Anax guttatus

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

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

Ictinogomphus decoratus

Anisoptera
Species Name: Ictinogomphus decoratus
Family: Gomphidae


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

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

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

Hydrobasileus croceus

Anisoptera
Species Name: Hydrobasileus croceus
Family: Libellulidae

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

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

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

An empty larval case or exuvia
of H. croceus.

Tetrathemis irregularis

Anisoptera
Species Name: Tetrathemis irregularis
Family: Libellulidae


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

Neurothemis terminata

Anisoptera
Species Name: Neurothemis terminata
Family: Libellulidae

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

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

Libellago semiopaca

Zygoptera
Species Name: Libellago semiopaca
Family: Chlorocyphidae

A male L. semiopaca

Two males in confrontation

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

A female

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

Rhinagrion elopurae

Zygoptera
Species Name: Rhinagrion elopurae
Family: Megapodagrionidae

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

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

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