Acisoma panorpoides

Anisoptera

Species Name: Acisoma panorpoides

Family: Libellulidae

Male

At first glance this small species looks like Diplacodes travialis even the males and females in both species are similarly coloured blue and pale greenish yellow respectly. However look closer and you'll see that their abdomens look "pregnant", bulging at the base and thin at the tail end. This unique shape gives it the common name the Pintail.

Female

Acisoma panorpoides is a very widespread Libellulid being recorded

from South Africa and Madagascar to the Mediterranean, into

mainland Asia and Southeast Asia.

Previously thought to be absent from the northern part Borneo, I had

photographed it in Lahad Datu, Sabah as well as Tuaran, near Kota

Kinabalu where I found it to be very common near paddy fields.