Friday, November 27, 2015

42. Agriocnemis clauseni (Fraser, 1922)

Agriocnemis clauseni (Fraser, 1922)


Family: Coenagrionidae
Genus: Agriocnemis
Species: Agriocnemis clauseni (Fraser, 1922)
Similar Species: Agriocnemis kalinga, Agriocnemis femina, Agriocnemis pygmaea
Common name: N/A
Habitat: Stream associated forest patches 
Distribution: Sylhet
Abundance: Rare
Flight Season: August
IUCN Red List Status: Least concern
Worldwide distribution:  Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand


The most uncommon species among the Agriocnemis of Bangladesh. I have sighted the species from the north eastern forests. The male is bright blue in color.  


The juvenile male can be recognized by their greenish antehumeral stripe.  


The females are reddish, found close to male. 


the juvenile female is more orange in color 








Sunday, November 15, 2015

41. Diplacodes nebulosa (Fabricius, 1793)

 Diplacodes nebulosa (Fabricius, 1793) 

Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Diplacodes  
Species: Diplacodes nebulosa (Fabricius, 1793)  
Similar Species: Diplacodes trivialis
Common name: Black-tipped Ground skimmer
Habitat: Marsh, Ponds
Distribution: Dhaka, Sylhet
Abundance: Uncommon 
Flight season: October- November
IUCN Red List Status: Least concern

Worldwide distribution: Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia , Lao People's Democratic Republic; Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Viet Nam. 



Currently, two Diplacodes species is known from Bangladesh. Unlike Diplacodes trivialis, Diplacodes nebulosa is not very common. The two species are similar however can be easily distinguish by the black wing tip of D. nebulosa male. 

  



40. Pantana flavescens (Fabricius, 1798)

 Pantana flavescens (Fabricius, 1798) 


Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Pantana  
Species: Pantana flavescens (Fabricius, 1798)  
Similar Species: None
Common name: Wandering glider, Globe skimmer
Habitat: Marsh, open fields, grasslands
Distribution: All over the country  
Abundance: Common 
Flight season: October- January
IUCN Red List Status: Least concern
Worldwide distribution: distributed in many countries of Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, North america and South America


Pantana flavescens is a migratory dragonfly found during the winter season in Bangladesh. They are usually observed flying above the open fields and grasslands. 



Saturday, November 14, 2015

39. Gynacantha khasiaca (McLachlan, 1896)

Gynacantha khasiaca (McLachlan, 1896


Family: Aeshnidae
Genus: Gynacantha
Species: Gynacantha khasiaca (McLachlan, 1896)
Similar Species: None
Common name: N/A
Habitat: Forests
Distribution: Sylhet 
Abundance: Rare
Flight season: August
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient

Worldwide distribution: India, Nepal, Myanmar


Gynacantha khasiaca is one the most beautiful dragonfly found in Bangladesh. This is one of the three Gynacantha species found in Bangladesh. The extremely rare species was first time recorded from Bangladesh in 2014.  


Friday, July 3, 2015

38. Trithemis festiva (Rambur, 1842)

Trithemis festiva (Rambur, 1842)  

Trithemis festiva (Rambur, 1842) 

 

Number: 38
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Trithemis  
Species: Trithemis festiva (Rambur, 1842) 
Common name: Black Marsh glider
Habitat: Streams, waterfalls
Distribution: Chittagong, Sylhet 
Abundance: Common 
Flight season: March - August

Trithemis festiva one of the four trithemis species found in Bangladesh. The species I have sighted from Chittagong and Sylhet. Commonly, the species is observed nearby streams, waterfalls and stream associated forest patches. The species is distinguished from other species by its black color, bluish abdomen and yellow markings in the abdominal segments. 

                                                             Male

The male has blue thorax, legs are black, wings are transperant, yellow patches present in the wing base. 


I have observed the male from Khagrachari near richag water falls. The male was perching in the reeds of the streams.  


As the male gets older, it become more black. The thorax turns black from blue. Also, the abdominal yellow markings abolished. 





Thursday, July 2, 2015

37. Trithemis aurora (Burmeister,1839)

Trithemis aurora (Burmeister,1839) 

Trithemis aurora (Burmeister,1839) 

 

Number: 37
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Trithemis  
Species: Trithemis aurora (Burmeister, 1839) 
Common name: Crimson Marsh glider
Habitat: Streams, waterfalls
Distribution: Chittagong 
Abundance: Common 
Flight season: March - August

Trithemis aurora is very common, in fact, it is the most abundant dragonflies in the hilly regions of Chittagong. I have sighted hundreds of them in khagrachari, near waterfalls.  

                                                                 Male

The juvenile male are orange in color, the hind wing base has dark orange patch. The veins are orange, wing transperant, pterostigma black. 

the adult are spectacular colorful insect with scintillating reddish-pink color. The thorax and head is magenta in color, wing transparent, veins reddish. Lega black, anal appendages anterior red, posterior black.   


Female

The famales are less abundant than male and stay away from waterbodies except their breeding period, The females are like juvenile male, can be distinguished by looking att their anal appendages. 



Sunday, June 28, 2015

36. Orthetrum pruinosum (Burmeister, 1839)

Orthetrum pruinosum (Burmeister, 1839)

Number: 36
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Orthetrum 
Species: Orthetrum pruinosum (Burmeister, 1839) 
Common name: Crimson tailed Marsh hawk
Habitat: Forests, lakes, ponds 
Distribution: Chittagong, Sylhet
Abundance: Common
Flight season: June- November

                                                       Male

The males are spectacular insects with abdominal segments red. The thorax is black, legs are black, wings are transparent, pterostigma black.
  

