258 DRAGONFLIES OF NORTH AMERICA 
Family AGRIONIDAE 
These are broad winged damselflies. The wings are not stalked (i.e. 
the membranous area behind the anal vein extends to the wing base). 
The quadrangle is long, parallel sided, and traversed by a number of 
cross veins. There are numerous antenodal cross veins. There is no 
brace vein to the stigma. The colors of the body are highly metallic. 
The nymphs are very long legged, stream inhabiting, slender creatures 
that cling to roots and trash in the edges of the current. The basal 
joint of the antenna is longer than the six succeeding segments taken 
together. The deep median cleft of the labium is diamond shaped. The 
gills are thick and ridged longitudinally. There are no raptorial setae 
on the labium. 
The adults of this family have been called the ‘‘Birds of Paradise 
amongst Odonata.”’ In our fauna there are but two genera, separable 
as follows: 
KEY TO THE GENERA 
Adults 
1 The space before the arculus free from cross veins. . Agrion, p. 259 
The space before the arculus with cross veins. . .Hetaerina, p. 262 
Nymphs 
1 Middle lobe of labium cleft far below base of lateral lobes...... 
NPS OPE An OU RR imma Snitge smnary ae Una etrKthN 18 Agrion, p. 259 
Middle lobe of labium cleft only to base of lateral lobes........ 
Kite eich Sans ‘etek ete ans gemelead a okerereh: Spaeane Jens pipe ote Hetaerina, p. 263 
