An odonate exuvia from a Great Spreadwing damselfly (Archilestes grandis) was collected by Edgar Spalding at a small private pond in Middleton, Wisconsin USA.
SEP 2022 | Middleton, WI | Archilestes grandis (exuvia, ventral side)
External gills (3), highlighted by a blue rectangle in the following annotated image, indicate the exuvia is from a damselfly in Suborder Zygoptera.
The camera lens was manually focused on the prementum, located near the anterior end of the exuvia (highlighted by a red rectangle). The overall shape of the prementum indicates this specimen is from Family Lestidae (Spreadwings); the unique shape of the palpal lobes (highlighted by a purple rectangle) indicates Genus Archilestes.
There are two species in Genus Archilestes in North America: Archilestes californicus; and Archilestes grandis. I think it’s reasonable to infer this individual is A. grandis since Wisconsin is far out of range for A. californicus.
SEP 2022 | Middleton, WI | Archilestes grandis (exuvia, ventral side)
This individual is a female, as indicated by the rudimentary ovipositor located on the ventral side of its abdomen, near the posterior end (highlighted by a green rectangle in the preceding annotated image).
Related Resources
- How to Identify Damselfly Exuviae to Family, by Walter Sanford
- A Beginners’ Guide to Identifying the Exuviae of Wisconsin Odonata to Family, by Freda van den Broek and Walter Sanford.
- Sexing odonate exuviae (Zygoptera), by Walter Sanford
Copyright © 2022 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags: Archilestes grandis, exuvia, Family Lestidae (Spreadwings), female, Genus Archilestes, Great Spreadwing damselfly, ovipositor, prementum
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