Illinois river cruiser
(Macromia illinoiensis illinoiensis)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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| NatureServe | N5 - Secure SNR - Unranked |
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| Minnesota | not listed |
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Description |
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Illinois river cruiser is a large, slender, 1⅝″ to 3″ long dragonfly. The thorax is dark brown on the sides and top, iridescent green in front. There is a single yellow vertical stripe on each side of the thorax and no vertical stripe on the front of the thorax. The ridge in front of each wing base (antealar carina) is yellow. The abdomen is long, slender, and black with yellow spots. Abdominal segment 2 has a yellow ring around it that is interrupted at the top and at the sides. There is a pair of small spots on segments 3 and 4; no spots or very faint spots on segments 5 and 6; one large, conspicuous spot on abdominal segment 7; and often a pair of dash-like spots on segment 8. On the male, segments 7 through 10 are conspicuously swollen, forming a club. The wings are long, slender, and clear except for a black stigma at the leading edge of each wing. Juveniles often have yellow-tinted wings. Some females have orangish-brown wingtips. The eyes are bright green and are in contact at the top of the head. The legs are black. |
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Size |
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1⅝″ to 3″ long |
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Similar Species |
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| Georgia river cruiser (Macromia illinoiensis georgina) is the southern subspecies. It has a half-length yellow stripe in the front of the abdomen. The ring around abdominal segment 2 is continuous, not interrupted. There are conspicuous yellow spots on abdominal segments 3 through 8. | ||
Habitat |
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Large lakes, large rivers, large streams |
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Biology |
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Season |
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Late June to early September |
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Behavior |
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Life Cycle |
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The female lacks an ovipositor, and must deposit her eggs by flying fast over the surface of the water and washing the eggs off of her body. |
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Naiad Food |
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Adult Food |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 10/23/2012 | ||||
Occurrence |
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Common |
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Taxonomy |
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Order |
Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) | ||
Suborder |
Epiprocta | ||
| Infraorder | Anisoptera (dragonflies) | ||
Superfamily |
Cavilabiata | ||
Family |
Macromiidae (belted and river skimmers) | ||
Genus |
Macromia | ||
Synonyms |
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Common Names |
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Illinois river cruiser Swift river cruiser |
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Glossary
Ovipositor
A tube-like organ near the end of the abdomen of many female insects, used to prepare a place for an egg and to place the egg.
Stigma
In plants, the portion of the female part of the flower that is receptive to pollen. In Odonata and Hymenoptera, a blood-filled blister or dark spot at the leading edge of each wing toward the tip, thought to dampen wing vibrations and signal mates. In Lepidoptera, an area of specialized scent scales on the forewing of some skippers, hairstreaks, and moths.
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