Midget Flatwing (Archiargiolestes parvulus)

The Midget Flatwing (Archiargiolestes parvulus) is a damselfly species of the family Megapodagrionidae, which contains 22 species in Australia.

The identification key to the family Megapodagrionidae consists of 31 couplets, 6 of which are pertinent to Archiargiolestes parvulus. Click on the numbers on the right to display the corresponding couplets. Or click on the ALLin1 button to see all the relevant couplets together in a single, scrollable window.

#	Family	Species	Couplet No.
	Megapodagrionidae	Midget Flatwing (Archiargiolestes parvulus)	Megapodagrionidae: Key couplet 1 of 31 ○ Smaller, with abdomen shorter than 42 mm, hindwings shorter than 35 mm ● Fewer than 27 postnodals b ↑ Megapodagrionidae: Key couplet 2 of 31 ● Generally two, sometimes three, cells in discoidal field between discoidal cell and level of subnodus ● Male superior anal appendage without ventral spur b ↑ Megapodagrionidae: Key couplet 22 of 31 ● Pale humeral stripe vestigial or absent ○ From south-western Australia b ↑ Megapodagrionidae: Key couplet 29 of 31 ● Line of junction between dark and pale areas of synthorax irregular, with black stripe extending down in front of metapleural suture ● Male superior anal appendages with mesal tooth ⇒ genus: Archiargiolestes b ↑ Megapodagrionidae: Key couplet 30 of 31 ● Tooth on superior appendages with single peak b ↑ Megapodagrionidae: Key couplet 31 of 31 ● Anterior margin of tooth almost transverse to axis of abdomen ⇒ species: Midget Flatwing (Archiargiolestes parvulus) b ↑
1			Megapodagrionidae: Key couplet 1 of 31 ○ Large, with abdomen longer than 42 mm ○ hindwings longer than 40 mm ● More than 27 postnodals ⇒ species: Treehole Flatwing (Podopteryx selysi) a ↑ b ↓ ○ Smaller, with abdomen shorter than 42 mm, hindwings shorter than 35 mm ● Fewer than 27 postnodals
2			Megapodagrionidae: Key couplet 2 of 31 ● Generally three or more cells, rarely two in discoidal field between discoidal cell and level of subnodus ● Male superior anal appendages with ventral spur ⇒ genus: Austroargiolestes a ↑ b ↓ ● Generally two, sometimes three, cells in discoidal field between discoidal cell and level of subnodus ● Male superior anal appendage without ventral spur
3			Megapodagrionidae: Key couplet 22 of 31 ● Pale humeral stripe well developed, conspicuous ○ From eastern Australia ⇒ genus: Griseargiolestes a ↑ b ↓ ● Pale humeral stripe vestigial or absent ○ From south-western Australia
4			Megapodagrionidae: Key couplet 29 of 31 ● Line of junction between anterior dark metallic region of synthorax and pale region behind it almost straight, passing diagonally from mesocoxa to base of hindwing ● Male superior anal appendages with low, ventral subterminal flange ⇒ species: Stream Flatwing (Miniargiolestes minimus) a ↑ b ↓ ● Line of junction between dark and pale areas of synthorax irregular, with black stripe extending down in front of metapleural suture ● Male superior anal appendages with mesal tooth ⇒ genus: Archiargiolestes
5			Megapodagrionidae: Key couplet 30 of 31 ● Tooth on superior appendages with broad crown, often forming two low, rounded peaks ⇒ species: Little Flatwing (Archiargiolestes pusillus) a ↑ b ↓ ● Tooth on superior appendages with single peak
6			Megapodagrionidae: Key couplet 31 of 31 ● Anterior margin of tooth on superior appendages approximately 45° to axis of abdomen ● A minor swelling present on anterobasal face of tooth ⇒ species: Tiny Flatwing (Archiargiolestes pusillissimus) a ↑ b ↓ ● Anterior margin of tooth almost transverse to axis of abdomen ⇒ species: Midget Flatwing (Archiargiolestes parvulus)