tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60114238716675119002024-03-15T02:07:31.444+08:00Dragons & DamselsA dragonfly-chaser blogs about Odonata of Borneo and other regions...Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-90209226514299789112020-08-24T22:29:00.012+08:002020-08-25T08:17:23.982+08:00Zyxomma obtusum 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Anisoptera</b><p></p><div><span face="" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Species name: <i>Zyxomma obtusum</i><br /><br /></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Family: Libellulidae </span></div><div><span face="" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-weight: bold;">Mature </span><span>males of this crepuscular species are entirely covered with white bloom which gives it a ghostly appearence when silently flitting over drains at dusk or early dawn.</span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Pe4FTBV3j1TzEj50sk9UPD6tY5BMUqvNRutVGA_kYTQPNbMcsdT_J9BW4xXKynX-PwxaIa_qoWPC4XFgGpmY8A1p-4ksGJoVvBTAcWTKwRr0RXZ-hduLylfcLvW_dOGVjP9B7pQZwpM/s888/IMG_4987-1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="888" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Pe4FTBV3j1TzEj50sk9UPD6tY5BMUqvNRutVGA_kYTQPNbMcsdT_J9BW4xXKynX-PwxaIa_qoWPC4XFgGpmY8A1p-4ksGJoVvBTAcWTKwRr0RXZ-hduLylfcLvW_dOGVjP9B7pQZwpM/w512-h340/IMG_4987-1.JPG" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A male in flight. See another male in flight <a href="#" id="http://dragonsndamsels.blogspot.com/2008/05/zyxomma-obtusum.html" name="http://dragonsndamsels.blogspot.com/2008/05/zyxomma-obtusum.html">here</a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I recently found some larvae living in a cement water tank, no doubt feeding on tadpoles of the four-lined tree frog and other aquatic life in the water.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jsQ_-H9vXRtrZydPyd_YkUYgVuBtZI4zXrttaKoOAbmZ961ODm_HzheoooC0UADOhKV-ZUM2uDcGXZtLL6EWVLd10grKB66guHVIGImGr1DPqenNL0BdEz2eSpCM5aV-gm3Ni773JzE/s2048/000JP1_1501-02.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1460" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jsQ_-H9vXRtrZydPyd_YkUYgVuBtZI4zXrttaKoOAbmZ961ODm_HzheoooC0UADOhKV-ZUM2uDcGXZtLL6EWVLd10grKB66guHVIGImGr1DPqenNL0BdEz2eSpCM5aV-gm3Ni773JzE/w292-h410/000JP1_1501-02.jpeg" width="292" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A final instar nymph.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5csTUu6yi1rCWdQOgUO4dOJRFdv7QyDAIBAc_foQTpF1CW-m9Xe47y7bqhUSNpNyRKgtzguVeOCsDZqsEKP81TpdmjqImsQWg03xK2SeEBmJW2sdWo4tZ549aKPLasmKBldgQWhXP57c/s1393/E3E728D5-29CB-477C-BC53-456D9FE12377.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1393" data-original-width="1114" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5csTUu6yi1rCWdQOgUO4dOJRFdv7QyDAIBAc_foQTpF1CW-m9Xe47y7bqhUSNpNyRKgtzguVeOCsDZqsEKP81TpdmjqImsQWg03xK2SeEBmJW2sdWo4tZ549aKPLasmKBldgQWhXP57c/w263-h329/E3E728D5-29CB-477C-BC53-456D9FE12377.jpeg" width="263" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A nymph that has crawled out of the water and </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">ready to emerge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgKcUkrOiECK5E2Saj9XlaC2LZS8XU1DKYTbDfSs6UZObdAFVkShyphenhyphenj7V6xKrTUEXtcK0-oJLDWH0nNWYqHS6lEZAswDwFAjxnJtS_UDoTNZlbQw9qiMUC_haT08o5dj9FJxrfD58_T58/s1744/4DF81B1C-6231-42CE-A2D5-EE31C80B8D5F.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1744" data-original-width="1650" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgKcUkrOiECK5E2Saj9XlaC2LZS8XU1DKYTbDfSs6UZObdAFVkShyphenhyphenj7V6xKrTUEXtcK0-oJLDWH0nNWYqHS6lEZAswDwFAjxnJtS_UDoTNZlbQw9qiMUC_haT08o5dj9FJxrfD58_T58/w388-h410/4DF81B1C-6231-42CE-A2D5-EE31C80B8D5F.jpeg" width="388" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The newly emerged imago beside its exuvia in the process of drying its wings.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> It is a male (teneral) still lacking its full mature colour. </div>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-58683548425238144822017-04-07T19:08:00.000+08:002017-04-29T09:34:16.620+08:00Sieboldius japponicus<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Anisoptera</b><br /><br /> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Species name: <i>Sieboldius japponicus</i><br /><br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">The</span><span style="color: blue;"> </span></b></span>first time I saw this species was on a boat ride on a clear rocky forest stream in Long Pasia, Sabah in September, 2016. To my astonishment one flew past our boat as my friend Shauming Lo and I were just beginning to take in the beauty of the surroundings. It was large and flew quite audibly and was like nothing we had seen before. Shauming promptly nicknamed it The Helicopter! We quickly scrambled to take photos of it when it perched on the side of the boat, but when we met more and more along the way we took our time and were able to take some photos of them on rocks and wood in the river.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With a hindwind length of 55mm in males and up to 57mm in females it is the largest of Borneo's gomphids. Its colour and rather small-headed appearance also make it easy to recognise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Though its name "japponicus" may seems to indicate that it is also found in Japan it in fact is only present in Borneo, Sumatra, Malaya and southern Thailand. It was named in 1854 on the mistaken belief of the author that the specimen was collected in Japan!</span><br />
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Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-67159689803284990542017-04-04T00:50:00.000+08:002017-04-07T20:35:03.159+08:00Brachygonia oculata<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Anisoptera</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Species name: <i>Brachygonia oculata</i><br /><br />Family: Libellulidae</span><br />
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<b style="color: magenta; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even </span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">though described as widespread and common in its range I only recently encountered this dainty species in the Sama Jaya Nature Reserve in Kuching, Sarawak after years of semi-serious dragonfly chasing! The males (I did not see any females) were gathered in quite large numbers in the swampy area of the park and were quite conspicuous in their attractive powder-blue and orange "attire". After I saw the first one it was very easy to see one everywhere I looked along the forest paths!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The species' range is Sundaland (except Java) up to Indochina. </span><br />
