Gynacantha basiguttata

Anisoptera

Species Name: Gynacantha basiguttata

Family: Aeshnidae

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

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

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

Copera vittata

Zygoptera
Species Name: Copera vittata
Family: Platycnemidae

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

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

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

Brachydiplax chalybea

Anisoptera
Species Name: Brachydiplax chalybea

Family: Libellulidae

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

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

Bottom photo: Female

Lestes praemorsus

Zygoptera
Species Name: Leste praemorsus
Family: Lestidae

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

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

Zyxomma obtusum

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

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

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

Prodasineura verticalis

Zygoptera
Species Name: Prodasineura verticalis
Family: Protoneuridae

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

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

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

Macrogomphus quadratus

Anisoptera
Species Name: Macrogomphus quadratus
Family: Gomphidae

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

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