Prepared by Stewart E. Hamill

The Pygmy Snaketail (Ophiogomphus howei) is a small, brightly-coloured dragonfly which lives in large rivers with steady flow. Adults are thought to forage in the canopy of forests surrounding the rivers. Eggs are laid into the water where they are carried downstream and eventually sink. During the day the larvae burrow into sand or gravel sediments. At night they come to the surface and prey on other invertebrates or small fish.

This species is a globally rare dragonfly which occurs only in Eastern North America. In Canada it has been found in 11 locations in New Brunswick and at one site in Ontario. The Ontario location is on the Namakan River in the Rainy River district of northwestern Ontario. The species is listed as endangered on the Species at Risk in Ontario (SARO) List under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA).

The greatest potential threat to the Pygmy Snaketail in Ontario is the impoundment of running waters, but others include forest harvesting and invasive species. Other threats common to dragonflies, such as road-kill, recreational use of waters during the emergence period, construction and pollution, may be of lower concern due to the remote northern location. Limiting factors include a need for pristine conditions and the species' short travel distance. Knowledge gaps are many, but major ones are the complete lack of information on population size and the unknown precise egg-laying location in Ontario.

The recovery goal is to ensure the long-term survival of Pygmy Snaketail in Ontario by protecting the existing population. The protection and recovery objectives are to:

  • protect and maintain the quality and quantity of habitat on the Namakan River in Ontario where Pygmy Snaketail occurs;
  • implement a monitoring program at the location where Pygmy Snaketail is known to exist;
  • conduct additional inventories for Pygmy Snaketail in suitable habitat.

When adult Pygmy Snaketails and/or breeding sites are found, it is recommended that the protection provided by a habitat regulation should be applied to those areas, including the river and 200 metres of forested habitat on either side.