Bayadera group

Family Euphaeidae

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 the 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 the Assam and Meghalaya regions. 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 one teneral insect and since it is teneral the ID is in doubt.

Male

The superior anal appendages are rounded at the tips and touching, the inferiors are broader than those of B. indica shown below in two photos.

Bayadera longicauda

Fraser, 1928

Elevation 1500 t0 1800m

Abdomen length 38mm

Fraser lists this one as being very similar to B. hyalina but with a black labium. It is listed as being found in Nepal but I have not found it. The distribution given by Fraser is from Gangtok in Sikkim in May. A specimen is found in the Darjeeling museum.