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Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-77649301214472476242014-03-04T15:10:00.003+08:002017-04-07T20:40:03.543+08:00Rhodothemis rufa<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Anisoptera</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Species name: <i>Rhodothemis rufa</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Family: Libellulidae</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">My</span></b> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">last post on <a href="http://dragonsndamsels.blogspot.com/2009/12/rhodothemis-rufa.html">this species</a> was in December 2009 featuring a newly emerged female. Male R. rufa is not easy to distinguish from other medium-sized red species of libellulid like Orthetrum testaceum, Crocothemis servilia or Urothemis signata. The female however is easier to recognise with her brownish colour and a middorsal pale yellowish streak.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have recently photographed both males and females in the field.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNfmxZr2tl2AcMPiqQnr0FNTY0HUh0Fh8gV8ifIIb7kCaTzOQCB-1mGpfmyyPXBkh8sDnv_-pWwRG2t7gMpnmc5iCtu8v3gvKFhvfJ9FHn8o4CJTQqiATXUKlDSgaCn5hOMDwMfhdSUwY/s1600/Rhodothemis_rufa-male0723cs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNfmxZr2tl2AcMPiqQnr0FNTY0HUh0Fh8gV8ifIIb7kCaTzOQCB-1mGpfmyyPXBkh8sDnv_-pWwRG2t7gMpnmc5iCtu8v3gvKFhvfJ9FHn8o4CJTQqiATXUKlDSgaCn5hOMDwMfhdSUwY/s1600/Rhodothemis_rufa-male0723cs.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Male</div>
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</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-71950741918029497312013-01-01T21:26:00.000+08:002017-04-07T20:37:24.768+08:00Pantala flavescens - Emergence<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Anisoptera</b><br /><br />Species Name: Pantala flavescens<br /><br />Family: Libellulidae<br /><br />Without realizing it two long years had passed since my last post! My first post for the new year 2013 is only my second "emergence" post - of arguably, the most common dragonfly in the world.<br /><br /><br />In December 2012 I was lucky to find a few nymphs in a water tank and one night literally stumbled on an emergence in progress.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuABbZiD4CtZyG1k7HmXlcWu8R9uRNvbp3hyphenhyphen-l7d7h7aU1YLHNkES8xF-GTIS3pIXEIK-9-iWasa6c4OhgzZLBBpV5dkpabUr8pLb3xhh6Da7ieEJuIoLvklvXFW4Fz-PoblOJPMAQvT8/s1600/Pantala2092es.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuABbZiD4CtZyG1k7HmXlcWu8R9uRNvbp3hyphenhyphen-l7d7h7aU1YLHNkES8xF-GTIS3pIXEIK-9-iWasa6c4OhgzZLBBpV5dkpabUr8pLb3xhh6Da7ieEJuIoLvklvXFW4Fz-PoblOJPMAQvT8/s400/Pantala2092es.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsyaHx5VxDhhR_G72QzLBMuUbI-AQdFEZB33rcR99kBL7KEt-nB9kbkiDzA6z-SKfDdC2e0o7y3s_7z6Tnk5IIgTNtuwMBDCgMHEL77Tc7zbq5dLZZRoCReMcQXemHeSFCXepl3AjnZ8s/s1600/Pantala2014es.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsyaHx5VxDhhR_G72QzLBMuUbI-AQdFEZB33rcR99kBL7KEt-nB9kbkiDzA6z-SKfDdC2e0o7y3s_7z6Tnk5IIgTNtuwMBDCgMHEL77Tc7zbq5dLZZRoCReMcQXemHeSFCXepl3AjnZ8s/s400/Pantala2014es.jpg" /></a>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-32250805988633001742010-12-12T18:53:00.006+08:002010-12-12T21:14:41.534+08:00Trithemis aurora<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Anisoptera</div><div>Species name: Trithemis aurora</div><div>Family: Libellulidae</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span">A</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); "> 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...</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); "><br /></span></span></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifB-KEHc1uwBufNnllwoVZXaI2VKNL9vFUEFrzHjFecSkVTVAAOP_vHNMTnp6LgFfxe3-4VWCxg5uFC36MzpoL27t_rQLRLE7MnJFVOYGecdypkgR0-_PVtBj87u_c95xZ1jkbTKfyMew/s400/Trithemis_aurora0790.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 369px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549753950508049474" /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">Male in all its splendou</span><span class="Apple-style-span">r</span></span></i></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_nPi0HkxDrPuYmjhPo40bRxcOdpN8okLxfLNLSDR-pZ7EsTEoCqkikAMCGls0tAHV1-POBQuhHqnvMPYWL_bmvzefoxGx8vgA1lVyAP-Wa7IbgRXCxVPG5PyXpMZQLpPzstWaCMzy8Q/s400/Trithemis_aurora-fem4377c.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 282px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549753963573794690" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Female</i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); ">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.</span></span></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIi4N0a6FiYso57903ZbYFWRObDDAZVixHD6Yb7scjug2T3GLTtg5YR0HnNx4VEwStZoeDmfK__gddt8zIo9v0G_cHMtscVbuxB4UOiRuydbyAgCQKQYAGuJonQCMMejEuYdS0JFvp8zQ/s400/T_aurora_0096s.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549753953051825426" /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span">Male in obelisk posture</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></i></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnmTLZhtL4Ee88AAUzn-ulqbPDxHdZv6NPxfw3XM4Td6SXfwGEVanEi7RO3n3iUSGmm6KbX13PA6r_-iG_nKXI5ygqvRiuWG6Guy-gXfNbH57f9V-cFunT_qeTRKln1L4oJbSm1ZY1IQ/s400/Trithemis_aurora-female1149.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 379px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549753970509873442" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Female doing handstand! What he can do so can she!</i></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); ">This is a widespread species with a geographic range that cover the whole of Asia. </span></span></span></div>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-19961334377380275592009-12-20T12:04:00.006+08:002017-04-07T20:13:33.046+08:00Rhodothemis rufa<b>Anisoptera</b><br />
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Species Name: Rhodothemis rufa</div>
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Family: Libellulidae</div>
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417176915402409730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6ijeJtEVOpFyuuhiu03vmtggRZEIrep4boT0I8cr3uBYbzi5yLOZFJCB3H8HAlh8bkr7j1PU490Tk6qqML17yFS-pQYI9Rs8ILfRyYjB1DoFC7MhT_MBuFGD98TmMg3K01W4REuFHc4/s400/Rhodothemis_rufa0002.JPG" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 397px;" /><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">For</span></span></b> 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.<br />
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This, after 2 months of guessing and wondering about its species, turned out to be <i>Rhodothemis rufa</i> a common species<i> </i>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. </div>
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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. </div>
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417176921746417666" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkEwOZRgzRo6yNpCxjoVtSlUw2i-aUl22S7GkCzvKoj6b_zb-uB6gq_C6V11cbUE-R9TaIGmHasiDUuMuRSe6FKus4QvsnQ7N1R1IrbkQSFROu90xS3xvyPFfUE6XH_ZBA8zLj9lU00Q/s400/odonate_larva0834s.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 326px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #009900;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The larva when I first collected it was a rather long-legged spiderlike creature</span></i></span>!</div>
