Great Basin Naturalist Volume 35 Number 4 Article 3 12-31-1975 The Zygoptera (Odonata) of Utah with notes on their biology A. V. Provonsha Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn Recommended Citation Provonsha, A. V. (1975) "The Zygoptera (Odonata) of Utah with notes on their biology," Great Basin Naturalist: Vol. 35 : No. 4 , Article 3. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn/vol35/iss4/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Western North American Naturalist Publications at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Great Basin Naturalist by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. THE ZYGOPTERA (ODONATA) OF UTAH WITH NOTES ON THEIR BIOLOGY^ A. V. Provonsha^ Abstract.— Detailed distribution maps of Utali are provided for each of the 33 state species of Zygoptera. Notes on the general range, habitat preference, reproductive behavior, emergence data, and general biology of each species are also included. As noted by Kormondy (1957), pub- lished data on the geographical distribu- tion of western Odonata is scarce. Ken- nedy (1915) gave a partial list of the Odonata of Washington and Oregon, and in 1917 he published records from central California and Nevada. The Washington list has recently been updated by Paulson (1970) and a complete list and keys to the California Odonata is given by Smith and Pritchard (1956). Bick and Hornuff (1972) published man}^ new Odonata records for northwestern Wyo- ming. Although Larsen (1952) and Mus- ser (1962) added considerably to our knowledge of Utah Anisoptera, only one paper (Brown 1934) dealing exclusively with the Odonata of Utah included a treatment of the Zygoptera. Brown's re- port consisted of an annotated checklist including some 25 currently valid zygop- teran species. During the summers of 1970 and 1971 the state of Utah was extensively collected in an effort to gain an increased under- Fig. 1. County map of Utah. standing of the distribution and species composition of the damselfly fauna of that 5,000 square miles and in many cases area. Some 152 localities throughout the more than one distinct biotic region. In- state were sampled, and the collections at stead, distributions based on all collecting the University of Utah, Utah State Uni- localities known to the author are plotted versity, Brigham Young University, and for each species.^ For those instances Dixie College were examined. As a result, where counties are mentioned in the text, the list of Zygoptera known to occur in the reader may refer to Fig. 1 for their Utah has been expanded to 33. In ad- specific location. Where possible, notes dition, field rearing has added work and on general distribution, habitat prefer- considerably to knowledge of the bi- our ences, emergence data, and reproductive ologv of species (also see Provonsha many behavior are included in the text. and McCafferty 1973). For keys to the zygopteran species No attempt has been made to cite in de- known to occur in Utah, the author re- tail all collection records. Although county commends the following publications: records may be adequate for some states Johnson (1972), Smith and Pritchard where counties are numerous and rela- (1956), and Walker (1953). for tively small, they are meaningless ^Complete collecting data may be obtained Utah, where several counties contain over from the author upon request. ^Published with the approval of the Director of the Purdue University Agricultural Experimeni Station as Journal Series No. 6034. ^Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907. 379 380 GREAT BASIN NATURALIST Vol. 35, No. 4 Calopteryx aequabilis Say, 1839 most of the summer and can be found in Fig. 2 the adult stage to the end of September. The female oviposits singularly and com- This species is known to occur through- pletely submerge to deposit their eggs, out most of Canada east of Saskatchewan while the male, which perches nearby, and the north central and northeastern faces the submerged female and actively United States, with isolated pockets in fends off intruding males (Johnson 1961 Colorado, California, and the Columbia and Bick and Sulzback 1966). River drainage system. The major popula- tion of C. aequibilis in Utah is found at the Raft River, Box Elder Co., which is Hetaerina vulnerata Hagen, 1853 the only major river in Utah flowing Fig. 2 north as part of the Columbia River drain- H. vulnerata is restricted to the south- system. other small isolated pop- age One western United States and Mexico, enter- ulation occurs at Far West, Weber Co. ing only the southwest corner of Utah in single male was collected at Goshen, A Washington County, which is part of the P. V. Utah Co., on 19 May 1969, by Mohave Desert Lower Sonoran. Like H. Subsequent collections at that Winger. americana, the