Dragons & Damsels

Trithemis aurora

2010-12-12T18:53:00.006+08:00

Anisoptera

Species name: Trithemis aurora

Family: Libellulidae

A whole year has passed since I last posted in this blog! I just can't believe how time passes so fast! Well, at least I still have one post in 2010. Hopefully more...

Male in all its splendour

Female

The Crimson Dropwing is a common dragonfly of open ponds and drains. The male is brightly coloured - its whole body as well as the viens on its wings are bright pinkish crimson. Quite a sexy guy, who likes to show off his colours basking in the sun while assuming the obelisk posture! The female however is comparatively dull - she's light brownish.

Male in obelisk posture

Female doing handstand! What he can do so can she!

This is a widespread species with a geographic range that cover the whole of Asia.

Rhodothemis rufa

2009-12-20T12:04:00.006+08:00

Anisoptera

Species Name: Rhodothemis rufa

Family: Libellulidae

For the first time I was able to rear a dragonfly larva up to emergence. However unfortunately although I guessed the day of emergence, I was too late to catch the start of the emergence process.On the morning of the larva's change to adulthood I woke up at 3:15 a.m. but found that it had already fully emerged! I was only able to take photos of it hanging fully extended from the exuvia.

This, after 2 months of guessing and wondering about its species, turned out to be Rhodothemis rufa a common species in Asia - with a range from Bangladesh through India, Indochina, China, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. My thanks to Dr Rory Dow and Dr Sadayuki Ugai for the sp. identification.

The male however is rather difficult to distinguish from other common and very similar red libellulids. However the female (shown here) is recognized by its brownish colour and the mid-dorsal light yellow streak which run from the top of the antefrons through the thorax down to segment 5 of the abdomen. Unfortunately I don't have a photo of a male.

The larva when I first collected it was a rather long-legged spiderlike creature!

Mature larva (underside)

Mature larva with mosquito larvae which I provided it. It also readily ate small tadpoles.

The newly emerged female with its characteristic mid-dorsal line.

Indaeschna grubaueri

2009-06-14T18:25:00.012+08:00

Anisoptera

Species Name: Indaeschna grubaueri

Family: Aeshnidae

Male resting beside pond

Members of the family Aeshnidae are the gaints of the Odonata and this is one of the largest of the gaints. This is the second time that I've seen and photographed this species at the very same pond at the edge of a forest reserve near Lahad Datu town. The first time was in 2006 when I saw a male resting on vegetation at the side of the pond, and today I was fortunate enough to see this huge female ovipositing at this pond. Interestingly she was laying her eggs in the moist soil just above the water. This species is also known to lay its eggs in water-filled tree holes and on buttress cavities of large trees.

Female on the wing

Females of I. grubaueri have hindwings that measure up to 68mm while males are thinner and smaller with 59-62mm long hindwings. Both sexes are similarly coloured with bright lime-green markings on the thorax and wide bands on the abdomen.

Female ovipositing on wet soil above water line

This species is said to be widespread in lowland forest in Sundaland and the Philippines.

Libellago hyalina

2009-06-07T22:46:00.004+08:00

Zygoptera

Species Name: Libellago hyalina

Family: Chlorocyphidae

This is the other Libellago sp. which I was able to photograph with my Nokia mobile phone in the Binusan Forest Reserve in Nunukan, Kalimantan Timur, Indonesia during my short visit there last week. Dr Rory Dow said my photos "almost certainly" showed Libellago hyalina.

L. hyalina has a wider range than the sp. in my previous post, being found from parts of China, Thailand, down to Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and other parts of Indonesia.

My photos show the mature male which has a dark blue/purple abdomen (apparent only when seen in bright sunlight). Immature males have red markings on the abdomen, while the females like those of other spp. in this genus are rather darb in colour.

Libellago phaethon

2009-06-07T21:30:00.010+08:00

Zygoptera

Species Name: Libellago phaethon

Family: Chlorocyphidae

Last week I took the short ferry ride from Tawau, Sabah across the border to Nunukan in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. There, friends took me to a picnic area in a forest reserve near town but unfortunately I had not brought along my DSLR camera, because I found some very interesting damselfly species which were new to me! Two of them were Libellago spp. of which, after much patience, I was able to take some fairly sharp photos with my Nokia N85 mobile phone camera!

L. phaethon is said to be known only from northeast Borneo (just south of Tawau, Nunukan Island would be in this area) being more well known from small streams in Danum in Sabah.

