Arroyo Bluet - Enallagma praevarum

Ouch!

This is a tough one. Don't know if we should even try if you don't know the answer. All the images of annas that we have seen have really long appendages, strikingly. So we we guess not River. The alkali does seem to need alkali lakes, which doesn't remind us of Golden, Co and Coors beer, but you would know if you were near one. So we're gonna make it even worse and suggest Arroyo Bluet, Enallagma praevarum. It does seem to like the east side of the Rockies in the Northern Prairiemap. And it's appendages are not quite so big and bold as anna. We'll look forward to your decision on these three

… john and jane balaban, 24 July, 2005 - 3:57pm

Still undecided

The dorsal pattern doesn't look right for Arroyo. The blue dorsal stripes are uniform in size on Arroyo, and also mine has a thin blue line on top of the thorax. Sometimes these have to be ID'd in hand, I hope that's not the case here. Thanks for giving me more options.

… tom murray, 24 July, 2005 - 5:17pm

interesting difference from Kathy Biggs

Here's a description from CALIFORNIA COENAGRIONIDAE :
description male: middle abdomen segments mostly black;
blue on top of abdomen segments # 3-7 is 50% less than
on each previous one;
thorax: one dark side stripe;
often a thin blue line thru top (BUT THIS LINE IS NOT DIAGNOSTIC);
upper and lower appendages about the same length;
upper appendages forked with lower fork pointed rearward
-- This sounds very different from the description you received.

… john and jane balaban, 24 July, 2005 - 7:44pm

This sounds good

Arroyo Bluet must be what this is by the info and picture on this California site. Earlier I googled up an image, and it was different, maybe a misidentification, or some variation.
http://www.greglasley.net/arroyoblu.html
Thanks for all the help, I'll move it a new page.

… tom murray, 25 July, 2005 - 6:10am