Archilestes Selys 1862 and Lestes Leach 1815
Fig. 1Notes - Michigan Species List - Key - References
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Page last updated: 14 December 1998 (EB)
Notes on the Michigan Species of Lestes
Fig. 1Lestidae is a widely distributed family of large-sized, slender damselflies. There are two genera of Lestidae in North America - Archilestes and Lestes. Archilestes is principally a neotropical genus, with two species found north of Mexico. Lestes is cosmopolitian. Presently 9 species of Lestes have been recorded in Michigan and are all fairly widespread across the state (see maps below). However, given the rapid range expansion of Archilestes grandis (Gloyd 1980) from Southwestern into the Midwest (including Illinois, Indiana and Ohio) and Northeastern USA, we suspect it may be in southern Michigan and thus is included in the key below. Larvae are characterized by their distinctively long, narrowed labium that extends in repose back to the metacoxae (Fig.1). Based on current knowledge, male larvae of Lestes cannot always be identified to species.
Larvae are usually daytime surface predators (Fischer 1972, Eriksen 1984), and are well adapted for visual hunting: they possess more ommatidia eye cells than any other family of Odonata except Aeshnidae (Corbet 1962). Larvae are found in aquatic bodies with ample aquatic vegetation and/or organic matter, usually ponds, bogs, and marshes, but also in slow-moving streams, rivers and their impoundments (for species' habitat accounts, see Walker 1941; but see also Westfall and Tennessen 1973). Several species are able to quickly develop in temporary pool and ponds. Eriksen (1984) studied the ability of L. disjunctus in a Montana bog pond control their shunt their energy toward day-time feeding when oxgyen levels are highest, and become inactive at night to reduce metabolic demands, metabolism. During nightime, when oxygen levels and larval respiration is low, larvae are largely inactive, thus in effect conserving energy for daylight hours when oxygen levels are highest, and supportive of active predation. The author believes this allows larvae to most effectively support rapid growth and emerge before aquatic conditions (temperature, oxygen) become too difficult for larvae to survive. Larvae of Archilestes are found in ponds, empoundments and streams of slow or moderate flow (Westfall and May 1996), and it's ability to survive in poor water quality may be a reason for this species rapid expansion throughout central and eastern North America (see Moskowitz and Bell, 1998)
Other links with information on the biology or
ecology of larval Lestes and
Archilestes:
Brief
habitat notes from Ottawa, Ontario
>> http://www.cyberus.ca/~jdsankey/odon2.html
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Map 8
Map 91a. Distal margin of palpal lobe with three sharp processes, the outermost markedly shorter than the movable hook (picture); caudal gills with two well-defined dark crossbands (picture) - Archilestes grandis
1b. Distal
margin of palpal lobe with four processes, three sharp hooks and one
truncate lobe whose edge has a serrated border within upper notch
(picture); gills never with two distinct and complete dark crossbands
(picture) - Lestes,
2
2a.(1b). Lateral spines present on abdominal segments 1, 2,
3 or 4-9; all gills of equal width along entire length, only 1/6 as
wide as long (except at extreme tip) (picture) - 3
2b. Lateral
spines present on abdominal segments 5 or 6-9; gills gradually
tapering distally, widest part of median gill 1/3 to 1/5 length of
gill, with dorsal margin convex (picture) - 4
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(1)
3a.(2a). Lateral spines present on abdominal segments 1-9
(picture); black-brown band on apexes of third tarsal segments
(picture); slow streams and lagoons - L. inaequalis
3b. Lateral
spines absent on abdominal segment 1, present on segments 2 or 3-9
(picture); apexes of third tarsal segments without black-brown
banding (picture); bog-margined lakes - L. vigilax
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(2); Back to beginning of
key
4a.(2b). Lateral spines present on abdominal segments 4-9
(picture); on mature larvae, hind (outer) wing pad ca. 0.75x length
of lateral gills (picture); serrated process of palpal lobe with
denticles jagged and irregular (picture); total length (including
lateral gills) of mature larvae >35 mm; bog ponds, local
distribution - L.
eurinus
4b. Lateral
spines present on abdominal segments or 6-9 (very rarely segment 4 on
L. disjunctus and L.
unguiculatus); hind wing pad at most
slightly more than 0.5x length of lateral gill (picture); serrated
process of palpal lob with denticles usually more or less uniform and
regularly spaced (picture); total length (including lateral gills) of
mature larvae < 34 mm - 5
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key
5a.(4b). Movable hook of each palpus with three or four
long setae (picture) - 6
5b. Movable
hook of each palpus with two long setae (picture) - 8
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key
6a.(5a). Width of slenderest part of prementum ca. 1/3 the
width of the expanded distal part at base of palpi (picture); length
of prementum < 3.5 mm in mature larvae (picture); permanent and
semi-perminent waters - L.