The male is uniquely coloured blue (on thorax and basal half of abdomen) and red markings on the rest of the abdomen. The female (which I did not see) like those of the other species in the genus is darb in colour and difficult to identify unless when associated with the males.

I observed typical Libellago male agression behaviour among the males - two males would hover above a piece of territory facing each other until one of them retreats. I also saw this species confront males of L. hyalina which was also quite common here in this manner.

Tholymis tillarga

2009-05-09T21:15:00.009+08:00

Anisoptera

Species name: Tholymis tillarga

Family: Libellulidae

A male resting in the shade during the day photographed

on Pulau Sapi an island off Kota Kinabalu

This is another common crepuscular libellulid like the two Zyxomma ssp. (obtusum & petiolatum) and are found in similar habitats, i.e. drains, weedy ponds and other open bodies of water.

Two males in flight at dusk

It is active at dusk, flying to and fro along drains and across ponds, the males are quite conspicuous for the white wing patches. In flight they are rather frustrating to photograph!

An immature male showing very faint white wing patch

A female

The body of this medium-sized insect is orange-brown and the hindwing has an amber tinted patch followed by a patch of bluish white in the males while this white patch is absent in the female. Hence its common name - Coral-tailed Cloudwing.

Distribution: widespread in tropical Asia, Africa and Australasia.

Drepanosticta versicolor

2009-05-03T21:59:00.007+08:00

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!

Coeliccia nigrohamata

2009-05-02T19:10:00.021+08:00

Zygoptera

Species Name: Coeliccia nigrohamata

Family: Platynemididae

I found several males of these small damselflies with conspicious blue markings on the upperside of the thorax resting on low vegetation along a small streamlet on the forest edge in the Danum Valley Field Centre. Unlike most damselflies they were extremely unafraid and I could easily pick them up with my hand. (Unfortunately I did not see any females).

On checking Dr A G Orr's Dragonflies of Borneo later I found my photos matched that of Coeliccia nigrohamata. I was however informed that members in this group of Coeliccia were currently under reclassification and this could very well be classified as a different species!

Coeliccia spp. are found in forested habitats, inhabiting fresh water marshes, streams and springs. They are not usually found in open country or big rivers. This particular species belongs to a group of blue-marked species in the genus, another group consists of mainly species with yellow markings. A species found in Peninsular Malaysia, C. octogesima has a famous blue telephone-shaped logo on the synthorax (see Dr Choong's blog).

Coeliccia nigrohamata has been recorded from Brunei and Sabah.

Neurobasis longipes

2009-04-25T23:35:00.005+08:00

Zygoptera

Species Name: Neurobasis longipes

Family: Calopterygidae

Male on rock in midstream (taken without flash)

This surely has to be the most beautiful damselfly in Borneo! Witnessing it in nature is one of the most breathtaking experiences for me. My photos hardly convey the true beauty of this creature that has simply to be seen in life. I had previously only glimpsed it momentarily on a few ocassions in forested rivers and had never had a chance to photograph it until now.

Close-up of male (taken with flash)

I saw this spectacular male in the shallow rocky Sungai Palum Tambun which is a tributary of the mighty Segama River in the Danum Valley Field Centre. It was tirelessly flitting from rock to rock in the late afternoon, occassionally I also saw his less colourful mate, but she was too shy to pause and pose for me! It had me chasing it from rock to rock trying to get a good picture and mercifully, just as I was about to become totally exhausted and before the sun disappeared, it stayed put for a while and let me approach it to get my photo!

The body of both sexes are bright metallic green in colour, the top of the male's hindwings are brilliantly iridescent green and its forewings are clear with a yellow-brown tint while the both the female's wings are clear with a lighter yellow-brown tint.

Members of the family Calopterygidae (from the Greek words meaning beautiful wings) are slender with long thin legs and mainly coloured metallic green. N. longipes is found in Borneo as well as in Peninsular Malaysia where another similar and slightly bigger species N. chinensis is also found.

Orchithemis pulcherrima

2009-04-12T10:28:00.009+08:00

Anisoptera

Species Name: Orchithemis pulcherrima

Family: Libellulidae

I was pleasantly surprised when I came across this small dragonfly near a pond in the oil palm plantation recently as I have never seen it in Sabah before. I first saw and photographed this species in the Lambir Hills National Park in Miri, Sarawak in 2006.

