Damselfly/Dragonfly nymph puzzle....

[Red Robin]

This looks like a Damselfly larva/nymph to me:







^ It has the slim abdomen and the long wing sheaths of a damselfly nymph. Also, it is about 15-20mm. But, it doesn't have any Caudel lamellae nor Anal appendages:



According to my guide books, Caudel lamellae function as gills. So how is this one 'breathing'/surviving? It responded in the usual way when being approached by calmly hiding on the other side of the lily stem.

I am puzzled by this as it doesn't look like a dragonfly nymph to me. Anyone have any ideas, please?

[Matt Smith]

It is a damselfly nymph that has lot its caudal lamellae - they are fragile and can be disloged by being netted.

[RoyW]

Hi Robin,

This is a damselfly larva, but it is one that has lost its caudal lamellae (not especially uncommon, and probably usually due to a close call with a predator).
Early stage larva will regrow the lamellae when they moult, but this one looks to be close to emergence so its next moult may be when it assumes adult form.

Damselfly larva can usually survive without too much of a problem if they lose these because although the lamellae seem to play a role in the exchange of gases, they are also able to exchange gases through the body surface.

[Red Robin]

Thanks, guys

If lost with an encounter with a predator, there is a 2 inch dragonfly nymph in my small pond and also a few Palmate newts but I always see a few damselfly nymphs too and a couple have already emerged.

It looks like the larva of a Red damsel to me and I have witnessed a Large Red Pyrrhosoma laying eggs in my pond.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by Red Robin

It looks like the larva of a Red damsel to me and I have witnessed a Large Red Pyrrhosoma laying eggs in my pond.

Definitely not Large Red (the rear of the head is almost straight on Large Red Larvae so it is quite distinctive). Because of the admittedly not particularly distinct spotting on the head, behind the eye, I suspect that it may be an Azure Damselfly (although I wouldn't like to say that for certain).

[Red Robin]

Originally Posted by RoyW

Definitely not Large Red (the rear of the head is almost straight on Large Red Larvae so it is quite distinctive). Because of the admittedly not particularly distinct spotting on the head, behind the eye, I suspect that it may be an Azure Damselfly (although I wouldn't like to say that for certain).

....Ooops! That's the problem with my limited photography - I'd need to do what you guys do and remove the subject from the pond and shoot in a special 'studio' setup and with more professional cameras than mine. I've had the 2 camera bodies and 4 lenses hanging off my shoulders in the past and now prefer the digital compact which is always in my pocket. It has limitations such as facilitating reliable species identification but I get my buzz from shooting in the natural environment and capturing an atmosphere - Not so easy to focus on subjects when they are underwater and you're not! My perfect camera would be a compact Leica X1 but with macro and waterproof which are two features the Leica doesn't have.

I've now read more of my two recently bought guide books and had based my Large Red assessment on an illustration in Smallshire&Swash (a mostly photographic guide) showing striped legs and very long wing sheaths plus distinctive markings on the upper abdomen, but Lewington (ironically a mostly illustrated guide) shows a better photo of the Large Red and my subject clearly isn't one. Should I buy a third guide book?

Beautiful Demoiselle damsels are very common in my neck of the woods in coastal West Dorset.



^ Beautiful Demoiselle, Calopterix virgo, along my nearby small river.



^ Azure damselfly, Coenagrion puella, female newly emerged from my pond.



^ Large Red damselfly, Pyrrhosoma nymphula, laying eggs in my pond.

Thanks for your help, Roy