Dancer
Guides
Argia
Dancers
Argia is the largest and most diverse genus in the damselfly subfamily Argiinae, comprising approximately 114 described species with additional species awaiting description. Members are commonly known as "dancers" due to their characteristic jerky, erratic flight pattern. The genus is restricted to the Western Hemisphere, with species ranging from North America through Central and South America and the Caribbean. Despite the genus name deriving from Greek for "laziness," these damselflies are notably active and alert predators. The genus has been subject to extensive taxonomic revision, with multiple revisions published between 1994 and 2022.
Argia agrioides
California Dancer
Argia agrioides, commonly known as the California Dancer, is a damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae native to western North America. The species ranges from Oregon south through California to Arizona and into adjacent parts of Mexico. Like other members of the genus Argia, it exhibits the characteristic jerky, bouncing flight pattern that gives these damselflies their common name of "dancers."
Argia barretti
Comanche Dancer
Argia barretti, the Comanche Dancer, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It occurs in Central America and North America. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern with a stable population. As a member of the genus Argia, it belongs to the largest genus in the subfamily Argiinae, comprising approximately 114 species in the Western Hemisphere.
Argia cuprea
Coppery Dancer
Argia cuprea, commonly known as the coppery dancer, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. The species is widely distributed across the Americas, occurring in Central America, North America, and South America. It was first described by Hagen in 1861. The IUCN lists this species as Least Concern with a stable population, last assessed in 2018.
Argia immunda
Kiowa Dancer
Argia immunda, the Kiowa dancer, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It occurs in Central America and North America. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern with a stable population. Like other members of the genus Argia, it is commonly referred to as a 'dancer' due to its distinctive flight pattern.
Argia lacrimans
Sierra Madre Dancer
Argia lacrimans, commonly known as the Sierra Madre Dancer, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It is found in Central America and North America. The IUCN lists this species as Least Concern (LC) with a stable population and no immediate threats to its survival. As a member of the genus Argia, it belongs to the largest genus in the subfamily Argiinae, which is characterized by distinctive jerky flight patterns that contrast with the direct flight of other damselfly groups.
Argia moesta
Powdered Dancer
Argia moesta, commonly known as the Powdered Dancer, is a damselfly species in the family Coenagrionidae native to North America. Mature males develop a distinctive pale blue pruinosity—a waxy, powdery coating—over their bodies. The species is notable for its year-round activity in parts of its range and its tendency to form oviposition aggregations, where females select egg-laying sites based on the presence and posture of conspecifics.
Argia nahuana
Aztec Dancer
Argia nahuana, commonly known as the Aztec Dancer, is a damselfly species in the family Coenagrionidae. It is a member of the diverse genus Argia, which contains approximately 114 species in the Western Hemisphere. The species exhibits distinctive morphological features including a forked dark stripe on the side of the thorax and blue postocular spots.
Argia oenea
Fiery-eyed Dancer
Argia oenea, commonly known as the fiery-eyed dancer, is a narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It occurs in Central America and North America. The species is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable population and no immediate threats to its survival. Like other members of the genus Argia, it is referred to as a 'dancer' due to its distinctive jerky flight pattern.
Argia tezpi
Tezpi Dancer
Argia tezpi, commonly known as the Tezpi Dancer, is a species of narrow-winged damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. It belongs to the speciose genus Argia, which contains approximately 114 species in the Western Hemisphere. The species is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable population and no immediate threats to its survival.