Nepal Odonata: Libellulidae A-P

Anisoptera

Family Libellulidae A-P

Acisoma panorpoides

Rambur 1842

Elevation 130 - 1900m

Abdomen Length 15-18mm

A very small dragonfly, that is a common and widespread species across Asia and Africa. The common names are Grizzled Pintail or Asian Pintail. It is found near small streams, wetlands, swampy areas. In warmer regions, there may be several cycles in one year. The female is a golden yellow and the male light blue. The body shape and size are distinctive for the species.

Arethiamanta brevipennis

(Rambur 1842)

Elevation 200 - 800m

Abdomen 17-20mm

A small lovely red (male) or yellow (female) dragonfly with a bright red spot on the backside of the hind trochanters. Not too common in Nepal but common in certain areas, such as forests and well-vegetated wetland areas. It is seen in the terai and the wetlands next to Phewa Taal in Pokhara.

One ID detail is the small red spot on the back of the hind femur, in females it is yellow.

Brachydiplax sobrina

(Rambur 1842)

Elevation sea-level - 800m

Abdomen Length 20-24mm

A species found near wetlands, marshes, and canals. It is not seen so often but not rare. The males are very small but easy to see with the powder blue abdomen tipped with black. Juvenile males (middle photo) are very similar to the females (last photo) are striking with a yellow-orange and black coloration. The young male is still changing color, but what is striking is the metallic blue frons. B. sobrina is found in Chitwan, BesHajar Taal and in Haldi Bari near Bhimtal in Jhapa District.

Brachythemis contaminata

(Fabricius 1793)

Elevation sea level to 1500m

Abdomen length 18-21mm

Found in all types of habitats often in disturbed and dirty areas. Its common name is the Orange-wing Groundling. The males have a beautiful orange color on the wings, females are ground color with bright yellow pterostigma. Very common in Asia.

Male

Female

Bradinopyga geminata

(Rambur 1842)

ELevation Sea-level to 1400m

Abdomen 26-29mm

Usually seen on rocks near rivers or cement water tanks. A very camouflaged insect it is only seen when it moves. It is called the Granite Ghost. It is found all over India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. I recently photographed it at the Rani Mahal near Tansen.

Cratilla lineata calverti

Forester 1903

Elevation 80-900m

Abdomen Length 30-32mm

This is a forest species that was found on a small artificial pond at a hotel on the way to the Peace Pagoda climbing the path above Phewa Taal. Walking up a small trail there are a few small lodges where this one was found. There was a female but it only flew in briefly to mate unsuccessfully then left. I have only one photo of a female.

Male

Female

Crocothemis servilia

(Drury 1770)

Elevation sea-level to 3000m

Abdomen Length 24-35mm

The Scarlet Skimmer is a bright red or yellowish colored male depending on age. Key ID features are the reddish or yellow veins in the winds with a yellow patch on hind wing and a dark line down the center of the top surface of the abdomen. Female is usually yellow or pale yellow depending on age with a carinated abdomen and yellow veins in wings.

Diplacodes lefebvrii

(Rambur 1842)

Elevation 200-900m

Abdomen Length 17-25mm

The Black Percher is a rare find in Nepal. This was a new sighting found on a hill above Pokhara at a resort called Tiger Mountain. It was very unexpected on a dry hilltop. I only saw one and know nothing about its habits. It is probably similar to its relative D. trivialis. It is widespread throughout Africa, the Middle East, a few locations in central India.

Diplacodes nebulosa
(Fabricus 1793)
Elevation sea-level to 1000m
Abdomen Length 15-17mm

Another wetland species found on reeds and grass in the water - it is unlike its relative D. trivialis which often sits on the ground. The female is similar to the female of D. trivialis but has a slightly different background pattern of black and ochre.

Diplacodes trivialis

(Rambur 1842)

Elevation sea-level to 3000m

Abdomen Length 19-22mm

Usually seen sitting on the ground and not always close to a water body. They are often at paddy fields and along canals. Sometimes called the chalky percher or the ground skimmer. Common throughout Asia and Australasia.

Lyriothemis bivittata
(Rambur 1842)
Elevation 80 - 900mm
Abdomen Length 33-37mm

Not common but found throughout the region through to Myanmar and Malaysia. This was a new teneral without much of the typical coloration. Usually, males have a bright red abdomen with females more like the teneral male. The frons is bright metallic blue. This was photographed at the beginning of May before monsoon on Phewa Taal in Pokhara.

Neurothemis fulvia

(Drury 1773)

Elevation 80 - 1500mm

Abdomen Length 21-26mm

The Fulvous Forest Skimmer is very common all over Nepal, but usually below 1600m. Most often seen near paddy fields, ponds, and wetlands starting from early March through October. Female has fully colored wings and the male, more reddish has a small round spot at the wing apex. It has a wide distribution in Asia from India to Taiwan. It is seen early in the spring in April and is still found in October. It is distributed across SE Asia to East Asia and found in Taiwan.

