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Pacific Northwest Damselflies (Zygoptera) |
| Taxonomic Name | Common Name | Larval Characteristics | Adult Characteristics | |
| Family | Calopterygidae cal-lop-ter-RIDGE-geh-dee | Broadwinged | Long slender body; first antennal segment greatly elongate, as long as the length of the remaining segments; incapable of swimming with side-to-side undulations used by most other damselfly nymphs; inhabit streams and rivers; cling to underwater roots, and wait for current to bring them food.. | Large body, stout abdomen, wings w/wide black tips; male exhibits courtship behavior, hovering and bouncing in front of female until either accepted or rejected; female crawls down plant stem underwater and oviposits in plant tissue.. |
| Calopteryx | Taxonomic Name | Common Name | Larval Characteristics | Adult Characteristics |
| Genus | Calopteryx
| Jewelwing. | . | . |
| Species | aequabilis
| River Jewelwing. | Habitat: streams, rivers; Length: 35-40 mm. | In adult stage: early-Jun to early-Sep. |
| Hetaerina | Taxonomic Name | Common Name | Larval Characteristics | Adult Characteristics |
| Genus | Hetaerina
| Rubyspot. | . | . |
| Species | americana
| American Rubyspot. | Habitat: streams, rivers; Length: 38-46 mm. | In adult stage: late-May to mid-Oct. |
| Taxonomic Name | Common Name | Larval Characteristics | Adult Characteristics | |
| Family | Coenagrionidae seen-ag-gree-ON-ni-dee | Narrowwinged | Characterized by long slender body; first antennal segment distinctly shorter than combined length of the following segments; proximal portion of gills not differing from distal portion. | Body small with long slender abdomen; coloration customarily blue and black; emerge during day by crawling up vegetation; female uses ovipositor to cut slit into plant tissue into which it inserts eggs. |
| Amphiagrion | Taxonomic Name | Common Name | Larval Characteristics | Adult Characteristics |
| Genus | Amphiagrion
| Bog. | . | . |
| Species | abbreviatum
| Western Red Damsel. | Habitat: ponds, sloughs, slow streams; Length: 19 mm. | In adult stage: late-Apr to late-Sep; Length: 26-28 mm. |
| Argia | Taxonomic Name | Common Name | Larval Characteristics | Adult Characteristics |
| Genus | Argia
| Dancer. | . | . |
| Species | emma
| Emma's Dancer. | Habitat: streams, rivers; Length: 20-21 mm. | In adult stage: early-Jun to late-Sep; Length: 20-21 mm. |
| Species | vivida
| Vivid Dancer. | Habitat: springs, seeps, small streams; Length: 17 mm. | In adult stage: mid-Mar to late-Oct; Length: 29-35 mm. |
| Coenagrion | Taxonomic Name | Common Name | Larval Characteristics | Adult Characteristics |
| Genus | Coenagrion
| Damselfly. | . | . |
| Species | interrogatum
| Subarctic Bluet. | Habitat: fens. | In adult stage: mid-Jul; Length: 28-32 mm. |
| Species | resolutum
| Taiga Bluet. | Habitat: fens; Length: 21-22 mm. | In adult stage: early-Jun to mid-Sep; Length: 31-37 mm. |
| Enallagma | Taxonomic Name | Common Name | Larval Characteristics | Adult Characteristics |
| Genus | Enallagma
| Bleut. | . | . |
| Species | boreale
| Boreal Bluet. | Habitat: ponds, lakes; Length: 19-23 mm. | In adult stage: mid-Apr to late-Oct; Length: 26-33 mm. |
| Species | carunculatum
| Tule Bluet. | Habitat: ponds, lakes; Length: 19-23 mm. | In adult stage: mid-Apr to early-Nov; Length: 31-37 mm. |
| Species | clausum
