A very speciose New World genus of coenagrionid damselflies, most species are found in Central and South America, and many more species there remain to be described. Five species have been recorded in Michigan (see below). A. apicalis, A. sedula and A. tibialis are known only from the Lower Peninsula; the other two species - A. fumipennins and A. moesta - are widespread throughout the state.
These robust larvae (Figure 1) are distinguished from our other coenagrionids by large, flattened prementum that lack premental setae and have three pointed hooks (one movable hook and two pointed palpal lobes). Unlike most other coenagrionids in Michigan, Argia are principally lotic, inhabiting slow-moving sections of streams and rivers, but our species are also found in lentic habitats. A. moesta has been found along rock-margined lake sections and under rocks of stream rapids (Walker 1953), and A. apicalis, A. sedula and A. tibialis along lake shores, ponds, ditches or swamps (Westfall and May 1996).
Other links with information on the biology or
ecology of larval Argia:
New
Jersey survey, with brief habitat notes
>>http://www.hsrl.rutgers.edu/cumb.cape.txt
Venezuela
water quality survey
>>http://www.redpav-fpolar.info.ve/entomol/v09-1/v0901a04.html
(Spanish and English summaries)
Houston,
Texas area survey, with brief habitat notes >>http://www.io.com/~pdhulce/dragon3.html
Ottawa,
Ontario survey, with brief habitat notes >> http://www.cyberus.ca/~jdsankey/odon2.html
Argia
vivida conservation status in British
Columbia, Canada
>>http://rbcm1.rbcm.gov.bc.ca/End_Species/es_franc/species/vdancer.html
Information
for obtaining German 16mm movie on egg-laying habits of
Argia moesta >>
http://www.iwf.gwdg.de/iwfger/alldaten/E2997.html (German)
Map 1
Map 2
Map 3
Map 4
Map 51a. Lateral gills with both dorsal and ventral marginal fringe of stout setae at least 0.75x that of the total marginal length (picture); dark femoral band usually distinct (picture) - 2
1b. Lateral
gills with ventral marginal fringe of stout setae no more than 0.66x
that of the total marginal length, much shorter or lacking on the
dorsal margin (picture) - 3
2a.(1a). Antennal segments 1 and 2 pale (picture); femoral
dark bands narrower than intervening spaces (picture) -
A. sedula
2b. Second antennal segment partially or entirely dark (Figure 2b1); femoral dark bands usually quite distinct on inner surfaces (picture) - A. fumipennis
Fig. 2b1
Fig. 2b1: Argia fumipennis larva (25x, dorsal view), from River Raisin, Lenawee
Co., Michigan, collected by M. F. O'Brien and E. Bright on 02 May
1997. UMMZODO-1111.
Back previous couplet
(1)
3a.(1b). Lateral carina of lateral gills with stout setae,
if any, rather scattered, restricted to the basal 1/4 of the gill,
and with numerous fine hairs (picture); hind femora each with one
wide, dark band (picture); tracheation of gills usually not distinct
(picture) - A. moesta
3b. Lateral
carina of lateral gills with setae extending at least 1/3 the length
of the gills (picture); palpal setae 0-4 (picture) - 4
Back previous couplet
(2); Back to beginning of
key
4a.(3b). Palpal setae 2-4 (picture); lateral gills usually
widest at about the mid-point, about 2/5 as long as long (picture);
dark bands of femora usually wider than the intervening spaces -
A. apicalis
4b. Palpal
setae usually 1 (picture); lateral gills usually widest distinctly
beyond the mid-point, about 1/3 as wide as long (picture); dark bands
of femora usually narrower than the intervening spaces (picture) -
A. tibialis
Back previous
couplet (3); Back to beginning of key
Burmeister, H. 1839. Handbuch der Entomologie. Vol 2. Enslin: Berlin. Pp 397-1050.
Hagen, H. A. 1861. Synopsis of the neuroptera of North America, with a list of the South American species. Smithsonia Miscellaneous Collections 4:1-347.
Rambur, M. P. 1842. Histoire naturelle des insectes Neuropteres. Roret: Paris. 534 pp.
Say, T. 1839. Descriptions of new North American neuropterous insects and observations on some already described by (the late) Th. Say. Journal of the Academy of Natural Science of Philadelphia 8:9-46.
Walker, E. M. 1953. The Odonata of Canada and Alaska. Vol. 1. University of Toronto Press: Toronto, Ontario. xii + 292 pp.
Westfall, and M. J. May. 1996. Damselflies of North America. Scientific Publishers, Inc.:Gainesville, Florida. x + 659 pp.