Ischnura sp. (rufostigma-group)

Scientific name: Ischnura sp. (rufostigma Selys, 1876 - group)

Family: Coenagrionidae

Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มนาส้มจุดฟ้า, แมลงปอเข็มบ่อผู้เขียวปลายดำ

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our team at Kew Mae Pan

In the early of this month, I went to Doi Inthanon, Chiang Mai, with a team from siamensis.org. Our team composed of many experts in different fields [herptologist (amphibian and reptile), entomologist (butterfly and beetles), ichthyologist (fish) and onithologist (bird)]. I joined a dragonfly team. I didn't expect to see many odonates at this month because it's too cold (7-8 degree C at night and 13-15 degree C at noon).

male

Ischnura sp. (rufostigma-group) is one of eight species I found over there. In 1982, Dr. Asahina recorded Ischnura rufostigma annandalei from Thailand for the first time. According to Dr. Asahina (1970), male I. r. annandalei has blue spot on 8^th abdominal segment and diminished black marking in the 2^nd abdominal segment.

homochromatic female

Female has two forms: homochromatic and heterochromatic. The color of the former is similar to the male but duller. The latter is different but similar to I. senegalensis.

heterochromatic female

However, Hamalainen and Pinratana (1999) noted that taxonomy and nomenclature of this species group (I. rufostigma-group) is still unsettled. Dr. Asahina (1991) treated Thai population as I. r. annandalei forma carpentieri and I. annandalei carpentieri in the same paper (but different page). But G. S. Vick has idenitified Thai specimens as I. mildredae. Althought there is no any right name for this Thai population, it's really beautiful damselfly.

In Thailand, it is found in northern mountain in Febuary-November.

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Reference:

Hamalainen, M. and Pinratana, A. 1999. Atlas of the dragonflies of Thailand: distribution maps by provinces. Brothers of St. Gabriel in Thailand, Bangkok.

Asahina, S. 1970. Burmese odonata collected by Dr. Arthur Svihla with supplementary notes on Asiatic Ceriagrion species. Japanese Journal of Zoology. 16(2): 99-126.

Asahina, S. 1982. A list of the Odonata from Thailand. Part I. Agrionidae. Kontyu. 50(3): 454-66.

Asahina, S. 1991. A taxonomic revision of the Ischnura rufostigma group of Southeast Asia. Tombo. 34: 2-22.