Overview

On any warm summer day, you can easily observe damselflies around a vegetated pond or the rocks along the banks of a stream. Like the more familiar dragonfly, damselflies are among the most remarkably distinctive insects in their appearance and biology, and they have become one of the most popular creatures sought by avocational naturalists. Damselflies of Texas is the first field guide dedicated specifically to the species found in Texas. It covers 77 of the 138 species of damselflies known in North America, making it a very useful guide for the entire United States. Each species account includes: illustrations of as many forms (male, female, juvenile, mature, and color morphs) as possible common and scientific names, with pronunciation distribution map key features identifying characteristics discussion of similar species status in Texas habitat, seasonality, and general comments In addition to photographing damselflies in the wild, the author and illustrator have developed a new process for illustrating each species by scanning preserved specimens and digitally painting them. The resulting illustrations show detail that is not visible in photographs. The book also contains chapters on damselfly anatomy, life history, conservation, names, and photography, as well as a list of species that may eventually be discovered in Texas, state and global conservation rankings, seasonality of all species in chronological order, and additional resources and publications on the identification of damselflies.

Full Product Details

Author:   John C. Abbott ,  Barrett Anthony Klein
Publisher:   University of Texas Press
Imprint:   University of Texas Press
Dimensions:   Width: 11.40cm , Height: 2.30cm , Length: 18.40cm
Weight:   0.481kg
ISBN:  

9780292714496

ISBN 10:   0292714491
Pages:   292
Publication Date:   01 May 2011
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Preface Acknowledgments Introduction What Is a Damselfly? Damselfly Anatomy Head Thorax Wings Abdomen Sexes Coloration Life History of Damselflies Egg Nymph Adult Reproduction Flight Vision Creating the Illustrations in the Book Texas Biotic Provinces Damselfly Habitats Conservation Odonate Names Photographing Damselflies The Value of Odonate Collections How to Identify Damselflies How to Use the Species Accounts Species Accounts Family Calopterygidae Broad-winged Damselflies Sparkling Jewelwing Ebony Jewelwing American Rubyspot Canyon Rubyspot Smoky Rubyspot Family Lestidae Spreadwings Great Spreadwing Plateau Spreadwing Southern Spreadwing Rainpool Spreadwing Blue-striped Spreadwing Elegant Spreadwing Slender Spreadwing Chalky Spreadwing Lyre-tipped Spreadwing Swamp Spreadwing Family Protoneuridae Threadtails Coral-fronted Threadtail Amelia's Threadtail Orange-striped Threadtail Family Coenagrionidae Pond Damsels Paiute Dancer Blue-ringed Dancer Blue-fronted Dancer Powdered Dancer Sooty Dancer Golden-winged Dancer Blue-tipped Dancer Tezpi Dancer Dusky Dancer Comanche Dancer Apache Dancer Springwater Dancer Seepage Dancer Leonora's Dancer Aztec Dancer Variable Dancer Lavender Dancer Kiowa Dancer Amethyst Dancer Coppery Dancer Fiery-eyed Dancer Burgundy Bluet Orange Bluet Vesper Bluet Alkali Bluet Arroyo Bluet Double-striped Bluet Familiar Bluet Atlantic Bluet Big Bluet Tule Bluet Rainbow Bluet Azure Bluet Attenuated Bluet Turquoise Bluet Stream Bluet Skimming Bluet Slender Bluet Neotropical Bluet Caribbean Yellowface Mexican Wedgetail Painted Damsel Rambur's Forktail Desert Forktail Eastern Forktail Mexican Forktail Plains Forktail Black-fronted Forktail Citrine Forktail Lilypad Forktail Fragile Forktail Furtive Forktail Cream-tipped Swampdamsel Red-tipped Swampdamsel Sphagnum Sprite Southern Sprite Everglades Sprite Duckweed Firetail Desert Firetail Appendix A. Species That May Eventually Occur in Texas Appendix B. Conservation Status Ranks for Texas Damselflies Appendix C. Seasonality of Texas Damselflies Appendix D. Damselfly Publications and Resources Glossary References Indexes

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Author Information

John C. Abbott is Curator of Entomology for the Texas Natural Science Center at the University of Texas at Austin. He has published many papers on aquatic insects, including dragonflies and damselflies, and is the author of the more specialized volume Dragonflies and Damselflies of Texas and the South-Central United States.

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