Aristocypha group

Family Chlorocyphidae

Aristocypha quadrimaculata

Selys 1853

Elevation 300 - 1500m

Abdomen length 19mm

Location Phewa Taal, Lakuri, Lamjung, Chandi Khola

A fairly common species in the hills on flowing streams. The one exception was one that I found on Phewa Taal, but it must have come from the jungle. Males have a pink triangle on the upper thorax and 'window panes' that form a unique pattern on the wings. Females are quite different and hard to tell from other related species, but they are usually nearby on shrubs while the males rest on stones. They are found from May to August. Distribution is in Himalayan foothills from NW India, Nepal, NE India, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Thailand.

Male

Female

Photos from top: Manas Bhutan, Miao Arunachal Pradesh, Naryani Nepal.

Aristocypha trifasciata syn Rhinocypha + bifasciata 

Selys 1853

Elevation 600 to 1700m 

Abdomen 22mm

Location Godavari, Chandi Khola, Ilam, Pokhara

A Himalayan species, ranging from Jammu-Kashmir to Bhutan and NE India. They are always found on streams with running water, and depending on the light you can see a beautiful emerald or purple colors in the inner wings. There are usually two bands on the male's wings - the second band mid-wing usually develops later.  They are active later in the monsoon season from July to October, both males and females are present. The wings of the females are evenly tinted brown. DNA studies have shown that Aristocypha/Heliocypha group is distinct from Rhinocypha, which is from New Guinea.

Male

Female