Saturday, 7 February 2009

Ischnura senegalensis

Zygoptera
Species Name: Ischnura senegalensis
Family: Coenagrionidae
Photo 1: A pair in the wheel
The Common Bluetail, also known as the Ubiquitous Bluetail is a very widespread damselfly found from Africa, the Middle East  and throughout Southern and Eastern Asia.
Photo 2: An orange form female
It is very common in open drains, ponds and swamps but not found in shaded areas and forest. The male is pale green on the sides of its thorax with black markings and a blue-tipped abdomen. Females, however appear in three colour forms, in one form it's similar to the male, then there's an olive green form and a golden orange form (which gives the species another common name - Senegal Golden Dartlet). All these female forms appear to be just as common as the other and can all be encountered at the same location at the same time.
Photo 3: An olive-green female devouring a Agriocnemis femina

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