Overview
Megalagrion is a genus of damselflies found only in Hawaii. A member of the family , Megalagrion contains approximately 25 species.
Larval Megalagrion live in widely diverse habitats, including the expected streams and pools. Megalagrion also exploit some surprising habitats such as plant leaf axils, waterfall faces, and even damp fern leaf litter far from water sources. Megalagrion oahuense is the only species of damselfly whose naiad is terrestrial, living in damp fern litter until metamorphosis.
Many species of Megalagrion are in danger due to habitat loss and predation by non-native fish. To protect them, non-native fish should never be released in Hawaiian streams.
Taxonomy
The Genus Megalagrion is further organized into finer groupings including:
- Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 34 species and subspecies in the Genus Megalagrion: M. adytum (Adytum Megalagrion Damselfly) · M. amaurodytum · M. amaurodytum amaurodytum · M. amaurodytum fallax · M. amaurodytum peles (Pele Megalagrion Damselfly) · M. amaurodytum waianaeanum · M. amaurodytum waianaenum (Waianae Megalagrion Damselfly) · M. blackburni (Blackburn's Hawaiian Damselfy) · M. calliphya (Beautiful Hawaiian Damselfy) · M. calliphya calliphya · M. calliphya microdemas · M. eudytum (Frosty Hawaiian Damselfy) · M. hawaiiense (Hawaiian Upland Damselfly) · M. heterogamias (Kauai Mountain Damselfly) · M. jugorum (Maui Upland Damselfly) · M. kauaiense (Kauai 'le'ie Damselfly) · M. koelense (Koele Mountain Damselfly) · M. leptodemas (Crimson Hawaiian Damselfly) · M. mauka · M. molokaiense (Molokai Damselfly) · M. nesiotes (Flying Earwig Hawaiian Damselfly) · M. nigrohamatum (Nigrohamatum Megalagrion Damselfly) · M. nigrohamatum nigrohamatum · M. nigrohamatum nigrolineatum (Blackline Megalagrion Damselfly) · M. oahuense (Oahu Damselfly) · M. oceanicum (Oceanic Megalagrion Damselfly) · M. oresitrophum · M. orestitrophum (Slender Kauai Damselfly) · M. orobates (Yellowface Kauai Damselfly) · M. pacificum (Pacific Megalagrion Damselfly) · M. paludicola (Kauai Bog Damselfly) · M. vagabundum (Scarlet Kauai Damselfly) · M. williamsoni (Williamson's Hawaiian Damselfly) · M. xanthomelas (Orange-Black Megalagrion Damselfly)
Sources
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