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Springwater Dancer
Argia plana |
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| The Springwater Dancer (Argia plana) is a widespread damselfly of the south central U.S., where it usually occupies flowing, clear streams. The first two photos here were shot along a clear Texas hill country stream on the Balcones Canyonlands NWR in Travis Co., Texas in June 2003. The images are digital captures with a Canon EOS 10D and EF 180 Macro lens with a 1.4 extender and a ring flash. See below for more photos on an interesting "pale-morph" of this species. |  |
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| The shot shown here was taken in Travis Co., Texas in May, 2005, with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and an EF 180mm F/3.5 Macro and 580 EX flash. |  |
| The next set of three photos illustrate a very interesting damselfly which is apparently a very pale form or morph of Springwater Dancer. The first photo (of these three) is a shot of an immature male apparent Springwater Dancer taken in northern Presidio Co., Texas on a private ranch in September 2004 with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and an EF 300 mm F/4 L IS lens with 2X extender and 550 EX flash. Below this imm. male shot are two photos of another, older male from near the same location. When initially observed, we thought perhaps this was some strange Mexican species since its thorax was so pale blue and its abdomen showed a violet color. In addition, the humeral stripe was forked, unlike more "typical" Springwater Dancers shown in the top photos on this page. Several (of the dozen or more present) were collected and subsequent examination of the specimens by Dr. John Abbott at the University of Texas indicates they were indeed Springwater Dancer (Argia plana). Since several people have asked about these odd-looking apparent A. plana and whether or not any of the more "typical" appearing members of the species were present, I will add a little commentary. The clear-flowing stream where these individuals were found comes down a canyon in northern Presidio County in fairly rugged terrain. These pale damsels were all found in along a ca. 100 meter length of the stream. In this vicinity I saw no "normal" A. plana, just ones that looked like the below photos. Several hundred meters up the stream, however, I did see several typical looking A. plana. |  |
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| This close up of the dorsal pattern of the thorax and head of a male Springwater Dancer was taken in the Davis Mountains, Jeff Davis Co., Texas, in June, 2005, with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and EF 180mm F/3.5 Macro and 1.4X extender. |  |
| The ovipositing pairs of Springwaters were in the Davis Mountains of west Texas in June, 2005. This shot was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 580 flash. |  |
| The male shown here was taken at the same time and place as the above two shots. |  |
| The male shown here was in Austin, Travis Co., Texas, in May, 2007 and was shot with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender and 580 flash. |  |
| The female shown here was in Sycamore Canyon, Santa Cruz Co., Arizona, in May, 2008. This image was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender. |  |
| The male shown here was shot at the same time and place as the female above. Individuals of this species in Arizona are more purple than those in Texas. |  |
| The female Springwater Dancer shown here was near Fort Davis, Jeff Davis Co., Texas, in September, 2009. This shot was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and an EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender and 580 flash. |  |
| The pair of Springwater Dancers on the right was near Austin, Travis Co., Texas, in June, 2003. The female is ovipositing. |  |
| The male on the right was in Fort Davis, Jeff Davis Co., Texas, in September, 2004. |  |
| The young male on the right was in Presidio Co., Texas, in September, 2004. |  |
| The male on the right was in Austin, Travis Co., Texas, in May, 2005. |  |
| This male was near Fort Davis, Jeff Davis Co., Texas, in June, 2005. |  |
| The male Springwater Dancer on the right was in Cottonwood Canyon, Comanche National Grasslands, Baca Co., Colorado, in July, 2011. This shot was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and a Sigma 50-500mm lens and Canon 580 flash. |  |
| The female Springwater Dancer on the right was in Dripping Springs, Hays Co., Texas, in July, 2012. This shot was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and an EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 1.4X extender. |  |
| Springwater Dancer Argia plana male Madera Canyon, Davis Mountains, Jeff Davis Co., Texas 21 August 2013 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana male Cienega Creek, Big Bend Ranch State Park, Presidio Co., Texas 22 August 2013 |
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Springwater Dancer Arizona Springwater Dancers are purple rather than blue like the ones in Texas. 31.3827 |
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Springwater Dancer Arizona Springwater Dancers are purple rather than blue like the ones in Texas. 31.3827 |
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Springwater Dancer Arizona Springwater Dancers are purple rather than blue like the ones in Texas. 31.3827 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana male Bog Tank Creek, Apache Co., Arizona 1 September 2013 34.0470 -109.6832 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana male Last Chance Canyon, near Sitting Bull Falls, Lincoln National Forest, Eddy Co., New Mexico 2 September 2013 32.2584 -104.7119 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana male Empire Cienega, Pima Co., Arizona 7 October 2013 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana male Chinati Hot Springs, Presidio Co., Texas 22 May 2015 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana pair in tandem Chinati Hot Springs, Presidio Co., Texas 22 May 2015 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana male ZH Canyon, Miller Ranch, Presidio Co., Texas 23 May 2015 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana male Cibilo Creek, Shafter, Presidio Co., Texas 24 May 2015 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana male Mike Murphy Ranch, Travis Co., Texas 16 July 2015 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana male Coyote Creek State Park, Mora Co., New Mexico 18 August 2015 Lat 36.174947, Lon -105.232748 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana pair in tandem Coyote Creek State Park, Mora Co., New Mexico 18 August 2015 Lat 36.174947, Lon -105.232748 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana male Brown Creek, Apache Co., Arizona 26 August 2015 Lat 34.0469, Lon -109.686 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana male Brown Creek, Apache Co., Arizona 26 August 2015 Lat 34.0469, Lon -109.686 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana female Dripping Springs, Hays Co., Texas 5 March 2016 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana male Dripping Springs, Hays Co., Texas 27 October 2016 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana male Dripping Springs, Hays Co., Texas 27 November 2016 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana male Mike Murphy Ranch, ca 7 mi W of Bee Cave, Travis Co., Texas 17 April 2017 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana male Mike Murphy Ranch, ca 7 mi W of Bee Cave, Travis Co., Texas 17 April 2017 |
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| Springwater Dancer Argia plana female Dripping Springs, Hays Co., Texas 3 June 2017 |
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