Calicnemia doonensis, pulverulans, exima, miniata, nipalica

Family Platycnemididae

Calicnemia doonensis carminea

Lieftnick 1984

Elevation 500-1700

Abdomen length 33-34mm

Endemic to Nepal. There has been some discussion as to whether or not this is a valid species and what name it should be given since there were several published records from Dehra Dun India in 1984 and by Hämäläinen (1989) who made several interesting observations; first, this Calicnemia has no relationship to C. miniata; second, it is the same taxon as C. carmine pyrrhosoma also from the same location but pre-dating the record. Another complication was a description of this Calicnemia by Lieftinck in 1984 of C. carminea carminea from Nepal, which has now been given subspecies status of C. doonensis. Currently, the nomenclature is not clear as to what the species name should be, and whether the Nepal species is the same as the Dehra Dun species.

The inferior anal appendages are longer than the superior. Older males tend to darken on the lateral thorax to a dark purplish-blue. Usually, a good number are present when found, which is usually a very small running stream with some seepage, with lots of side vegetation. There are four known locations: Pokhara, the mill stream on Daman Hwy, Tansen, and several roadside areas above Hetauda, at elevations between 900m and 1500m on perennial streams and seepages. It was mating in July with plenty of males and females present. One male was found in May with very light colors.

Male

Female

Calicnemia eximia

(Selys 1863)

Elevation 300 -2100m

Abdomen Length 30-34mm

They resemble other red Calicnemia sp. at first, but when the small dot of yellow is seen on the humeral area of the thorax, it is certain to be C. eximia. Males and females are similar except in coloration. They are usually found next to seepages similar to Drepanosticta locations and often in the same place. This one was near Mardi Khola on a rock wall next to a small stream. They are found from May through August and across the Himalayan region.

Male

Female

Calicnemia miniata

(Selys 1886)

Elevation 800 to 1600m

Abdomen Length 30-32mm

This is a species from Ilam in eastern Nepal. The male is characterized by the bright red stripes on its black thorax with narrow yellow stripes laterally. The abdomen is bright red to the basal 1/3 of segment 7, the rest black, including the anal appendages. The female is a yellow and orange version of the male. They are not as common in Nepal as other Calicnemia relatives. These were photographed in May before the monsoon.

Male

Female

Calicnemia nipalica

Kimmins, 1958

Elevation 800 to 1600m

Abdomen Length 31mm

This is an uncommon wetland inhabitant in Nepal and is listed as vulnerable by IUCN. It rests along seeps and small canals in the darker areas of the jungle and might be easily overlooked. The adult deepens in color with age; from emergence, in mid-April, the males and females are similar in coloration. By June, the male's color deepens to a darker red and solid black toward the end of the abdomen, while the female's abdomen darkens dorsally from the second segment. Mating is observed in late June and continues through July.

Only found in Nepal, where it was first recorded from Phewa Taal. Since then, it has been found in Godavari, on the road to Daman, and in Shiva Puri Nagarjun National Park. A very pretty damselfly that breeds on slow streams and seepages. Listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Male

Female

Calicnemia pulverulans

(Selys, 1886)

Elevation 800 to 2000m

Abdomen length 29-31mm

C. pulverulans lives in the same dark forested conditions as C. nipalica - they are often found nearby. The abdomen color is powdery blue as they pruinose early in life; overall, it has a waxy blue color with some yellow to pale blue lateral thoracic stripes. A Himalayan native seen from NW India to NE India and into Myanmar. They are mostly found from May through July, mating in early May.

Male

Female