The Variable Dancer is about 1.25 inches long. The male is violet on the thorax and abdomen. The tip of the abdomen is violet-blue on segment 8 and blue on segment 9 and segment 10 is blue with a slight violet tinge. The 2-tone combination distinguishes it from other violet-colored dancers. The thorax has a narrow black median stripe and a black narrow antehumeral stripe which is deeply forked. The eyes are brown above and violet below. The female is brown with thoracic markings like the male. The abdomen is brown with black stripes at the segments. The eyes are brown. The wings of both sexes are clear with dark veins.
Three male Variable Dancers have been seen in Fontenelle Forest in mid-July, 2012, on the North Stream and South Stream. It would seem to be uncommon in Fontenelle Forest in the streams where there is a slight flowing current. This dancer usually sits on vegetation hanging over the water.
As the name suggests, the Variable Dancer has substantial variation in wing color and body pattern according to where it is located geographically. There are 3 subspecies. The Violet Dancer (A.f. violacea), the one that occurs in this area, has clear wings with dark veins. The Smoky-winged Dancer, (A. f. fumipennis), of the southeast has brown wings. And the Black Dancer (A. f. atra) of Florida has all black wings. Egg-laying usually takes place in pairs on submerged plants, but the female does not descend under water.
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