This species is rather interesting because of its many colour forms or morphs. At least four distinct colour forms are known - orange, red, blue and a dark almost black form with a white band on its abdomen.

This male, like the one I saw in Miri is of the orange variety.

The geographical range of this libellulid is recorded as Vietnam, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, Borneo, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Raphismia bispina

2009-03-15T20:01:00.006+08:00

Anisoptera

Species Name: Raphismia bispina

Family: Libellulidae

Female

Last week on a short visit to the Borneo Paradise Eco-resort near Lahad Datu, Sabah I saw and photographed a small female libellulid on the mangrove edge which I had never seen before. When Rory Dow saw the photo which I emailed to him he said it looked like the female of Raphismia bispina a mangrove specialist. On checking the books and on the Net I found out that the male is a small blue fellow that resembles Brachydiplax chalybea, and I suddenly recalled seeing what I thought was a very skittish B. chalybea at the same place.

Male guarding a pond

Well, today I went to look for this male and found quite a few of them in the mangrove forest at the resort. Almost every small tidal pond (of salt water) has at least one male guarding it. And I also saw a female ovispositing in one of the ponds jealously guarded by the resident male.

Male perched on mangrove seedling

At first glance the males look like B. chalybea except that they are a bit smaller and the shade of blue is slightly different. But unlike the latter they are very skittish flying away at the slightest movement and landing further away. It took me quite some time and very patient stalking to get my first satisfactory shot.

I also tried to take some photos of their underside (upskirt photos!!) to try to show the signatory twin spines on their thorax behind the hind legs and the process projecting beneath on segment 2 of the abdomen. See if you can spot these on the photos.

Male, the process on abdominal segment 2 is clearly

visible, but the pair of spines behind legs are less so

Zyxomma petiolatum

2009-03-01T20:15:00.017+08:00

Anisoptera

Species Name: Zyxomma petiolatum

Family: Libellulidae

Male

Two species of Zyxomma are quite commonly encountered but are rarely noticed because they are both crepuscular, i.e. they are active only when the sun has set and before sunrise. Z. petiolatum are less often seen or noticed because of its sombre brownish colour, unlike the male Z. obtusum which is covered in a "ghostly" white pruinescence that extents to its wings.

The two Zyxomma species are very dissimilar, with obtusum being more "libellulid-shaped", while the petiolatum male has a long and very slender abdomen; the female's is somewhat thicker.

Both sexes are active from late afternoon to well into the evening and probably at dawn too as with obtusum, and are attracted to lights; the photos here are of specimens that flew into the house at night.

Female

Said to be widespread in tropical Asia and Australasia.

Argiocnemis alcyone

2009-02-07T21:44:00.010+08:00

Zygoptera

Species Name: Argiocnemis alcyone

Family: Coenagrionidae

Photo 1: A young male (this species goes through

a series of colour change as it matures,

young specimens have largely red abdomens)

I found this delightful little damselfly to be quite common in shaded drains and in weeds among the palms in the plantation I where work.

Dr Rory Dow who is in the process of re-describing this species (and transfering it to this genus from Mortonagrion) identified my photos and said it was an endemic species in Borneo and my photographs are probably the only ones of this species in existance! He added "It appears to be quite widely distributed along the east coast of Borneo, but there is an apparently isolated population in Brunei."

Photo 2: A female

Photo 3: A mature male

Ischnura senegalensis

2009-02-07T19:38:00.007+08:00

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

Ceriagrion cerinorubellum

2009-01-10T17:15:00.010+08:00

Zygoptera

Species Name: Ceriagrion cerinorubellum

Family: Coenagrionidae

Compared to the species in my previous post Ceriagrion cerinorubellum is widespread in tropical Asia but is no less beautiful, with its bluish green head and orange base and tip of the abdomen it is quite distinctive and cannot be mistaken for other species. The female is similarly coloured but darker. In India it is commonly known as the Orange-tailed Marsh Dart.

I have frequently found it in drains, ponds, and open swamps and sometimes in gardens near town.

Ceriagrion bellona

2009-01-04T16:52:00.010+08:00

Zygoptera

Species Name: Ceriagrion bellona

Family: Coenagrionidae

Members of the genus Ceriagrion are indeed some of the most beautiful damselflies, they come in shades of red, green and yellow. Back in 2005 when I just started to photograph and learn about Odonata I found some mating and ovipositing pairs of C. bellona along a small stream in hill country on the forest edge in Tambunan. The thorax of the males are orange and greenish with bright red abdomens while the females are mainly olive green. Males look quite similar to C. cerinorubellum which is the commoner of the two Ceriagrion species found in Borneo.

