AESHNIDAE - DARNERS
Darners are large, fast-flying dragonflies with a correspondingly robust thorax. The abdomen is long, straight and cylindrical and the eyes are unified along a well-defined straight line. The family is almost world-wide in distribution and in the Old World its members are known as "Hawkers". The name "Darner" derives from the fact that the abdomen of the female resembles a sewing needle in shape. These are predatory dragonflies feeding on insects and even fish. They are capable of flying backwards and even hovering like a helicopter.
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Thanks to Natalia Ellenrieder for her assistance with identifying some of the Odonata images on the site!
Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law. Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay. Photographs on this page were taken by Paul Smith and Martijn Brouwer and are used with their permission.
 
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FIGURE 1 - AMAZON DARNER Anax amazili - Laguna Capítán, Deparrtamento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith April 2016).
FIGURE 2 - PLANALTO DARNER Rhionaeschna planaltica - Hotel Tirol, Deparrtamento Itapúa (Paul Smith April 2016).
FIGURE 3 - BUENOS AIRES DARNER Rhionaeschna bonariensis - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Martijn Brouwer May 2007).
FIGURE 4 - BLUE-FACED DARNER Coryphaeschna adnexa - Laguna Capítán, Deparrtamento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith April 2016).
FIGURE 5 - ARGENTINE RED DARNER Coryphaeschna perrensi - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Paul Smith April 2016).
FIGURE 6 - CONSTRICTED DUSKHAWKER Gynacantha convergens - Laguna Capítán, Deparrtamento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith April 2016).
FIGURE 7 - WING-STRIPED DUSKHAWKER Gynacantha bifida - Encarnación, Deparrtamento Itapúa (Paul Smith June 2016).
FIGURE 8 - NYMPH DUSKHAWKER Triacanthagyna nympha - Encarnación, Deparrtamento Itapúa (Paul Smith April 2016).