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New Mexico Rare Arthropod Resource

The New Mexico Rare Arthropod Resource

 
Argia leonorae (Leonora's Dancer)  


Taxonomy

  • Class: INSECTA
  • Order: ODONATA
  • Family: COENAGRIONIDAE
  • Genus: Argia
  • Scientific Name: Argia leonorae Garrison, 1994
  • Common Name: Leonora's Dancer
  • Synonyms:

Taxonomic Name Source


Paulson, D.R. and S.W. Dunkle. 1999. A checklist of North American Odonata. Slater Museum of Natural History, University of Puget Sound Occasional Paper, 56: 86 pp. Available: http://www.ups.edu/x7015.xml.
Greg Lasley ()
Species Occurrence Data From: Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

Agency Conservation Status



  • SGCN
  • NMDGF:
  • USFWS:
  • BLM:
  • USFS:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern
  • Nature Serve Global: G3
  • NHNM State: SNR
  • NM Endemic NO


Agency Conservation Status



SGCN NMDGF USFWS BLM Status USFS IUCN
Red List		 Nature Serve
Global		 NHNM State NM Endemic
Least Concern G3 SNR NO


Description

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Leonora’s Dancer is a narrow-winged damselfly, about 28-32 mm in length. The head and eyes are primarily bright baby blue, and the thorax and abdomen are bright blue with blackish markings (Odonata Central 2019). The extent to which the species is patterned and the blue hue varies between individuals.

Habitat and Ecology

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This species is found in slow moving, clear streams, seeps, and small ponds, usually in areas containing clumps of fine, long-stemmed sedges that fall over in tangles, rather than standing upright (Abbott and Paulson 2017, Dunkle 2004).

Geographic Range

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This species has been recorded from Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico, U.S. and Nuevo León, Mexico (NatureServe 2024). It is fairly widespread in Texas but is known from very few sites in the surrounding areas.

Conservation Considerations

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There are no conservation actions currently taking place for this species. The conservation status is not well understood, so surveys are needed to better understand the current distribution and threats to the species and its habitats.

Threats

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Major threats are likely overgrazing and overuse of ground water resources, which may impact water availability and stream quality in suitable habitats (Dunkle 2004). Populations are quite isolated, so recolonizations of sites experiencing localized extirpations is unlikely. The habitats where this species occurs are relatively shallow, and may be adversely impacted by increased incidence, severity, and duration of drought conditions due to climate change (Abbott and Paulson 2017).

Population

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Little is known about the population size and trend for this species. It is uncommon, though widely distributed in Texas (NatureServe 2024), but little else is known about the size or health of populations (Abbott and Paulson 2017). At least one occurrence at Balmorhea State Park in Texas, apparently became extirpated when the spring head was cemented to build a swimming pool (NatureServe 2024).

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