C. bellona is restricted to north Borneo and is recorded at 1000m on Mount Kinabalu as well as in the lowlands at Danum Valley.

Camacinia gigantea

2008-12-07T18:15:00.008+08:00

Anisoptera

Species Name: Camacinia gigantea

Family: Libellulidae

At first glance you would think that this is a huge Neurothemis because of the dark red colours on the body and wings of the male. Females are much paler in colour with fainter and less extensive markings on the wings. In size it is the largest of the Libellulid family.

Male flying across pond

This species is said to be quite widespread in the Indo-Australian tropics but are quite rarely encountered. However I’m quite lucky to have these insects breeding in a pond (which I’ve mentally named the Camacinia Pond ;)) in the plantation where I work. There are Camacinia at this pond at almost any time! Sometimes there will be several males patrolling it and perching on the side. Sometimes a female would be present and the males would be busy pursuing her and fighting with each other!

Female at rest

Found in lowland at ponds and lakes in open areas and near coast along mangroves.

Pantala flavescens

2008-12-07T16:38:00.005+08:00

Anisoptera

Species Name: Pantala flavescens
Family: Libellulidae

Pantala flavescens is certainly the world’s most widely distributed dragonfly – found worldwide in the tropics as well as in temperate zones of North America and Europe. It’s the only odonate that Borneo shares with the United Kingdom where it is found as a rare vagrant. For this reason, and because it had even been known to land on ships far out at sea, its common name is the Globe Skimmer or Wandering Glider.

The colour of the thorax and abdomen of both sexes is orangish to light brown with clear wings, the small dark area on the tip of the hindwing is distinctive. They can be seen flying almost anywhere in open country, sometimes in great numbers, they rarely perch. They breed in standing or slow moving water, so rice paddies in the tropics are particularly suitable habitats.

Male Globe Skimmer on my finger

As these insects are almost perpetually on the wing, I have not been able to take a good photo of them in nature. I was however lucky to find one on the ground – which I picked up and photographed perched on my finger.

Agrionoptera insignis

2008-11-09T22:42:00.006+08:00

Anisoptera
Species Name: Agrionoptera insignis
Family: Libellulidae

Male

A small dragonfly of lowland forest swamp and sluggish streams, also found in shaded drains in plantations and disturbed areas. Its thin red (in the male, the female is more dull orange) abdomen with a swollen base would serve to identify it from several similarly coloured species. The synthorax is metallic blue with yellow markings in both sexes, duller in the female. It is usually seen perched on water side vegetation.

Female

The species is widespread in tropical Asia and Australasia with several sub-species recognised. The Bornean ssp is insignis. In Australia its common name is the Red Swampdragon.

Acisoma panorpoides

2008-10-12T22:20:00.016+08:00

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.

Diplacodes trivalis

2008-10-11T23:02:00.014+08:00

Anisoptera

Species Name: Diplacodes trivalis

Family: Libellulidae

Mature Male

This small dragonfly is in my opinion the commonest species in open places and drains and other disturbed areas. They can be found far from water in the lowlands as well as higher altitudes. The males are pruinose blue with black markings, while females and immature males are pale green. Looking somewhat like mini Orthetrum sabina they usually perch on the ground or on low grass.

Female Chalky Percher

This species is commonly called the Chalky Percher or Ground Skimmer and is very widespread in tropical Asia and Australiasia.

Orthetrum pruinosum

2008-10-04T20:58:00.005+08:00

Anisoptera
Species Name: Orthetrum pruinosum

Family: Libellulidae

Dragonflies of the genus Orthetrum are mostly thick-bodied medium to large-sized red or blue coloured in males and brownish in females. The only exception is O. sabina which is greenish yellow and black-coloured in both male and female and has a very slender abdomen.

Of the blue/red Orthetrum, perhaps the most beautifully coloured is O. pruinosum the male of which has a deep red abdomen and a powder (or pruinose) blue thorax and basal segments of the abdomen. It is common near slow flowing as well fast flowing streams hillside streams from the lowland up to 1000m above sea level.

Range of distribution: The species is wide spread in Asia, but the sub-species schneideri of Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia is the most vividly coloured in my opinion.

