Insect and Spider Identification: CLOSED: Female Common Darter?, 0 by wallaby1

wallaby1 wrote:
I am having trouble with a definite ID on this one, I only managed the one shot.

The pic on the British Dragonfly Soc of the female Common Darter is just too good and doesn't look like mine, only showing the head end. There are yellow patches on the side of the thorax, mine could have them as there looks to be some yellowish colour. I can just make out red tabs where the wings join on the top pair.

You will need to click on the 'species' link for pics.

http://www.dragonflysoc.org.uk/frameset.htm?home&home

The only other one I think it could be is the female Ruddy Darter and there is no pic of it on that site. When searching I am seeing too much variaton, and in some instances I do think they have been incorrectly named. I don't wish to further misinformation.

The main differences between the two I read is that one has yellow stripes on the legs, that being on the back edges and vertically, not horizontally, that is impossible to see.

The other main difference I can see is the Common Darter does appear to have a darker tail end section than the Ruddy darter. Mine has a darker end section, so I am leaning toward the female Common Darter. It's the pictures I am seeing that make me hesitate.

If anyone has better pics and information please help me out on this.