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417176937286828722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbiOis7iy-I2MWf771q3_Gc74MGYEK6x0GLstk0F_I32NmlbhZl3E5DKYhvZ4Wz09iTrR57ZAsW-1kTU1dTXNlJQnmAB4hd6KCUer6-5Nfhxb39tXZDXGpvBHo5Di2Zf8fhAmiNFBbMw/s400/Rhodothemis_rufa_larva2075cs.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 303px;" /><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #009900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mature larva (underside)</span></span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #009900;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417176931556976674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8g0JvMRLvz3yoJugZQ8QGiBtR9U9LgmB51Je9rP_C1nrhNvK5mgq0a7IiT64dEvcolOikHwuQJA-3puZ4h0cBgvgzrDrIfSfoqHHGFn304whhVG4-5wZx097sU2TWMCFaCqJ-e1khRg/s400/odonate_larva2066s.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 284px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #009900;">Mature larva with mosquito larvae which I provided it. It also readily ate small tadpoles</span></span></i>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUMORFLT9ztIHQM0w4noNIYvwQXfLuoEWfQG7qH2-YtvnV6_-h_gtpxeBqery7yIodDF6sv5gvYrKnF0k4FQPxjvyvsi_KG6BoCu_sisxoZVOYAd7NiYWG8d9_pluf_kw0qXQxBtD6as/s1600-h/Rhodothemis_rufa0056cs.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUMORFLT9ztIHQM0w4noNIYvwQXfLuoEWfQG7qH2-YtvnV6_-h_gtpxeBqery7yIodDF6sv5gvYrKnF0k4FQPxjvyvsi_KG6BoCu_sisxoZVOYAd7NiYWG8d9_pluf_kw0qXQxBtD6as/s1600-h/Rhodothemis_rufa0056cs.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417176943984637490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUMORFLT9ztIHQM0w4noNIYvwQXfLuoEWfQG7qH2-YtvnV6_-h_gtpxeBqery7yIodDF6sv5gvYrKnF0k4FQPxjvyvsi_KG6BoCu_sisxoZVOYAd7NiYWG8d9_pluf_kw0qXQxBtD6as/s400/Rhodothemis_rufa0056cs.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 280px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #009900;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The newly emerged female with its characteristic mid-dorsal line</span></i></span>.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555544; font-family: "tahoma" , "trebuchet ms" , "lucida" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: -webkit-xxx-large; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-39823728776621695412009-06-14T18:25:00.012+08:002009-12-20T13:31:24.795+08:00Indaeschna grubaueri<div style="text-align: left;"><b>Anisoptera</b></div><div>Species Name: Indaeschna grubaueri</div><div>Family: Aeshnidae</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMV-Q4Wiq8-u8n3LlJtTuFdVUt1fRRFe55TYSVRgQFwnJEa3HZV5zGNQNvaAzKrwVOdDHoNG4vuohlwbZsx02h4_6FsjhjU6vza5HKvmyMFlYd7usMsxUNYjP8GoTpv0Y4xlkLiHq-xrU/s400/Indaeschna_grubaueri2926b.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 327px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347134273315421394" /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Male resting beside pond</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;">Members</span></span></b> 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.</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMlAtXDgFfv0O7gOXMbepNjN0VUxU5A3zk8g02EuktQ7xTXbrQqZem1aazSj8MovBrgoOLB9hJ00ieDFbRfG0uXfx0DiirIEq8aW4ehd8lsiu0JTGdCZyXyyMNtIVyRj90Elf_wQkzT0/s400/Indaeschna_grubaueri-fem0195b.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347134277983412898" /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Female on the wing</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Females of <i>I. grubaueri</i> 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvS_lDADMAwyDsrjJYWlXbFsgIAEToeJjwymalEwIRwNt1YUj8gNMruP9aiOr0YDpB2GwwimgP6niRH2eaAlpFaOIm_n6fBvWRjX14mPYEEw3w_5zzdqrsyuZqZHPqOz-YfHAZKHa-qXw/s400/Indaeschna_grubaueri-fem0196b.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 270px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347134283056623474" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Female ovipositing on wet soil above water line</span></i></span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This species is said to be widespread in lowland forest in Sundaland and the Philippines. </div>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-59505194186772542652009-06-07T22:46:00.004+08:002009-06-07T23:07:37.854+08:00Libellago hyalina<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Zygoptera</span><div>Species Name: Libellago hyalina</div><div>Family: Chlorocyphidae</div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEissSkqCtCLImnCOJ675_6fFVgqFGIyAF8r-5Yx02cjVC8IvgVdU4l3opwWGen80KzvqB8ua4X_Am9Z3GmXIsY81h_UeQZBUe58HvXQF2NjfuFxZMjfAqVQobeu96imKneROrJIz0f5EmY/s400/Libellago_hyalina-Nunukan2s.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344597817878380850" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">This</span></span></span> is the other <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Libellago</span> 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 <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Libellago hyalina.</span></span><br /></div></span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9knM1e_isG5EefJsriwY9TkyKJz7n52yzWYvsSNwGBRDsNDkAJ6Omd6XpPM8hecMwJbBviK9TwQewShwm8n2xDwBjZpVx5Q3nwZGeYxNOIkEkf5utfXLhj9IxZwVJkx6IeCwvLyaBnk/s400/Libellago_hyalina-Nunukan1s.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344597820286781506" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">L. hyalina</span> 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-63583629130230288072009-06-07T21:30:00.010+08:002009-06-07T23:14:49.183+08:00Libellago phaethon<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px; white-space: normal; font-family:tahoma;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Zygoptera</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px; white-space: normal; font-family:tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Species Name: </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Libellago phaethon</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px; white-space: normal; font-family:tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Family: Chlorocyphidae</span></span><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKI8Tdrrky-iuS4oo-izFR36TE2_H5-Urz5e3edTHzQc6tQ2nY9P-lvib0EjGnpluweQwQP0hxvF1ZKo9HgRYtGvlzGa4ByxieZbYLG7eax1W3iTlaqVNj-Adk_eRfaYlCG0zK8M9sQJA/s400/Libellago_phaethon-Nunukan4s.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344592543720278738" /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; white-space: normal; font-family:tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Last <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal;font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">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 </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Libellago</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> spp. of which, after much patience, I was able to take some fairly sharp photos with my Nokia N85 mobile phone camera!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; white-space: normal;font-family:tahoma;"><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgkAsTCvU58_34CQ1vTjt524Z3ySKDNkqSke21s8PnjtWh8tOValcqjM1MJLshF00GeddzibU0lrRNERi9wrbLnAqcU5MxGoKoCfoJj1X9qE4sb-VpAK6LqSCFXNT-8F98CD_6Oyj-qc/s400/Libellago_phaethon-Nunukan3s.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344592551180984946" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px; white-space: normal;font-family:tahoma;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px; white-space: normal;font-family:tahoma;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">L. phaethon </span>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.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px; white-space: normal;font-family:tahoma;font-size:16px;">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.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px; white-space: normal;font-family:tahoma;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px; white-space: normal;font-family:tahoma;font-size:16px;">I observed typical <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Libellago</span> 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 <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">L. hyalina</span> which was also quite common here in this manner.