndumu Mch 2018r 5
100 2269 Neurogomphus zambeziensi Zambezi Siphontail Female Close up Ndumu Mch 2018r 22
100 2270 Neurogomphus zambeziensi Zambezi Siphontail Female Close up Ndumu Mch 2018r 30
Zambezi Siphontail, Neurogomphus_zambeziensis, Male
Zambezi Siphontail, Neurogomphus_zambeziensis, Female
Scissortails: Genus Microgomphus

 

100 819 Microgomphus Nyassicus Easren Scissortail Male Close up Swadini LP RSA Mch 2021r 9
100 822 Microgomphus Nyassicus Easren Scissortail Male Close up Swadini LP RSA Mch 2021r 17
100 826 Microgomphus Nyassicus Easren Scissortail Male Close up Swadini LP RSA Mch 2021r 28
100 1557 Microgomphus Nyassicus Easren Scissortail Female Close up Swadini LP RSA Mch 2021r 14
100 3420 Microgomphus Nyassicus Eastern Scissortail Female Close up Swadini LP RSA Mch 2021r 20
100 3423 Microgomphus Nyassicus Easren Scissortail Female Close up Swadini LP RSA Mch 2021r 32
Eastern Scissortail, Microgomphus Nyassicus, Male
Eastern Scissortail, Microgomphus Nyassicus, Female
Talontails: Genus Crenigomphus
100 3581 Crenigomphus hartmanni Clubbed Talontail Male Close up Verena MP RSA Jan 2021r 8
100 3583 Crenigomphus hartmanni Clubbed Talontail Male Close up Verena MP RSA Jan 2021r 12
100 1796 Crenigomphus hartmanni Clubbed Talontail Male Melkrivier LP RSA Dec 2017r 22
100 3137 Crenigomphus hartmanni Clubbed Talontail Female Close up Leselo Lodge LP RSA OCT 2020r 9
100 3139 Crenigomphus hartmanni Clubbed Talontail Female Close up Leselo Lodge LP RSA OCT 2020r 14
100 3142 Crenigomphus hartmanni Clubbed Talontail Female Close up Leselo Lodge LP RSA OCT 2020r 19
Clubbed Talontail, Crenigomphus hartmanni, Male
Clubbed Talontail, Crenigomphus hartmanni, Female
Tigertails: Genus Ictinogomphus
100 1028 Ictinogomphus ferox Common Tigertail Male Close up Nwanedi LP RSA Dec 2018r 7
100 1030 Ictinogomphus ferox Common Tigertail Male Close up Nwanedi LP RSA Dec 2018r 13
100 1031 Ictinogomphus ferox Common Tigertail Male Close up Nwanedi LP RSA Dec 2018r 14
Ictinogomphus ferox Common Tigertail Female
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Common Tigertail, Ictinogomphus ferox, Male
Common Tigertail, Ictinogomphus ferox, Female
Thorntails: Genus Ceratogomphus
103 500 Ceratogomphus triceraticus Cape thorntail 4
103 501 Ceratogomphus triceraticus Cape thorntail 5
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103 503 Ceratogomphus triceraticus Cape thorntail 3
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Cape thorntail, Ceratogomphus triceraticus, Male
Cape thorntail, Ceratogomphus triceraticus, Female
100 1495 Ceratogomphus pictus Common Thorntail Male Hertzogberg MP RSA Nov 2017r 8
100 1498 Ceratogomphus pictus Common Thorntail Male Hertzogberg MP RSA Nov 2017r 12
100 1500 Ceratogomphus pictus Common Thorntail Male Hertzogberg MP RSA Nov 2017r 14
100 1546 Ceratogomphus pictus Common Thorntail Female Close up Wilgerivier MP RSA Nov 2017r 3
100 1548 Ceratogomphus pictus Common Thorntail Female Close up Wilgerivier MP RSA Nov 2017r 10
100 1550 Ceratogomphus pictus Common Thorntail Female Close up Wilgerivier MP RSA Nov 2017r 15
Common Thorntail, Ceratogomphus pictus, Male
Common Thorntail, Ceratogomphus pictus,Female
Longlegs (Yellowjacks): Genus Notogomphus
100 3053 Notogomphus praetorius Yellowjack Male Close up Houtbosdorp LP RSA Jan 2020r 6
100 3056 Notogomphus praetorius Yellowjack Male Close up Houtbosdorp LP RSA Jan 2020r 18
100 3059 Notogomphus praetorius Yellowjack Male Close up Houtbosdorp LP RSA Jan 2020r 27
104 509 Notogomphus praetotius Yellowjack Febr 2016r 3
104 507 Notogomphus praetotius Yellowjack Febr 2016r 1
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Yellowjack, Notogomphus praetorius, Male
Yellowjack, Notogomphus praetorius, Female