Xiphiagrion cynomelas

2008-09-13T20:56:00.013+08:00

Zygoptera
Species Name: Xiphiagrion cynomelas
Family: Coenagrionidae

This is another species of blue-coloured damselflies that are common in drains, lily ponds and stagnant bodies of water. They resemble Pseudagrion microcephalum but are smaller and both these species often share the same ponds. As with the latter species the male remained paired with the female while she lays her eggs onto water weeds and many pairs can be seen ovipositing en masse.

The male is blue on the sides of its thorax and black dorsally with two blue spots just behind the head, the abdomen is black tipped with blue. Females are similarly marked but dark olive instead of black as in the male. this dark area also lack blue spots.

Distribution: Borneo, Philippines, Indonesia.

Macrodiplax cora

2008-08-24T16:05:00.018+08:00

Anisoptera
Species Name: Macrodiplax cora

Family: Libellulidae

I first photographed a single male of this species in August 2005 in an oil palm plantation repeatedly flying from and landing on short weeds (Top Photo). As this species was mentioned as unrecorded from Borneo in publications I was not sure about its identity until Rory Dow confirmed that this is M. cora when I emailed him a photo. I have since found a breeding population at a reclaimed area in the sea front in Lahad Datu town, therefore proving that they are definitely present in Borneo too.

M. cora is a medium-sized red-orange dragonfly, the sexes are similar except that the females are more orange than red. They breed in open coastal areas and in brackish, or saltish water bodies.

(Centre photo: A pair in tandem)

Distribution: Very widespread species recorded from Japan, China, Taiwan, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines.

(Bottom photo: Female, taken in Mindanao, Philippines)

Gynacantha basiguttata

2008-08-02T20:29:00.009+08:00

Anisoptera

Species Name: Gynacantha basiguttata

Family: Aeshnidae

Aeshnids are mainly medium-sized to very large dragonflies with about 30 species found in Borneo, Gynacantha basiguttata being one of the most commonly met with. This family includes the largest and heaviest odonate in the world – Tetracanthagyna plagiata, which is also found in Borneo.

Like most members of this family, G. basiguttata is usually seen hawking for small insects at dawn and at dusk and is sometimes attracted to the lights in houses. During the day both sexes could be found resting in undergrowth in the forest. Members of this genus look very similar but males can usually be identified by the unique shape their anal appendages, females however are very difficult to identify to species.

Usually this species fly rather fast and the only chance of taking their photo is when they fly into buildings at night or if you are lucky enough to find the place where they take their daytime siesta! However I was lucky one evening to see one repeatedly "hovering" for periods long enough for me to focus on it and take a series of flight photos of it!

Copera vittata

2008-07-05T18:56:00.006+08:00

Zygoptera
Species Name: Copera vittata
Family: Platycnemidae

A common species in shaded places in the lowland – often seen in swampy forest as well as well shaded farms and plantations. The males are almost black in colour with bright greenish yellow variegated markings on synthorax and red-orange legs. Females are paler in colour and have lighter thoracic markings.

Some immatures, especially females, have very pale ivory white bodies and are known as “ghost” forms.

Photos (top): A pair in tandem.
(below): Male.
(bottom): An immature "ghost" form.

Brachydiplax chalybea

2008-07-05T18:06:00.014+08:00

Anisoptera
Species Name: Brachydiplax chalybea

Family: Libellulidae

Brachydiplax chalybea is a moderate sized dragonfly commonly found in unshaded body of water, such as ponds, stagnant or slow flowing streams and drains. The males are a powder-blue in colour with hindwings that are tinted brown at the base and are often seen perched by the water and every now and then flying out to challenge any intruder that wanders into their small territory.

The females which are brownish in colour are less often seen and only appears at the water to mate and oviposite in the afternoon. This is a widespread species in tropical Asia.
Topmost photo: Male perching in "obelisk" stance. Below: Another male on guard over his territory.

Bottom photo: Female

Lestes praemorsus

2008-06-29T01:11:00.007+08:00

Zygoptera
Species Name: Leste praemorsus
Family: Lestidae

This is a rather unusual looking damselfly found quite commonly in shaded lowland swamps and drains. Unlike most other damselflies it usually perches in a hanging or at least slanting position (rather than horizontally) with its wings half open.The tip of the abdomen is usually bent up giving it hockey-stick appearance. In the males the eyes and body are a powder-blue colour with black markings, the female is similarly marked but duller.