</span></div></span>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-3480613172487161992009-05-09T21:15:00.009+08:002009-05-17T00:32:21.954+08:00Tholymis tillarga<div style="text-align: left;">Anisoptera<br /></div><div>Species name: Tholymis tillarga</div><div>Family: Libellulidae</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvnNoxWjoZq0ZTC4d7IAZNJSC7SZUum17m0qp0_u9Zx4G3zy7LIk2A-TV6712Uo5yfpSEeWLsRuCv_9BlmE47xJIQcHQMa8nE78WFXnbw8K6HmIgGAyroqKJftgcDys0jM30FyQSzfus/s400/Tholymis_tillarga5688c.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 385px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333830614697961490" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A male resting in the shade during the day photographed </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">on Pulau Sapi an island off Kota Kinabalu </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); font-style: italic;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">This</span></span></span> is another common crepuscular libellulid like the two <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Zyxomma</span> ssp. (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://dragonsndamsels.blogspot.com/2008/05/zyxomma-obtusum.html">obtusum</a> </span>& <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://dragonsndamsels.blogspot.com/2009/03/zyxomma-petiolatum.html">petiolatum</a></span>) and are found in similar habitats, i.e. drains, weedy ponds and other open bodies of water. </div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4Q3u2E9vWxTasAd_SQ7TUcK9WhfCWvPVAu3WPXAMGS40G2nddfaMSHEp_pzNPMtoKOTCzhtoiPCtxLXjBvuUyJuyvNYqNU0_uRDXaaTOOfL5MvnIIyPFKNs4cxwiJlQFjyig8IPlrQU/s400/Tholymis_tillarga4780f.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 307px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333832659155332770" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Two males in flight at dusk</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">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! </div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZ0BW2ZoalgpSJALyLG4xFiucIqYmHAZocAmv44IhAFByBM35FGJ4FV0ISgZbxDUD4EuAaianOQ3KLwYwyUFak2fAI-YylqlNMxh5TEp5omQ8WH0hOz1Py6ssHXGbVHon-zLLSWjfywY/s400/Tholymis_tillarga0114b.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 296px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333830610988690626" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">An immature male showing very faint white wing patch</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-style: italic;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1bTd3AxKR-iZNZONjPGgM4DHrnq0Z8pY1hos9H16e4CuXzXypc91YTLfMPT7r6XtIinuYs7BfIV_ulK1RHup2QWPOayqMlZKOoJdusni4d5RIj-SdpB1BSD3DtBLdBLQMu3C_T1_qvw/s400/Tholymis_tillarga-fem5079s.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 252px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333830618148757810" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A female</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Distribution: widespread in tropical Asia, Africa and Australasia.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-49436953591585820852009-05-03T21:59:00.007+08:002009-05-03T22:23:43.535+08:00Drepanosticta versicolor<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px; font-family:tahoma;font-size:16px;">Zygoptera<div>Species Name: Drepanosticta versicolor</div><div>Family: Platystictidae</div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQ5daKHoZ8y3-AzwbRWRnOwZVUWkH_nopgSZxC4bsWvZ3sTp8YA2vpE0N3RgoKmkre9ex1g7OTU6E3oljA88qwRtC5WQTdVCf0j6kNj4AxWMgPwLCL1EXDjMS4V9ZxxYU3b8f9EHTVI4/s400/Drepanosticta_versicolor0097b.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 257px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331602611204264642" /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Members</span></span></span> of this family of small damselflies are dwellers of primary dipterocarp forest and found on small streamlets and boggy areas around springs. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Drepanosticta</span> 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!</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PtT-lK532MJMmXsxmidtTTlmJk5chz8GUTDY_lSl2OJqkKkBbW56IjXnoRV1wi7caLMvNzzAUoM0PHb_DL3etGeyI7bSLy5HiP8IGNY-EggEBdJ1mNa7kyz2gcN66IgBZVvJGZ7JtcQ/s400/Drepanosticta_versicolor0096b.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 281px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331602607682829234" /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">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 <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">D. versicolor </span>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).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">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!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-6408677123362925402009-05-02T19:10:00.021+08:002009-06-07T23:15:42.221+08:00Coeliccia nigrohamata<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px;font-family:tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Zygoptera</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px;font-family:tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Species Name: Coeliccia nigrohamata</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px;font-family:tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Family: Platynemididae</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); font-style: normal; line-height: 22px; font-family:tahoma;font-size:16px;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiffGyCxYH8UkPCGnDF7HurKzw5uJxIIthjMe8RzNcv4Y5f1TGU0BWsY8ZsmW92kwyWrMStXJ78lD54dZ6fHFEgfSboqAjryjGZoo2clJeGwUAhoJgtSZUsfYcNB8JRUs7MjDbmHF2LqWo/s400/Coeliccia_nigrohamata0136s.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 392px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331192927531316146" /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">I</span></span></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">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).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DDZxGEBhmR93Inh2EOEh7xZYklw9Qg5yE-7Q_G5f5R4q730W8Mu_Vqs54XdY1dT-lTZcZ3ecgsB9SJYEOBtE00m6KOGzkC1YfQ6WQzcuscval4QbTpRYFLYSS3k1mekDAli-S_owneU/s400/Coeliccia_nigrohamata0139s.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 332px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331192929082230338" /><div style="text-align: justify;">On checking Dr A G Orr's Dragonflies of Borneo later I found my photos matched that of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Coeliccia nigrohamata</span>. I was however informed that members in this group of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Coeliccia</span> were currently under reclassification and this could very well be classified as a different species! </div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwyyny63G3MDQeeskKVwvmZC7BurxnAY2wCLFe8QFrDH0ZiGHVPBJFIVsiYVM3y6kInCCvYmgaiIck8gXbMGO4Th42yQbdSyPvXmqlxqPLEz7Hce6mU8eHpAW7U_mQt7zBk64l97Fot_4/s400/Coeliccia_nigrohamata0118cs.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 270px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331192928234113090" /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Coeliccia </span>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, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">C. octogesima </span>has a famous blue telephone-shaped logo on the synthorax (<a href="http://odonata-malaysia.blogspot.com/2008/09/platycnemididae-coeliccia-octogesima.html">see Dr Choong's blog</a>).