Nepal Odonata: Euphaeidae Anisopleura

Family Euphaeidae

Anisopleura comes

Hagen 1880
Elevation 500-2600m
Abdomen 36-40mm
Nepal Distribution:
Godavari, Shiva Puri, Lamjung, Pokhara, Daman, Hetauda

There are three Anisopleura on the south-westerly route out of the Valley. A. lestoides is the most common of the Anisopleura, and A. comes is more common than A. subplatystyla. They share the same habitat but differ in seasonal timing. A. comes is usually earlier in the season than its close relative A. subplatystyla. The key identification feature of this species is the open elongated oval on the thorax. It is found all across North East India, and Nepal, and occurs in Punjab.

Male

Female

Anisopleura lestoides

Selys 1853

Elevation 700 -2500m

Abdomen 36-38mm

Nepal distribution: Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Ilam, Hetauda

This is a species that Fraser said was common in North East India and in Uttarakhand and it is very common in Nepal. It is often found with A. subplatystyla sharing the same habitat and overlapping during part of the season. It is also most common in mid-elevations around 1200 to 1800m. I have seen it at many locations in Nepal and always on small streams. It seems to have a long presence from May to October. Males and females are similar having a spear-shaped mark on the thorax.

Male

Female

Anisopleura subplatystyla

Fraser 1927
Elevation 800-2000m

Abdomen 34mm
Nepal Distribution: Godavari, Daman, Lamjung, Shiva Puri

Fraser said this one was known mostly from Northeast India, Meghalaya, and Shillong. It is not very common in Nepal and not many records exist. I have found it in four locations so far. These photos of a male and female are from a small roadside stream off the Daman highway where a water mill is located. The distinguishing feature is the oval doughnut-shaped mark on the thorax dorsum.

Male

Female

Bayadera indica

(Selys 1853)

Elevation 700 to 1800m

Abdomen Length 38-40mm
Nepal Distribution: Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Lamjung

This damselfly is widespread across many areas in Nepal and in Northwest and Northeast India, and possibly Bhutan and Myanmar. The key ID for this species is the male with black tips on both fore and hind wings and turquoise blue markings on the face. They prefer fast-moving streams and will often rest on stones or debris in the middle of the stream. They are usually active during monsoon - June to August.

Male

Female

Bayadera hyalina

Selys 1879

Elevation 1450m
Abdomen length 34mm

I was not sure if I should include this entry because of the discourse on B. longicauda (missing terminal segments) described by Asahina from Thailand and B. hyalina described from Assam and Meghalaya. This species' information is given in detail on the IUCN website and is Red Listed as vulnerable. The description given by Fraser 1934 matches; i.e. hyaline wings, yellow on the lateral side of the 1st abdominal segment only, and the larger sharp ventral spine on the superior anal appendages. But I only found the one teneral insect and since it is teneral the ID is in doubt.

Male