Prepared by Julia J. Mlynarek

The Riverine Clubtail (Stylurus amnicola) is a dragonfly in the family Gomphidae, commonly referred to as the clubtails. The genus Stylurus, commonly called the hanging clubtails, differ from other clubtails in that they have relatively short hind legs and, when perched, typically “hang” vertically from vegetation with their abdomen pointing downwards. Most other clubtails typically perch horizontally on the ground or upon vegetation and have longer hind legs.

Its distribution ranges from Georgia and Louisiana to southern Manitoba and Quebec (although it is quite localized in portions of this range) and from the eastern coast of North America to eastern Nebraska and Manitoba. There are three main populations of the Riverine Clubtail in Canada: Boreal (Quebec), Great Lakes Plains (Ontario) and Prairie (Manitoba). The Great Lake Plains population, which occurs in Ontario, has been assessed as endangered by COSEWIC and COSSARO, and is currently listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, 2007. Within Ontario, this species has only been collected at three localities: Big Creek and Big Otter Creek, two tributaries of Lake Erie,cite and Aux Sables River in Chutes Provincial Park. The Riverine Clubtail was first recorded in the summer of 1999 at Big Otter Creek.

There are knowledge gaps in knowing and understanding the threats for this species. However, it is believed that the main threats to the survival of the Riverine Clubtail are habitat loss and degradation, pesticides, road mortality, invasive/introduced species and climate change.

The goals of the Recovery Strategy for the Riverine Clubtail are to ensure a viable, self-sustaining population in Ontario and maintain the Riverine Clubtail’s existing range of occurrence in Ontario.

The objectives of the Recovery Strategy are to:

  1. Protect, maintain and, where appropraiate, enhance the quantity and quality of existing Riverine Clubtail habitat.
  2. Increase knowledge of Riverine Clubtail biology in Ontario including distribution, abundance, life history and habitat needs.
  3. Reduce and mitigate threats to the Riverine Clubtail and its habitat.

It is recommended that the streams currently occupied by the Riverine Clubtail and select habitat surrounding the streams extending inland 200 metres (the typical distance the dragonflies travel between reproductive and roosting habitats) be prescribed as habitat under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, 2007.