<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Coeliccia nigrohamata</span> has been recorded from Brunei and Sabah.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span></span></p>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-50519211834604296852009-04-25T23:35:00.005+08:002009-04-26T00:27:15.933+08:00Neurobasis longipesZygoptera<div>Species Name: Neurobasis longipes</div><div>Family: Calopterygidae</div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEGfQBPkSlf-N-D5TlepAhAgqGIrLfELdT45WGheXBrP3OKzZauBf7agXwZtbAEFAjKHRaBNdL94X7TTDEWP1HcpRcjh0wGu5vLS3wyyiEtpTmat4EglPnlwwAgZxQ11nLgQnBmZNH28/s400/Neurobasis_longipes0226b.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 394px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328662260620944770" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Male on rock in midstream (taken without flash)</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">This</span></span></span> 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. </div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7iBbLzgFQcQomYpoEzKsNi3nibvJEU8ywJuIFT5FCGvuKfYriWKUTR6gbtbwBGMfG0SvfYkY6YCuldS1o7HQaC_EK-1CVrepRVGpc0JqvLzcOdj7ccW2dD3LglrVgZvA61nkxFMngEBk/s400/Neurobasis_longipes0231b.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 275px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328662253610020738" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Close-up of male (taken with flash)</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">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!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Members of the family Calopterygidae (from the Greek words meaning beautiful wings) are slender with long thin legs and mainly coloured metallic green. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">N. longipes</span> is found in Borneo as well as in Peninsular Malaysia where another similar and slightly bigger species <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">N. chinensis</span> is also found. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-31920071297934829132009-04-12T10:28:00.009+08:002009-05-04T07:07:11.766+08:00Orchithemis pulcherrimaAnisoptera<div>Species Name: Orchithemis pulcherrima</div><div>Family: Libellulidae</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCu-lNiMu7VokjXrELWSgT-NhPeT73vCGMz-_2JmaFocuE6tvZI1J12wdWVogkx4j_Trv2WwV4IA754VNTAif8dKpVmBKlIaUnLmM8MSmmdqqO-bblNuqGjR0vCVeILLjP4gWWExu_1gM/s400/Orchithemis_0765cs.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 282px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323644110169084050" /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">I </span></span></span>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.<br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mm6Wbt4-6VF_EKediIsYISrtOo4xd758oESiPl1hcpBuD3-Bx24SjviEMwgrM4UkRAFxjM7MzjxjhJYmTw7jxuiDzVNOFvUWvisHqjRr8ZiRVQ1KaKKVWet9fGH9pSw7dYrIVuw8ZWs/s400/Orchithemis_0786cs.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 388px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323644111266190914" /></div><div>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. </div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYatu4lE3eEOzN8kIVYv2Yt8FtSZh5a_63tlkmYbLAs5jMfoT85uqhAURO-qO09olAz3cRt4BrF0d8wKF2IvYoGRZT26xtUW2XZ17OECU1zkmtMepy5TEDIAQIvGEPBXCqF8DIswNf9Bc/s400/Orchithemis_0767cs.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 347px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323644110739636418" /><div>This male, like the one I saw in Miri is of the orange variety.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The geographical range of this libellulid is recorded as Vietnam, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, Borneo, Indonesia and the Philippines.</div>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-28868399757603487472009-03-15T20:01:00.006+08:002009-03-15T20:45:34.299+08:00Raphismia bispina<div style="text-align: left;">Anisoptera<br /></div><div>Species Name: Raphismia bispina</div><div>Family: Libellulidae</div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcI2TzRf1h1QBxrkSIvwcNwIwpI1vobO1IeldkKzpiFHwRSKJTwEaQtLPApwIcveOPCchr5EVO5xW76DyGHBMVlEpp8e1Log6YANNv39hC4UbSlkXn5d_ZVPmNj3C9gBwv5-GjDWJONI/s400/Raphismia_bispina-female0270sq.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 364px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313390162077130642" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Female</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-style: italic;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Last</span></span></span> 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 <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Raphismia bispina </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">a mangrove specialist</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">. </span>On checking the books and on the Net I found out that the male is a small blue fellow that resembles <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://dragonsndamsels.blogspot.com/2008/07/species-name-brachydiplax-chalybea.html">Brachydiplax chalybea</a></span>, and I suddenly recalled seeing what I thought was a very skittish <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">B. chalybea</span> at the same place.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMyZgfra_rw4c_oB_0D9_wKfhVRmN-wBePPnHZ4xZZbGe5filksd7abxVImplzvf9q5IgzUSx-RrDxV9xlIgnOedAPi0EaPaGKfoDo4V2Xo7NdLbbbdqQPr34QMdAov8OFBtqQC_qFVlk/s400/Raphismia_bispina-male0389c.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 333px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313390163616709490" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Male guarding a pond</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-style: italic;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPLEdeKRKFdlrxSa6rfAQFJET3aCVZ0WOnMPbvMkickm3Ru4DxKcZTYpyfWwGkKBvsv1uogpc0yB0CSSESWz3g-aY8jDRxuFLNGniAIdIklCx4wCde-0tHKVjmUQ4VyXwqbbwfM1ZGQI/s400/Raphismia_bispina-male0399sqs.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313390172984378418" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Male perched on mangrove seedling</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-style: italic;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At first glance the males look like <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">B. chalybea </span>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.</div><div><br /></div><div>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.</div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1EucU82T54DCvyXdS26blq6VuY4XOYiM-tLUfbMry-Fxy2g3pF5Af22Wz4osOIZw_5V9BSXmwjLSgnm52rqY0yeY_TDHGOSe3MVtKduST1XUOWvGgvi8eXYTZvfUNrGCA4Xn-1u8_Jw/s400/Raphismia_bispina-male0391cs.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 309px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313390162740668626" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Male, the process on abdominal segment 2 is clearly </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">visible, but the pair of spines behind legs are less so</span></span></span></div></span>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-89412644182440594912009-03-01T20:15:00.017+08:002009-03-01T21:18:22.239+08:00Zyxomma petiolatum<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px; font-family:tahoma;font-size:16px;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Anisoptera</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Species Name: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Zyxomma petiolatum</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Family: Libellulidae</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsMoPuRV1GEMGiNjxE1DmAuBV4SNFd9zPJJFwPljV_b9qWp_ZRw5VhxbVB-PU8S7nry82w_SOP-2fi8wl-ULdXLH52wwM1bRU4vYtFcQLdje6JnuPbEMnctPIJTshly2a0EMW7-MG-dQ/s400/Zyxomma_petiolatum3647s.