congener
6b. Width of
slenderest part of prementum < ca. 1/4x width of the expanded
distal part at base of palpi (picture); length of prementum > 3.5
mm in mature larvae (picture) - 7
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couplet(5); Back to beginning of key
7a.(6b). Ovipositor of female extending little if any
beyond apex of abdominal segment 10 (picture); labium extending
rearward to middle of metacoxae at most (picture); total length
usually < 30 mm; perminent or semi-perminent still marshy waters,
often abundant - L.
unguiculatus
7b. Ovipositor
of female extending well beyond apex of abdominal segment 10
(picture); labium extending rearward beyond metacoxae, if not, total
length usually >30mm (picture); common in temporary or
semi-perminent ponds, less common in perminent marshy waters -
L. dryas
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key
8a.(5b). Slender proximal part of prementum at most twice
the length of the expanded distal part (picture) - 9
8b. Slender
proximal part of prementum distinctly greater than twice the length
of the expanded distal part, usually 2.5 times or greater (picture) -
10
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key
9a.(8a). Venter of abdominal segments 3-9 with a median row
of paired, brown, elongate spots at posterior margins (picture);
movable hook of palpal lobe about 4x as long as its middle width
(picture); ovipositor of female extending only to apex of segment 10
(picture) - L.
rectangularis
9b. Venter of
abdominal without such paired spots (picture); movable hook of palpal
lobe about 3x as long as its middle width (picture); ovipositor of
female extending slightly beyond segment 10 (picture) -
L.
unguiculatus
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10a.(8b). Ovipositor of female extending to level of tips of
cerci or beyond (picture) - L.
forcipatus
10b. Ovipositor of female extending only to level of bases of
cerci (picture) - L.
disjunctus (slow streams, marshy
lakes and bog ponds, prevalent on acid soils) and L. rectangularis
(quiet permanent waters of shady streams)
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(8); Back to beginning of key
Corbet, P. S. 1962. A biology of dragonflies. H. F. & G. Witherby Ltd.: London. xvi + 247 pp.
Eriksen, C. H. 1984. The physiological ecology of larval Lestes disjunctus Selys (Zygoptera: Odonata). Freshwater Invertebrate Biology3(3):105-117.
Fischer, Z. 1972. The energy budget of Lestes dryas Kirby (Odonata). Pol. Arch. Hydrobiol. 19:215-222.
Gloyd, L. K. 1980. The taxonomic status of the genera Superlestes and Cyptolestes Williamson 1921 (Odonata: Lestidae). Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan 694:1-3.
Hagen, H. A. 1861. Synopsis of the Neuroptera of North America, with a list of the South American species. Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections 4:1-347.
Leach, W. E. 1815. Entomology, pp. 52-172. In Brewster's Edinburgh encyclopaedia. Vol. 9. Edinburgh.
Moskowitz, D. P., and D. M. Bell. 1998. Archilestes grandis (great spreadwing) in central New Jersey, with notes on water quality. Bulletin of American Odonatology 5(3):49-54.
Rambur, M. P. 1842. Histoire naturelle des insectes. Névroptères. (Suites à Buffon). 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.
Selys-Longschamps, M. E. de. 1862. Synopsis des agrionines, seconde légion: Lestes. Bulletin de l'Académie royale des Sciences de Belgique (2)13:288-338 (reprint 1-54).
Walker, E. M. 1941. List of the Odonata of Ontario with distributional and seasonal data. Transactions of the Royal Canadian Institute 32(2):201-265.
Walker, E. M. 1953. The Odonata of Canada and Alaska, Vol. 1. University of Toronto Press: Toronto, Ontario. 292 pp.
Walsh, B. D. 1862. List of the Pseudoneuroptera of Illinois contained in the cabinet of the writer, with descriptions of over forty new species, and notes on their structural affinities. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Science of Philadelphia 2:167-272.
Westfall, M. J., and M. L. May. 1996. Damselflies of North America. Scientific Publishers: Gainesville, Florida. x + 650 pp.
Westfall, M. J., and K. J. Tennessen. 1973. Description of the nymph of Lestes inaequalis (Odonata: Lestidae). The Florida Entomologist56(4):291-293.