The range of Leste praemorsus is recorded as Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Borneo, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand.

Zyxomma obtusum

2008-05-17T22:17:00.007+08:00

Anisoptera
Species Name: Zyxomma obtusum
Family: Libellulidae
Crepuscular is a term used to describe animals that are primarily active during the twilight - at dawn and at dusk. This species is one of the few dragonflies in this family with this habit. The male Zyxomma obtusum is almost entirely white in colour (except for the dark tips of its wings) and as it suddenly appears in the dim light at dusk (or at dawn) over a pond it looks almost ghostly! Photographing it is a challenge for me and I need lots of luck - I simply focus on where I expect it to fly pass and shoot my flash gun at it, I get maybe one acceptable image out of every 20 shots!

Unlike the male the female is brown in colour with bright green eyes, I had photographed it once with the male though the image was too fuzzy to display.

The range of this species is said to be Indonesia, Japan, Philippines and of course also here in Malaysian Borneo.

Prodasineura verticalis

2008-04-11T23:33:00.008+08:00

Zygoptera
Species Name: Prodasineura verticalis
Family: Protoneuridae

A medium-sized damselfly of clear streams, with hindwings measuring 19-20 mm and abdomen about 30 mm. The male is mostly black with bright orange stripes on its thorax and small yellow spots on the abdomen. The pterostigma or wing spot is diamond-shaped and dark brown in colour. The female is similarly coloured but her thoracic stripes are paler and more yellowish. I have seen this species in the streams near the Madai waterfall, Silam and the Tabin Wildlife Reserve all in Lahad Datu.

Males are often seen hovering over fast flowing stream when they are rather difficult to see. Oviposition takes place on vegetation, and submerged roots in shallow running water, with the pair in tandem. (See my second photo.)

The common name (in India) for members of family Protoneuridae is Bambootails and P. verticalis is the Black Bambootail. The distribution range of this species is China, India and most of Southeast Asia.

Macrogomphus quadratus

2008-04-06T19:57:00.008+08:00

Anisoptera
Species Name: Macrogomphus quadratus
Family: Gomphidae

As its genus name implies this is a large dragonfly with a wingspan of 100-110mm. Although said to be widespread in Borneo frequenting shallow streams in dense forest, I have only seen it once... in fact literally almost bumping into it before I saw it! Fortunately for me it did not fly away until after I was able to take some photographs of it. The similarly coloured female is said to lay her eggs in the mud on the weedy edge of shallow water without the benefit of a male guard.

The range of M. quadratus is recorded as China, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Indonesia.

Devadatta podolestoides

2008-03-29T21:28:00.008+08:00

Zygoptera
Species Name: Devadatta podolestoides
Family: Amphipterygidae

Devadatta podolestoides is the only representative of this so-called primitive family of damselfly in Borneo. Their bodies are darb brown to bluish in colour with yellowish bands on the abdomen. They are found mainly in rocky forest stream in the thick undergrowth. I have found them in Poring, Ranau and at the Kiansom Waterfalls near Kota Kinabalu.

The distribution range of species is China, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, other parts of Indonesia and the Philippines.

Libellago lineata

2008-03-22T21:58:00.008+08:00

Zygoptera
Species Name: Libellago lineata
Family: Chlorocyphidae

I have not seen this species in Borneo yet but as I have just taken some photos of this pretty damselfly in Kelantan (Peninsular Malaysia) I decide to feature it in this post. Photos - Top : Male

Bottom: Female

This species is described as common in lowlands streams and rivers and widespread throughout Asia - from China, Taiwan, India, and throughout Southeast Asia.

The male is beautifully marked with yellow-orange and black with white-stockinged legs which it displays during its courtship dance. The female is of a paler and more greenish colour.

I found them in a fast flowing stream in a young oil palm plantation near Gua Musang in Kelantan.

Anax guttatus

2008-03-22T21:07:00.009+08:00

Anisoptera
Species name: Anax guttatus
Family: Aeshnidae
Anax guttatus is heavy-bodied and an unmistakable common dragonfly of open habitats that is often seen in drains, ponds and swamps. The eyes, thorax and the base of the abdomen are mainly green in colour while the 2nd and 3rd abdominal sections are bright blue and the rest of the abdomen being dark brown with lighter spots. Both sexes are similarly marked. The males are often seen "patrolling" back and fro ceaselessly along big drains and over ponds almost the whole day long and well into the early evening. The female can sometimes be seen ovipositing while clinging to floating vegetation or twigs (this one in my photo was sitting on waterlily pads) and is quite fearless when doing so, which could be quite dangerous at times as she can be quite vulnerable to predators. In fact I had seen one being attacked by a green paddy frog.