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308200867322598706" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Male</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">Two</span></span></span> species of </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Zyxomma</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> 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. </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Z. petiolatum</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">are less often seen or noticed because of its sombre brownish colour, unlike the male</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="http://dragonsndamsels.blogspot.com/2008/05/zyxomma-obtusum.html">Z. obtusum</a></span></span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="http://dragonsndamsels.blogspot.com/2008/05/zyxomma-obtusum.html"> </a>which </span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">is covered in a "ghostly" white pruinescence that extents to its wings. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The two</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Zyxomma </span></span></i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">species are very dissimilar, with </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">obtusum</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> being </span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">more "libellulid-shaped", while the </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">petiolatum</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> male has a long and very slender abdomen; the female's is somewhat thicker.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph"><span class="apple-style-span"><span><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Both sexes are active from late afternoon to well into the evening and probably at dawn too as with</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">obtusum</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, and are attracted to lights; the photos here are of specimens that flew into the house at night.</span></span></span></span></o:p></span></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-style: italic;"><br /></span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAWO0OK8CppoMAGEKvScK40sxCPjVDqkNIIIz9AuRjIQ6gcBCPwodsZYfgdYUiWBScPylSXci4Y3NMwnAYcxwiAdrroCCziNiaYjEYhfYqRmzl96Rv14XHtA89HbbfAezTQ5-fqkQ4Qk/s400/Zyxomma_petiolatum_fem3829s.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 317px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308201942518272050" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-style: italic; ">Female</span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph"><span style="font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Said to be </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-style: italic; font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); font-style: normal; font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">widespread in tropical Asia and </span><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Australasia</span></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span></span></o:p></span></p></span></div></span>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-25086345751010265732009-02-07T21:44:00.010+08:002009-02-07T22:28:54.211+08:00Argiocnemis alcyone<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Zygoptera</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Species Name: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Argiocnemis alcyone</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Family: Coenagrionidae</span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPjOSjNjKEI7JxME_xuXIDqy53cgfykgHf5BKzwROtRmzd7LlwdCG-Jfphef7wMvUe97KwznoDKUhcbqAZalicfMixJweiEJoJ9ElFqwUK_Easthp2iljWaLHdUzMCHS0lDxnNGybD2U/s400/Argiocnemis_alcyone-M3135s.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 282px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300051433814905154" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Photo 1: A young male (this species goes through </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">a series of colour change as it matures, </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">young specimens have largely red abdomens)</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">I</span></span></span> found this delightful little damselfly to be quite common in shaded drains and in weeds among the palms in the plantation I where work. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;">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."</span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVLG0quf-MYWPJHjTYF7Xhs-3sJIY1iQqOOoDH8lftb79smCqu7u7Zn4blo9QNZy6Z44cG3FH0nLfHenn2lYobAyR2jTc3AsD64V60lXgly6H6RNZQBRjRZaTbe85MnzISyDrUokDSNGI/s400/Argiocnemis_alcyone-F3152s.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 275px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300055981271732770" /></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Photo 2: A femal</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">e</span></span></span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNuA_6wbSjTILvhPS9m5O7g_NQlGOuB_SqMyF7swoO4y4TIEK6QQMZSUVC1Yk15NLlxv8WuoUwYOdwbEpEWJCXYu-mTpSVejwVBaCLd5bEjkCjWwdJPAKRxispeQFVkty4BQID9u-rdP8/s1600-h/Argiocnemis_alcyone3173.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNuA_6wbSjTILvhPS9m5O7g_NQlGOuB_SqMyF7swoO4y4TIEK6QQMZSUVC1Yk15NLlxv8WuoUwYOdwbEpEWJCXYu-mTpSVejwVBaCLd5bEjkCjWwdJPAKRxispeQFVkty4BQID9u-rdP8/s400/Argiocnemis_alcyone3173.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300051426555414434" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Photo 3: A mature mal</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">e</span></span></span></span><br /></div></div></div>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-16477686033626876152009-02-07T19:38:00.007+08:002009-04-26T19:55:29.882+08:00Ischnura senegalensis<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Zygoptera</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Species Name: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Ischnura senegalensis</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Family: Coenagrionidae</span></span></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-Ip3HwC1cUxp4AYJ-9gU6bJ6eS4F1wM2ry9LeRujosowByO9VM6E7t5lgglZHjuqhHTv-Yhq5U3QTV7Y0rc7d_iENd8xgDfxq-Ob2_hu0qldlvRLIxykrgQKJ8BN0DpfXxjOUFRPtOg/s400/Ischnura_senegalensis1s.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 362px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300027782834296178" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Photo 1: A pair in the wheel</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">The</span></span> 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.</span><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNeYbUy5u7ZqZsUwv1YfTMDcj4v_EB7Q7jNEi9whvadDgr3jJWY36cLgXYMMZxdAMNeHpxJbbNJPoiqZUCzYe2XHxpzsOyzaJZER4z0bc0nvAzLbp9A51SB46EGrKnbq6MDluT6ndJcJw/s400/Ischnura_senegalensis-orange-fem1729s.