Neurothemis intermedia

(Rambur 1842)

Elevation 80 - 1500m

Abdomen Length 16-20mm

A paddy field dragonfly, it sits on the edges of the irrigation canals. It is a medium-sized orangish-red dragonfly with a reddish tint to the basal section of the hind wing. The female is a lighter version of the male and lacks the dark coloration in the wings. Distribution is from Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, and Malaysia.

Neurothemis t. tulia

(Drury 1773)

Elevation 180 - 800m

Abdomen Length 16-20mm

The Pied Paddy Skimmer or Pied Parasol is found all over Asia usually near paddy fields and wetlands, and so it is also found at all three lakes in Pokhara. A lovely wetland, paddy land and swamp species the male has beautiful wings with a white stripe and blue-black venation and the body is midnight blue with white appendages. Females are very different in color; brown and tan with some wing markings. I have not seen it above 1000m. When found there are usually many in number (possibly triggered by some weather event) mass hatchings are common in April.

Orthetrum glaucum

(Brauer 1865)

Elevation 80-1600m

Abdomen Length 29-35mm

Asian Skimmer is identified from the blackface and dusky blue abdomen with a dark brownish-black thorax. It is found in a variety of habitats from stones in streams and rivers to wetlands near ponds. Distribution is from the western coast of India, Sri Lanka to Japan and the Philippines.

Orthetrum internum

MacLachlan 1894

Elevation 1000-3800m

Abdomen 28-30mm

A powder-blue, wide-bodied dragonfly that was formerly referred to as Orthetrum japonicum internum now separated. It is a Himalayan species from Kashmir, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, and Assam. The body shape is more of a flat tube, equally flat almost to the end of the abdomen. The color is a very light blue with a dirty blue face. This one is not as common as other Orthetrum relatives. It is found at elevations above 2000m resting on lily pads or reed beds in wetlands and small freshwater ponds. Breeding is in April and through the end of Monsoon.

Orthetrum luzonicum

(Brauer 1868)

Elevation 200-2000m

Abdomen 28-30mm

A widespread species across the region including Afghanistan to the Philippines. It is found in wetlands, old paddy fields, weedy, and semi disturbed areas. Females are yellowish in color.

Orthetrum pruinosum neglectum

(Rambur, 1842)

Elevation 200 - 2000m

Abdomen Length 28-31mm

A very common species in a variety of habitats all across Nepal. The color is distinctive and not easily confused with other red-colored species, but females are more difficult to determine. The pinkish-red body and purplish thorax are unusual and so very easy to ID. It is seen before during and after the monsoon. They have two mating periods at the beginning of the season in May and again in October. It is common in many locations from Afghanistan to Japan.

Orthetrum s. sabina

(Drury 1770)

Elevation sea-level to 2300m

Abdomen Length 30-36mm

Called the Slender or Green Skimmer; it is very common throughout Nepal and across Asia usually founds next to ponds and lakes. Not particular about habitat this Green Skimmer is found in many locations both close to the water and some distance away. Below are male and female specimens taken from the lakeside near the city. These are seen almost all year in the warmer areas. It is very commonly found in many countries from Egypt to Australia. Common in CNP, Parsa, and other locations up to about 1600m.

Orthetrum taeniolatum

(Schneider, 1845)

Elevation 80 - 2000m

Abdomen Length 22-25mm

The Small Skimmer is found in the Himal-Hindu Kush region. It is identified from the dirty blue-grey face, hyaline wings, and yellowish-orange pterostigma. It is not common in the Godavari area because it prefers hotter lower regions. Still, it is occasionally seen early in the season April to June before Monsoon.

Orthetrum t. triangulare

(Selys 1878)

Elevation 800 - 2600m

Abdomen Length 29-33mm

Very common in the Godavari area from May through November. It is called the Triangle Skimmer. The male is easy to distinguish having black thorax and end of abdomen with bright blue in between. The wings have a small triangular black color in the hind wing. It is found breeding from April to October. It has a wide distribution across the Himalaya Hindu Kush, Sri Lanka, across east Asia, and Taiwan.

Palpopleura sexmaculata

(Fabricus 1787)

Elevation 80-1800m

Abdomen Length 14-16mm

A common species across the Himalaya Hindu Kush region. It is listed in Sri Lanka but that is doubtful. It is usually near paddy lands and lakeside vegetation. It is very small but the blue colored males and golden females are found prominently on sticks in the middle of vegetated areas. They are found from pre-monsoon to after monsoon up to October.

Pantala flavescens

(Fabricius 1798)

Elevation sea level - 4000m

Abdomen 29-35mm

Males and females are very similar. A wide-ranging species thought to migrate great distances. They are commonly called Globe Wanderer. They are found in abundant numbers just after heavy rain. They tend to breed quickly this aids their migratory habits.

Potamarcha congener

(Rambur 1842)
Elevation sea-level to 1500m
Abdomen 29-32mm

Yellow-tailed Ashy Skimmer is the common name. Here this specimen is older and the yellow color of the abdomen is less pronounced. The top of the eyes is a dark red color. Female is ochre with black markings and lateral expansions at the 8th abdominal segment.