This species commonly called the Lesser Green Emperor has a very wide distribution range - from Japan, China, all of Southeast Asia to Micronesia. It is also found in Africa.

Ictinogomphus decoratus

2008-02-23T20:08:00.003+08:00

Anisoptera
Species Name: Ictinogomphus decoratus
Family: Gomphidae

This large dragonfly is perhaps the most commonly seen member of the family Gomphidae in its range which spreads from China, Indochina, Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia, to Indonesia, Borneo and the Philippines.

It breeds in open standing water like ponds and dams, the males are often seen perched on emergent water plants or on the water edge. Females are sometimes seen depositing their eggs in the pond, I have seen one doing so by simply dropping her eggs into the water seemingly at random and barely wetting her abdomen, with the male guarding her from a distance.

Gomphids are commonly called Clubtail Dragonflies, so this species with its yellow stripes would probably be called a Tiger Clubtail!

Hydrobasileus croceus

2008-02-07T13:08:00.003+08:00

Anisoptera
Species Name: Hydrobasileus croceus
Family: Libellulidae

The Amber-winged Glider is quite a common dragonfly around ponds in open areas, however they are almost always seen on the wing "sailing" to and fro non-stop. Males and females are similarly coloured and marked.

This species has a vast range all over Asia, from Japan and China to India and in the whole of Southeast Asia.

Photo above: A pair "in tandem" photographed over a pond where the female lays her eggs among the thick water weeds.

An empty larval case or exuvia
of H. croceus.

Tetrathemis irregularis

2008-01-20T18:30:00.000+08:00

Anisoptera
Species Name: Tetrathemis irregularis
Family: Libellulidae

This attractive small dragonfly with the large blue eyes is usually found near rivers, swamps or ponds in or close to the jungle. It perches on vegetation or twigs close to the water edge from which it flies out to catch its prey. The sexes are said to be similarly coloured and marked. My photos show a male taken at a forest edge pond in Silam, Lahad Datu.

Neurothemis terminata

2007-12-30T10:09:00.001+08:00

Anisoptera
Species Name: Neurothemis terminata
Family: Libellulidae

This is one of the common red-winged dragonflies that one sees often in drains, small ditches and ponds. There are several species of Neurothemis whose males typically have dark red pigmented wings with some clear (hyaline) areas, usually at the tips. The females however usually have clear wings with some darker markings. The common species are quite similar in appearance and are difficult to identify in the field.

N. terminata is common on Borneo, most of Indonesia, the Philippines and less so in Peninsular Malaysia.

Libellago semiopaca

2007-12-08T20:58:00.000+08:00

Zygoptera
Species Name: Libellago semiopaca
Family: Chlorocyphidae

A male L. semiopaca

Two males in confrontation

This is a very interesting damselfly found in bigger and more open forest streams and rivers where they can be seen flying about near the water surface, perched on rocks or fallen logs. Aggressive males confront each other while hovering over the contested territory. Successful males guard their mates by helicoptering to and fro above the females while they lay their eggs in the water.

A female

I can spend hours watching these brightly coloured males and their drabber mates going through their delightful antics. The photos are taken in Silam, Lahad Datu.

Rhinagrion elopurae

2007-12-08T20:20:00.000+08:00

Zygoptera
Species Name: Rhinagrion elopurae
Family: Megapodagrionidae

Members of the genus Rhinagrion are curious looking and brightly coloured damselflies of which 2 are endemic to Borneo (that means, they are found nowhere else). They live in shaded forest streams and are unusual in that unlike most damselflies, they rest with their wings open like a dragonfly. They also have very small wings on a body that’s thicker than most damselflies.

The species featured on this post is Rhinagrion elopurae which I’ve photographed on vegetation on the side of forested streams in Tabin Wildlife Reserve and at the Madai Waterfall in Lahad Datu. It has a dark coloured body with lime-green markings that form a triangular shape on the top of its thorax and a dark red abdomen tipped with a bright blue flash.

I have not seen a female yet but it is said that she’s similarly coloured as the male but lacks the blue flash at the end of her “tail”.

