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The Sarracenia Spiketail (Cordulegaster sarracenia) was described new to science in 2011 by John C. Abbott and Troy D. Hibbitts. An abstract of the Zootaxa PDF article describing this new species is available here. The full article should be available on the Internet soon, but until then if you would like a copy of the article please contact me and I will send you the PDF of it. The full article describes the original discovery of this new dragonfly and the research that has gone into this species so far. Currently, Sarracenia Spiketail is known only from five counties in east Texas and one parish in adjacent western Louisiana. The species has only been found in and around boggy areas containing the pitcher plant Sarracenia alata. This is also a very early species, with flight dates currently known between 14 March and 29 April. In 2011 they were not found after about 11 April. On the right is a male Sarracenia Spiketail perched on the red stem of a new pitcher plant in the Kisatchie National Forest, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, in early April, 2011. This shot was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and a Sigma 50-500mm lens and Canon 580 flash.
On the right is the first specimen ever collected of Sarracenia Spiketail (right) held next to a Twin-spotted Spiketail (Cordulegaster maculata) illustrating some of the visual differences. This image was taken in April, 2010 in the Angelina National Forest, Jasper Co., Texas.
The next two images on the right show different female Sarracenia Spiketails in Jasper Co., Texas in April, 2010. Note the very short ovipositor.
The next three images show a teneral male Sarracenia Spiketail in Jasper Co., Texas in March, 2011.
A teneral female Sarracenia Spiketail is shown in the next three images. Like the above images, these were taken in Jasper Co., Texas, in March, 2011.
The males on the right in the next three shots were in the Peason Ridge Wildlife Management Area, Kisatchie National Forest, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, in March, 2011.
The male on the right in the next three shots is perched on one of the previous year's pitcher plants, in Jasper Co., Texas, in March, 2011.
Another male in Jasper Co., Texas, in March, 2011.
The next three shots show a pair of Sarracenia Spiketails in copula in Jasper Co., Texas, in April, 2011. This was the first time a pair of this new species in copula had been observed or photographed.
Another male from Jasper Co., Texas, in April, 2011.
A male Sarracenia Spiketail in the Peason Ridge Wildlife Management Area, Kisatchie National Forest, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, in April, 2011. This one is perched on new growth of the pitcher plant.
The next eight images of male Sarracenia Spiketail were taken in the Kisatchie National Forest, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, in March and April, 2012.