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300027783147457794" /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">Photo 2: An orange form female</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">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.</span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mO2DP34DxJBNWpkOhPQXB5knUuuxf5o4MVkA62OwsXOrPyeMjG_i9DQq3wxL7wbCDgMZwlhjTcqmotFQmggG-76CxqnG3jErb1fZwxfHrMi_9W5fUqwBur1y8TF9gojpRaWHw2arveQ/s400/Ischnura_senegalensis-vs-A.femina2075ss.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 347px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300027783783857986" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Photo 3: An olive-green female devouring a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Agriocnemis femina</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div></div>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-76833383447558767922009-01-10T17:15:00.010+08:002009-02-17T23:37:55.589+08:00Ceriagrion cerinorubellum<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px; font-family:tahoma;font-size:16px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 140%; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 1em; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-family:tahoma;font-size:16px;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 140%; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 1em; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-family:tahoma;font-size:16px;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 140%; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 1em; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Zygoptera</span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 140%; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 1em; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Species Name: </span></span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Ceriagrion cerinorubellum</span></span></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 140%; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 1em; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Family: Coenagrionidae</span></span></span></span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 140%; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 1em; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:18px;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdUr_-1Nv3o-qivG5uxhLb4uH2wGQznekwSVtaGuIwW23AMk97ugy9cxUBKL69TEC6ud2zrtYV6nkzUkNSc1tLixBrCEGICBZ0M6WSByw7S81b69V1ZnlUCkg2-4oR03-OkGkD8WnfD0/s400/Ceragrion_cerinorubellum2115cs.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 246px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289593201274944610" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: tahoma; line-height: 22px; "><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Compared</span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "> to the species in my previous post </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; ">Ceriagrion cerinorubellum </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; ">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.</span></span></span></span><br /></div></span></span></p></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px; font-family:arial;">I have frequently found it in drains, ponds, and open swamps and sometimes in gardens near town. </span><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px; font-family:tahoma;font-size:16px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span></div>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-24870718654203365792009-01-04T16:52:00.010+08:002009-01-10T17:46:10.510+08:00Ceriagrion bellona<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 22px; font-family:tahoma;font-size:16px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Zygoptera</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; "></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Species Name: </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ceriagrion bellona</span></span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Family: Coenagrionidae</span></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtytGaL4R56ofhOwC6SfFWte6f70WTjahE05AsZ2GRjCjd6tUPKFpl_hNFySpWDgdZsgThJXGacGM4s7uqzM6weRs6S7vy1zfEVP_6LRLxzUL6_tafAnHYNITX2Mkx_64I8apc9I_8k2Y/s400/Ceriagrion+bellona5364sss.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 343px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287364644184160242" /><p class="MsoNormal" face="'Times New Roman'" size="12pt" style="line-height: 140%; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Members</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> 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 </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">C. bellona</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> 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 </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">C. cerinorubellum</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> which is the commoner of the two </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Ceriagrion</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> species found in Borneo.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="'Times New Roman'" size="12pt" style="line-height: 140%; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size:12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">C. bellona</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> is restricted to north Borneo and is recorded at 1000m on Mount Kinabalu as well as in the lowlands at Danum Valley.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><br /></p></span>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-6218505026008121402008-12-07T18:15:00.008+08:002008-12-08T18:56:22.965+08:00Camacinia gigantea<p class="MsoNormal">Anisoptera</p><p class="MsoNormal">Species Name: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Camacinia gigantea</i></p><p class="MsoNormal">Family: Libellulidae</p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaJiObW8vyEKAM_BET2ou8keTsv4UFehcGPZ7aQDhAuUV7OT29YuQ3Ej8kR9f2dtQqiC4pmL7FShyYBTcK6M8o1iomg8Rx7koY_EUzRJd6Mjd6kCIyNA9sw6iqBoUwlGHGK4prITNEfA/s400/Camacinia_gigantea7674fr.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276993740021753618" /> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">At</span></span></span> first glance you would think that this is a huge <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Neurothemis </i>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.<br /></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAyXcE1xn0wX_7xi009P4AD1JzyhiN7XDLiyZ0CtbDwrSZ_1BPLDOyTPofKWDjSu4pm50HIEcVy7d0_IisyRglDwiEC6VpeNrhNYylVMZPaMNJ1AQsF16mHURO5Osq9BqpPvCRZSuuWyo/s400/Camacinia_gigantea3927sqb.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 399px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276993133680286242" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Male flying across pond</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">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!<br /></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CHL8MTkdoKOFZnwyQGn-rCTGYwcTn58Ien91I2bBeYbJpF6JqJXM3Oyx4sFgTtuIGAkkoCw2Emtlk5fGUUUK028QalacLglDaji_uEKXm7LqnpQiLMmLs2jjwvLzDLA6eQc8hJIYYso/s400/C_gigantea-fem9648bs.