Drepanosticta versicolor

Zygoptera

Species Name: Drepanosticta versicolor

Family: Platystictidae

Members of this family of small damselflies are dwellers of primary dipterocarp forest and found on small streamlets and boggy areas around springs. Drepanosticta spp are brownish bronze in colour, usually with abdomens marked sparingly with light blue or pale spots and they fly close to the ground in the shaded  forest understorey making them very difficult to see. I only saw this specimen for a few moments before it vanished back into the shadows!

Bornean platystictids are still not well studied and many more new species are likely to be found. However the insect in my photos is quite likely to be D. versicolor by virtue of the presence of a long sharp spine on the rear margin of its prothorax. (I thank Dr Rory Dow for identifying these, and other photos for me).

I took these photos on a recent visit to the Danum Valley Field Centre whose many jungle trails and streams proved to be ideal hunting grounds for me! Alas two days was simply too short!