The matting pair I have spotted from Sylhet. The pair was matting in the reeds associated to the streams.   



Monday, June 8, 2015

35. Neurobasis chinensis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Neurobasis chinensis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Number: 35
Family: Calopterygidae
Genus: Neurobasis 
Species: Neurobasis chinensis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name: Stream glory
Habitat: Waterfalls, streams
Distribution: Chittagong, Sylhet
Abundance: Not very common
Flight season: June- November

Neurobasis chinensis is one of the most beautiful damselfly, found in the eastern waterfalls of Bangladesh. 

                                                              Male

The males are green in color, the fore wings are clear, the hind wings are opaque. Abdominal segments are green, anal appendages are black. 


The male shows an amazing view of the upper side of its lower wing. When the male fly over the waterfalls it's an astonishing scenario to enjoy. 


Female

The females are similar to male, green in color stay adjacent to male nearby waterfalls. The wings are more clear  than males, and different shaped anal appendages are good key to distinguish from male.  


I have sighted this matting pair from the Rechang waterfalls in my last visit to Khagrachori.


Neurobasis chinensis mate in bushes associated with the waterfalls. The female then oviposit in the stream water. 


My documented video on the matting behavior of N. chinensis  can be seen from the below link 

Sunday, June 7, 2015

34. Aristocypha quadrimaculata (Selys, 1853)

Aristocypha quadrimaculata (Selys, 1853)

Number: 34
Family: Chlorocyphidae 
Genus: Aristocypha  
Species: Aristocypha quadrimaculata (Selys, 1853)
Common name: N/A
Habitat: Waterfalls, streams
Distribution: Chittagong
Abundance: Not very common
Flight season: June- November

Aristocypha quadrimaculata is one of the spectacular damselflies found in the waterfalls of the north east and south east region of Bangladesh.  

                                                         Male

The males are black in color. The head, abdominal segments, anal appendages and legs are black. Thorax black with yellow stripes. More than half of the apical parts of the wings are opaque with violet stripes in the hind wings. 


                                                               Female 

The females are black in color too. The head is black, thorax is black with yellow stripe. abdominal segments has yellow color laterally. Wings are transparent, pterostigma and legs are black. 


Thursday, April 23, 2015

33. Pseudagrion rubriceps (Selys, 1876)

Pseudagrion rubriceps (Selys, 1876)


Number: 33
Family: Coenagrionidae 
Genus: Pseudagrion   
Species: Pseudagrion rubriceps (Selys, 1876)
Common name: Saffron-faced blue dart
Habitat: Lakes, ponds, streams
Distribution: All over the country
Abundance: Common 
Flight season: January- December

This blue damselflies are exquisite, marvelous and spectacular flying creature. Quite abundant in Bangladesh.



They are often sighted at the edge of the ponds, paddy fields and lakes. 




32. Orthetrum triangulare (Selys, 1878)

Orthetrum triangulare (Selys, 1878)


Number: 32
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Orthetrum 
Species: Orthetrum triangulare (Selys, 1878)
Common name: N/A 
Habitat: Streams, forest patches
Distribution: Sylhet
Abundance: Rare
Flight season: March-April

Orthetrum triangulare is one of the six Orthetrum species found in Bangladesh.


                                                            Male

The male is black and white species. The thorax is black, abdominal segments 1-7 are bluish, segments 8-10 are black.



Female

The female are yellow in color, broad black antehumeral stripe present and abdominal 8-10 are black  which are the signature of the species.


I have sighted the species from the forest patches of the north eastern forest of Bangladesh. 




Wednesday, April 22, 2015

31. Orthetrum sabina (Drury, 1770)

Orthetrum sabina (Drury, 1773)


Number: 31
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Orthetrum 
Species: Orthetrum sabina (Drury, 1770)
Common name: Green Marsh Hawk 
Habitat: Lakes, ponds, forest patches
Distribution: All over the country
Abundance: Common 
Flight season: All year round

Orthetrum sabina is the most abundant and most common dragonflies of Bangladesh. Found in diverse habitat, all over the country and all year round. 


                                                                   Male

The spectacular dragonflies are green, white and black in color. The eyes are green, thorax are green and yellow, wings are transparent, pterostigma and legs are black, segments 7-10 are completely black, anal appendages are white.


Orthretrum sabina are very aggressive and I have sighted the species feeding on butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies.    



Monday, April 20, 2015

30. Rhyothemis variegata (Linnaeus, 1763)

Rhyothemis variegata (Linnaeus, 1763)


Number: 30
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Rhyothemis  
Species: Rhyothemis variegata (Linnaeus, 1763)
Common name: Common picture wing
Habitat: Lakes and ponds
Distribution: All over the country
Abundance: Common 
Flight season: February - December

Rhyothemis variegata is one of the common and most abundant dragonflies of Bangladesh. The species is found all over the country and almost all year round. 


                                                                 Male

Rhyothemis variegata is the only Rhyothemis species found in Bangladesh. The species can be distinguish easily from the other species by its coloration pattern of the wings. The male has golden wings with black colored patches in the fore and hind wing, wing tips are black, abdomen , thorax and legs are black.   




Female

The females are similar to males, however the coloration in the wing excelled the coloration of the wing of male. Wing tips are transperant and anal appendages are typical Libellulidae female like; this two criterion distinguish female from male.