Hawai’i has its own set of unique damselfly species that are found nowhere else on earth. About 12 million years ago, the first Megalagrion damselfly arrived in Hawai’i and found a land of ecological opportunity. They have diversified into 23 species across, which can be found across the main Hawaiian Islands. They are:
Megalagrion nigrohamatum nigrohamatum: Native to Maui and East Molokai
Megalagrion nigrohamatum nigrolineatum: Endemic to Oahu
Megalagrion pacificum is endangered and found on Oahu, Molokai, and Maui. This one is from Molokai
Megalagrion xanthomelas: this one is from Oahu, but they are also found on molokai and the big island
Megalagrion koelense can be found on Oahu, Molokai, and Maui
Megalagrion blackburn is a large, red species that is endemic to Maui, Molokai, and the Big Island
Megalagrion calliphya can be found on Maui, Molokai, and the Big Island
Megalagrion leptodemas from Oahu is a pool species and endangered
The face of Megalagrion leptodemas
Another view of the face of M. leptodemas