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 274px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276992790672447634" /> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Female at rest</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Found in lowland at ponds and lakes in open areas and near coast along mangroves.<br /></p>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-91880476712921178192008-12-07T16:38:00.005+08:002008-12-07T16:52:11.608+08:00Pantala flavescens<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style=" color: rgb(85, 85, 68); font-family:Tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Anisoptera</span></span><o:p></o:p></b></span><b></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style=" color: rgb(85, 85, 68); font-family:Tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Species Name:</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style=" color: rgb(85, 85, 68); font-family:Tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style=" color: rgb(85, 85, 68); font-family:Tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Pantala flavescens</span></span></i></span><span style=" color: rgb(85, 85, 68); font-family:Tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Family: Libellulidae</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:7.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style=" ;font-family:Verdana;color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pantala</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> flavescens</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> is certainly the world’s most widely distributed dragonfly – found worldwide in the tropics as well as in temperate zones of North America and </span><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Europe</span></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. It’s the only odonate that Borneo shares with the </span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">United Kingdom</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> 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.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">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.</span></span><br /></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hU2ZkXcIe6M87BMU34cTuGLmgbmhV9SqwmLWc5hP_o-VFrFvPLaaVKWWw1CCgywsuGRrm31PjjJy4GMyyRKN92RCWsfM1YWnHMj2JHUZjH98TnazfWGItPu2PrYBvYAkyg_XfFXrhxY/s400/Pantala_flavesens0144s.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 276px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276965653790957970" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">M</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ale Globe Skimmer on my finger</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">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.</span></span><br /></p><p></p>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-77965242823414320182008-11-09T22:42:00.006+08:002008-11-09T23:11:36.023+08:00Agrionoptera insignis<span style="font-weight:bold;">Anisoptera</span><br />Species Name: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Agrionoptera insignis</span><br />Family: Libellulidae<div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukxKFOreHFO9HxlTNfxVffAq-PuCTUnXfkgXzspHwITvZ3oJS60dBfVHBI8KZ_walS3JS9E_u33IyOMg5WNRrSvIwyblGG1Zekzs1KFH_lfsZCcOJqnvyqj6xYLIMxxFwWMzQ3Z5t9Rs/s400/Agrionoptera_insignis8762sqs.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266673773271474610" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Male</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">A</span></span></span> 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.</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVVPFNF45k7zecYOA9zE2434ED4s0cEvqfb12VjDemigoB_m0dFXOlgl2CFE3WkmRJu27kzT9dAmTppfMXE25wwYIrYdo9buTtzJSmXHjQeT21DPls-01ez_SRZPPhAn-a3XeejNx_jw/s400/Agrionoptera_insignis-fem9408s.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 360px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266673762527535826" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">Female</span></span></div><div>The species is widespread in tropical Asia and Australasia with several sub-species recognised. The Bornean ssp is <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">insignis. </span>In Australia its common name is the Red Swampdragon.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6011423871667511900.post-33365138835589649152008-10-12T22:20:00.016+08:002009-01-04T17:38:50.631+08:00Acisoma panorpoides<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 18px;font-family:tahoma;font-size:13;" ><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Anisoptera</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Species Name:</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Acisoma panorpoides</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Family: Libellulidae</span></span></span></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHgQniQdM639L_-Dsw6y2dy-RBTMAXwumBGbrs6F4UKiKwGLlBiPhyphenhyphenMwes3Up3WTvRl4rq59hRuFHDify0hySB9cXkAvv7w6hwYHpvXaQrqK1dZ20AD7cWjY3CsWxBmfmoEfwkEank0w/s400/Acisoma+panorpoides4534cs.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256273469370546194" border="0" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Male</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:18;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">At </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;">first glance this small species loo<span style="font-family: times new roman;">ks like</span></span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" > </span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://dragonsndamsels.blogspot.com/2008/10/diplacodes-trivalis.html">Diplacodes travialis</a></span> 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.</span></span></span></div></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 68); line-height: 18px;font-family:tahoma;font-size:13;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;font-size:13;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Female</span></span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8qSM_YKlHIbB8L3C1BgeS9tw_1iGMSM7VTwx4GxwLYycvMfOl-Luub3MbyKPuqphn_n8HfQkOISzMDxcy2GsA2EwpY0cOIRJ8YEJlOidsH33OHkYbGRVpfCmyQF-JYjipze-U8eYKWk/s400/Acisoma+panorpoides4540fs.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left; display: block; cursor: pointer;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256273484908443042" border="0" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; font-family: times new roman;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: normal;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span">Acisoma panorpoides </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span">is a very widespread Libellulid being recorded<br /></span></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span">from South Africa and Madagascar to the Mediterranean, into </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span">mainland Asia and Southeast Asia.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Previously thought to be absent from the northern part Borneo, I had </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">photographed it in Lahad Datu, Sabah as well as Tuaran, near Kota</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Kinabalu where I found it to be very common near paddy fields.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span></span></div></span></div>Dragonchaserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572228128243829181noreply@blogger.com3