Orthetrum testaceum

2007-11-25T15:24:00.000+08:00

Anisoptera
Species Name: Orthetrum testaceum

Family: Libellulidae

Close-up view of male O. testaceum

This is one of the largest of the red dragonflies. However it's only the males that are red, the female is olive-green to brown in colour. The males are often seen perched near ponds and drains, flying every now and then. The females are seldom seen, and come to water only during mating and egg-laying when the males will guard her by hovering like a helicopter over her.

This dragonfly is very common in Borneo and is also found in China, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, Philippines and Burma.

Rhinocypha humeralis

2007-11-18T18:12:00.000+08:00

Zygoptera
Species Name: Rhinocypha humeralis
Family: Chlorocyphidae

(Photos: Top - female, Lok Kawi Wilife Park, Kota Kinabalu;
Bottom - male, Madai Waterfalls, Lahad Datu)

In the cool forested streams in the hills where we love to enjoy our picnics and a dip in the clear water there is a whole new set of damselflies and dragonflies that are not found in the hot open places. Many of the damselflies found here are beautifully coloured, with magnificent metallic blue, green and black and other really cool colours. Look closely in the small bushes on the river banks and on the rocks and debris in the water itself. You will surely find some really interesting odonates.

Rhinocypha humeralis is one of the blue-coloured species, the males is painted in bright sky blue on black from his "face"and eyes to the tip of his abdomen, the basal two-thirds of both his wing are clear while the remaining third tip is black. His mate is less brightly hued and looks a little faded compared to the male, her wings are similarly coloured but the black tip is smaller than that of the male.

Pseudagrion microcephalum

2007-11-17T19:50:00.000+08:00

Zygoptera
Species Name: Pseudagrion microcephalum
Family: Coenagrionidae

This is one of the species of blue-coloured damselflies that are very common in drains, lily ponds and large open swamps or lakes. They are about twice a large as Agriocnemis femina and are often seen mating and ovipositing in the afternoon. The male remained paired with the female while she lays her eggs onto water weeds.

The colour of the male is blue with black stripes on its thorax and the abdomen is mainly black with a blue tip. Females are olive green, pale blue and black.

Agriocnemis femina

2007-11-17T19:08:00.000+08:00

Zygoptera
Species Name: Agriocnemis femina
Family: Coenagrionidae

Look in the grass beside drains and ponds in open areas near your house or in the paddy fields and you will almost surely find this species of damselfly. You have to look closely as they are really small and because their colour changes with age and the sexes are different in colour, they are a bit confusing and difficult to identify properly. Furthermore many small damselflies look very similar so it’s really hard for us non-experts to confirm the species.

Young males are green and black in colour with the tip of the abdomen (“tail”) orange, but as they grow older they become darker and the thorax becomes covered with a white growth called pruinescence and the orange at tip of its abdomen fades. So with naked eye they look little white bodied insects with dark “tails”.

Immature females on the other hand are bright red which turn olive greenish with dark brown markings.

I used to think they were four different species!

Rhyothemis phyllis

2007-11-10T13:21:00.001+08:00

Anisoptera
Species Name: Rhyothemis phyllis
Family: Libellulidae

This is another common species that is readily recognizable because of its beautiful markings in the base of its hindwings. They are usually found flying, fluttering a little like butterflies do, to and fro in large numbers on open spaces catching small insects. However, they can sometimes be seen perched singly on plants near ponds and drains where they breed.

It is another widespread species, ranging all across Asia from India, China, Japan to SE Asia down to Australia. One of their common English names is Yellow-striped Flutterer. Both male and female are similarly marked.

I find its markings rather nice and use it to make this design:

Orthetrum sabina

2007-11-04T16:59:00.000+08:00

Anisoptera
Species Name: Orthetrum sabina
Family: Libellulidae

Most people in Sabah would have seen this very common dragonfly in the compound of houses and buildings both in rural areas as well as in towns, in gardens and parks, on the roadside, near drains and ponds. It is definitely one of the dragonflies that I had played with in my childhood!

It is in fact a very wide-spread species that occurs from North Africa, through the Middle East, India and Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia, to China and Japan, through Indonesia to Australia and Oceania.

This dragonfly's distinctive yellowish-green colour with black markings and a slender abdomen or "tail" make it very recognizable and cannot be mistaken for any other dragonfly of this size. It breeds in drains, shallow ponds and even muddy pools of water. Its common name is the Slender Skimmer.