Powdered Dancer

Powdered Dancer
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Suborder: Zygoptera
Family: Coenagrionidae
Genus: Argia
Species: A. moesta
Binomial name
Argia moesta
(Hagen, 1861) [1]
Range of A. moesta [2]

The Powdered Dancer (Argia moesta) is a damselfly of the family Coenagrionidae. It may be seen year-round in at least some of its range.[3]

Etymology

The common name refers directly to the male's pruinosity, appearing to be covered with a powdery blue or grayish substance. Older males are more pruinose, and may even be more ash white than blue. The scientific name moesta, means sorrowful, and may refer to customs (such as those on Ash Wednesday) of dusting oneself with ashes to express sorrow or mourning.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Argia moesta". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=102146. 
  2. ^ "Distribution Viewer". OdonataCentral. http://www.odonatacentral.org/index.php/MapAction.windowed. Retrieved December 5, 2009. 
  3. ^ Abbott, John C. (2005). Dragonflies and Damselflies of Texas and the South-Central United States. Princeton University Press. pp. 77–78. ISBN 0691113645. 
  4. ^ Paulson, Dennis R; Dunkle, Sidney W (14 April 2009). A Checklist of North American Odonata. p. 11. 

External links