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BugGuide Gathering
Smoky Mountains
University of Tennessee Biological Field Station
August 8-10, 2008
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Photos from the last gathering (Minnesota 2007)

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Photo#178165
variable dancer damselfly argia fumipennis

variable dancer damselfly argia fumipennis
Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA
June 1, 2005

Forktail
This appears to be an older adult female Ischnura verticalis.

 
I think the purple (violet) c
I think the purple (violet) color indicates it is Argia fumipennis male . teddie

 
Well...
Purple does indicate a male generally in the species, however, they bottom half of this damselfly's eyes are green, a fair indicator of a female forktail. Additionally, it is my impression that dancers generally hold their wings higher up and are thinner. A more clear field mark would be that Argia fimmipennis has a blue tinted abdomen tip. This is probably a comparatively old specimen as females gain pruinosity with age, covering up the orange coloration they show with youth. I now am uncertain that this is an Eastern Forktail, but perhaps a related species, likely the Fragil Forktail. See these pictures for comparison:

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