Identify This Insect

[Mark Melton]

Identify this insect by order, suborder, family, genus and life stage.

 

[Taxon]

Hi Mark-

My SWAG is:

Order: Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)
Suborder: Zygoptera (Damselflies)
Family Coenagrionidae (Narrow-winged Damselflies)
Genus Argia (Dancers)
Lifestage: Nymph

 

[Mark Melton]

You got it, Roger. Would you please tell us how you came to each conclusion?

 

[Taxon]

You got it, Roger. Would you please tell us how you came to each conclusion?

Okay. Your posted images were immediately recognized as being a damselfly nymph, which yielded order, suborder and lifestage. The primary visual clues to family were antennae, legs, caudal lamellae, and overall body shape. However, then things got decidedly more difficult, as the vast majority posted damselfly images are of the adult lifestage, rather than being of the nymphal lifestage. By this time I was getting rather tired, so I took a shortcut and searched your BugGuide posted images, but please don't tell anyone.

 

[Mark Melton]

Your secret is safe with me.

 

[tkww]

Is the very brown coloration normal? (And wow those legs stand out!!)

 

[Mark Melton]

Is the very brown coloration normal? (And wow those legs stand out!!)

In the Russian River it's normal and ones I've seen from other rivers show the same coloration. That being said, there are a number of other species in the same genus that look different in coloration. You can see some of them by searching google with the term Argia nymphs.