| Alkali Bluet. | Habitat: ponds, lakes; Length: 31-24 mm. | In adult stage: mid-May to mid-Sep; Length: 31-37 mm. |
| Species | cyathigerum
| Northern Bluet. | Habitat: ponds, lakes, slow streams; Length: 16-20 mm. | In adult stage: early-May to mid-Oct; Length: 26-33 mm. |
| Species | ebrium
| Marsh Bluet. | Habitat: ponds; Length: 16-20 mm. | In adult stage: mid-Jun to late-Sep; Length: 26-33 mm. |
| Ischnura | Taxonomic Name | Common Name | Larval Characteristics | Adult Characteristics |
| Genus | Ischnura
| Forktail. | . | . |
| Species | cervula
| Pacific Forktail. | Habitat: ponds, lakes, slow streams; Length: 15-18 mm. | In adult stage: mid-Mar to late-Oct; Length: 26-32 mm. |
| Species | erratica
| Swift Forktail. | Habitat: ponds. | In adult stage: mid-Apr to mid-Sep. |
| Species | perparva
| Western Forktail. | Habitat: ponds, lakes, slow streams; Length: 15-18 mm. | In adult stage: late-Apr to late-Oct; Length: 23-28 mm. |
| Nehalennia | Taxonomic Name | Common Name | Larval Characteristics | Adult Characteristics |
| Genus | Nehalennia
| Green. | . | . |
| Species | irene
| Sedge Sprite. | Habitat: fens. | In adult stage: mid-Jun to mid-Sep. |
| Telebasis | Taxonomic Name | Common Name | Larval Characteristics | Adult Characteristics |
| Genus | Telebasis
| Flapper. | . | . |
| Species | salva
| Desert Firetail. | Habitat: ponds, streams. | In adult stage: mid-May to mid-Oct. |
| Taxonomic Name | Common Name | Larval Characteristics | Adult Characteristics | |
| Family | Lestidae
| Spreadwinged | Inhabit marshes, ponds, and slow streams; are active underwater hunters and vigorous swimmers. | Large body, long abdomen short wings, weak flier; daytime emerger by climbing vegetation; adult perches vertically with wings held open; female uses ovipositor to cut slit into plant tissue or wet wood and inserts eggs, usually in tandem w/male. |
| Archilestes | Taxonomic Name | Common Name | Larval Characteristics | Adult Characteristics |
| Genus | Archilestes
| Spreadwinged. | . | . |
| Species | californicus
| California Spreadwing. | Habitat: slow streams, associated lakes; Length: 25-30 mm. | In adult stage: mid-Jul to early-Nov; Length: 41-55 mm. |
| Lestes | Taxonomic Name | Common Name | Larval Characteristics | Adult Characteristics |
| Genus | Lestes
| Marsh Spreadwinged. | . | . |
| Species | congener
| Spotted Spreadwing. | Habitat: ponds, lakes; Length: 22-26 mm. | In adult stage: late-Jun to mid-Nov; Length: 30-41 mm. |
| Species | disjunctus
| Common Spreadwing. | Habitat: ponds, lakes; Length: 12-29 mm. | In adult stage: late-Jun to late-Oct; Length: 30-41 mm. |
| Species | dryas
| Emerald Spreadwing. | Habitat: ponds; Length: 27-28 mm. | In adult stage: early-Jun to mid-Sep; Length: 30-41 mm. |
| Species | forcipatus
| Sweetflag Spreadwing. | Habitat: ponds, lakes. | In adult stage: mid-Jul to early-Sep. |
| Species | unguiculatus
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing. | Habitat: ponds; Length: 27-28 mm. | In adult stage: early-Jun to mid-Sep; Length: 30-41 mm. |
| Taxonomic Name | Common Name | Larval Characteristics | Adult Characteristics | |
| Family | Protoneuridae
| Threadtail | Inhabit stream or lake shore; proximal portion of gills thickened and darkened. | Small damselfly with a pin-thin abdomen; first antennal segment equal in length to following segments; nodus very distinctly delineated. |
Created: 08/13/2005 Last modified: 08/25/2006 www.FlyfishingEntomology.com