This page provides information and images of Cryptic Rubyspot Hetaerina calverti,
a taxon described in 2020 as the result of a split from H.
americana.
The article reference is: "Hetaerina calverti (Odonata: Zygoptera:
Calopterygidae) sp. nov., a new cryptic species of the American
Rubyspot complex". In summary the primary identification
feature for males is the structure of the cerci, and for females
is the presence and shape of a spike dorso-apically on segment
10. These features are almost impossible to determine in the
field and would require exceptional field photos to have a chance
of determining an identification. The bottom line is that
identification can only be conclusively confirmed by close
examination of the end of the cerci (males) or S10 (females).
I found out about this new species by accident back in April 2020
very soon after the paper was published, and saw in the article
that there were records of calverti very close to the Texas border
in the Del Rio area. A conversation with Dennis Paulson
revealed that he had a small number of specimens from San Felipe
Creek - and all of them were calverti from the period 1961 -
2001. Thus from May 2020 I was chomping at the bit to get to
San Felipe Creek, but the pandemic prevented me from doing so that
year. I finally had the opportunity to visit Del Rio in
early March 2021, and had already realised that I would need to
photograph an individual and then catch that individual.
On March 09. 2021 I visited the creek; the only odes I saw were
five rubyspots: four males and one female. None were fully
mature. I photographed all five, and was able to catch two
males and the female. I took a few in-hand photos, then
prepared them as specimens and photographed the salient elements
using a microscope. Here are some of the photos I obtained.
Male #1:
Male #1 cerci from above:
Male #1 cerci from below:
Male #2:
Male #2 cerci from above:
Male #2 cerci from below:
Female:
