Friday, November 30, 2018

Blue Sprite / Blue River Damsel (Pseudagrion microcephalum Rambur, 1842) നാട്ടുപൂത്താലി

Common name: Blue Sprite / Blue River Damsel 
Malayalam name: നാട്ടുപൂത്താലി
Scientific name: Pseudagrion microcephalum  Rambur, 1842
Family: Coenagrionidae
Place of observation: Thumboor, Thommana -  Kerala 
Date of observation: Various

Male                                  
Abdomen: 27mm   
Hind wing: 17mm

Female  
Abdomen: 29mm 
Hind wing: 20 mm


Keys male
Dorsal marking on segment 2 goblet-shaped
Superior anal appendages with 6, 2, or 3 small spines on the inner border.

Keys female
Head and the upper surface of eyes with a large amount of bright orange; 
Segment 9 with a bifid black marking.
(Fraser vol.1 page 278, 279)

Female

Male
Tandem
Male transferring sperms to the secondary genitalia
Mating
Mating
Ovipositing

Ovipositing

Male
Female

Pseudagrion microcephalum and Ceriagrion cerinorubellum ovipositing pairs

Male

Male

Comparison of the female's Head & Thorax

Comparison of the male's Head & Thorax

Comparison of the male's Anal appendages

Comparison of the males

Comparison of the females


Saffron Faced Blue Dart (Pseudagrion rubriceps Selys, 1876) ചെമ്മുഖപ്പൂത്താലി

Common name: Saffron Faced Blue Dart
Malayalam name: ചെമ്മുഖപ്പൂത്താലി
Scientific name: Pseudagrion rubriceps Selys, 1876
Family: Coenagrionidae
Location: Thumboor, Thumboormuzhy, Kerala 
Date of observation: Various

Male:      Abdomen 29 mm  Hind-wing 18-20 mm
Female:  Abdomen 29 mm  Hind-wing 21mm.


Keys male
Thorax golden-green on dorsum, azure blue on sides, sparingly marked with black; never pruinosed; a narrow black humeral stripe present.

Keys female
Segment 9 with black dorsal marking bifid.
(Fraser vol.1 page 296 - 298)

Female
Male
Tandem
Male
Mating
Mating
Ovipositing
Male



Brown dusk hawk (Zyxomma petiolatum Rambur, 1842) സൂചിവാലന്‍ സന്ധ്യാത്തുമ്പി


Common name:  Brown dusk hawk
Malayalam name: സൂചിവാലന്‍ സന്ധ്യാത്തുമ്പി
Scientific name: Zyxomma petiolatum Rambur, 1842
Family: Libellulidae
Place of observation: Thumboor, Kerala 
Date of observation: Various

Male:      Abdomen 37-42 mm  Hind-wing 32-35 mm
Female:  Abdomen 37-42 mm  Hind-wing 32-38 mm. 


Female

Male

Male

Immature female
Immature male
Wings

Trumpet Tail (Acisoma panorpoides Rambur, 1842) മകുടിവാലന്‍

Common name:  Trumpet Tail
Scientific name: Acisoma panorpoides  Rambur, 1842
Malayalam name: മകുടിവാലന്‍
Family: Libellulidae
Place of observation: Thumboor, Thommana - Kerala 
Date of observation: Various

Male:      Abdomen 15-18 mm  Hind-wing 16-21 mm
Female:  Abdomen 15-18 mm  Hind-wing 17-22 mm. 


Female

Male

Female and male

Mating

Tandem

Immature male

Male

Male

Female

Female

Male

Mating

Female

Female with prey

Female


Male

Male

Female
Immature female 
Immature female