nymphs are found on locality have failed to provide additional roots, vegetation, and debris in streams specimens, and it is doubtful that a popu- with a moderate current. Although these lation is established there. The species two species were found at nearby streams, is restricted to streams where the nymphs they were never taken at the same lo- cling to debris and submerged roots along calities (Provonsha and McCaffertv 1973). the banks. The above record from Goshen is the earliest Utah record I have; species have been taken at the Raft River through FIG, 2 mid-September. This species does not ovi- posit in tandem; however, the male re- Calopteryx aequibile mains in close proximity to the female Hetaerina americana Hetaerina vulnerata and actively wards off other intruding males. Martin (1939) and Walker (1953) observed females descending as much as one foot below the water to deposit eggs. In Jidy 1971 I observed several females ovipositing at the Raft River. On this oc- ]> casion none submerged but completed oviposition just below the water line in algal mats in shallow water close to the bank. It must be noted, however, that the water level was lower than usual and there was little suitable vegetation in the deeper portions of the river. Hetaerina amcricana (Fabricius, 1788) Fig. 2 With the exception of the far eastern and northwestern states and Florida, H. americana has a general distribution throughout the United States and extends southward through Mexico into Guate- Emergence begins around the first of June mala. It is found throughout Utah in and is probably completed by mid-July. rivers and streams below 5,800 feet ele- I am not aware of any reproductive stud- \ation which have a moderate flow and ies conducted on this species, and I have sufficient marginal vegetation for ovipo- never observed any in copulation. How- sition and nymphal development. The ever, it is assumed that .the method of earliest emergence date I have for the oviposition is similar to that of H. amer- state is 29 May. The nymphs emerge over icana. Dec. 1975 PROVONSHA: ZYGOPTERA OF UTAH 381 Archelestes grandis (Rambur, 1842) Lestes congener Hagen, 1861 Fig. 3 Fig. 3 Although this species ranges over much This species is found over much of the of the United States, in Utah it is restric- United States and is by far the most com- ted to the southern deserts. The n5nnphs mon and wide-ranging Lestes in Utah. are active swimmers and can be found All collecting sites were at permanent and in ponds and slow desert streams. All semipermanent ponds or "pondlike" ex- Utah collecting sites were below 4,600 pansions of slow streams at altitudes rang- feet. A. grandis is the largest of all Nearc- ing from 4,200 to 7,000 feet. The nymphs tic damselflies, the females having a wing are free swimmers and seem to prefer span of approximately 40 mm. Like most shallow ponds with some areas free of other lestids, it is a late emerger. The vegetation. Emergence begins in early earliest Utah record I is July. have 9 Bick July and continues through late August. and Bick reported that in (1970) Okla- As in most other Lestes species, the eggs homa emergence is much earlier and that are usually deposited some distance above oviposition is common by mid-June. In water. However, on one occasion during that area the eggs reportedly hatch ap- flood conditions I observed two females proximately 16 days after oviposition, and submerge their abdomens almost to the the nymphs overwinter in a fairlj' late base to deposit eggs below the water line. stage of development. However, there is some evidence that in the western des- Lestes disjunctus disjunctus Selys, 1862 erts, where emergence tends to be later Fig. 4 and where there is often a winter drought, eclosion may be delayed until the fol- Although primarily found in Canada, lowing spring. Oviposition takes place in Alaska, and the northern regions of the tandem, and the eggs are deposited as United States, this species does follow the high as 13 m above water in woody plants mountains south through Utah and Colo- overhanging the water. This unique re- rado into Arizona. In Utah it was found productive behavior has enabled this spe- mainly at permanent and semipermanent, cies to colonize certain habitats, such as richly vegetated ponds in mountainous desert streams, where marginal vegeta- areas between 5,000 and 7,000 feet. Emer- tion may be plentiful but vegetation gence begins around mid-July and con- within the water may be wanting. tinues through mid-August. Although ovi- T^m FiG. ^ Archelestes grandis Lestes disjunctus Lestes congener ^ m- 382 GREAT BASIN NATURALIST Vol. 35, No. 4 position usually takes place well above water, on two separate occasions in 1970 I observed paired adults completely sub- merge to ovipost.