114. Unknown species

Number: 114

Family: Incertae sedis (not placed)

Genus: Unknown (poss. Burmargiolestes or Agrimorpha)

Species: Poss. Burmargiolestes sp. (similar to B. melanothorax) or Agrimorpha fusca
Common name(s): N/A
Thai name(s): Unknown
Habitat: Extremely dark, heavily forested area amongst bamboo (almost impossible to see).

Province(s) sighted: Nang Kruan waterfall, Lamklong Ngu NP (Kanchanaburi province)
Sightings (by me): Rare
In flight (that I have seen): March (longer, I'm sure)

I recently saw an extremely skittish teneral damselfly about 70 metres away from the water's edge in a darkened area, amongst bamboo. It was really difficult to spot and was only given away by the white dorsal patch on the abdomen. Again, having no idea of the species, I sent it to Noppadon Makbun and he said; "It's surely in genus Burmargiolestes.  There's only one species recorded in Thailand: B. melanothorax. It's similar to this species except pale marking on apical abdominal segment." He also said that he has never seen a teneral specimen of this species, so it is difficult to confirm. 

Recently, Noppadon has informed me that this is possibly not only a new species for Thailand, but also a new genus ... Agrimorpha fusca. If it is, that would be fantastic news. Unfortunately, as it is only a teneral specimen and you can't see the colours of the face clearly, it is difficult to tell. Hopefully, I will get the chance to return there this year and spot an adult ... who knows, it could well be a new genus for the country! Once again, many, many thanks to Noppadon for his input and invaluable information ...  if it were left to me, this post would simply say "unknown brown damselfly" :)

113. Vestalis anne (Hämäläinen, 1985)

Number: 113
Family: Calopterygidae
Genus: Vestalis
Species: Vestalis anne
Common name(s): N/A
Habitat: Forested upland streams
Location(s) sighted: Sai Yok Yai Waterfall (Kanchanaburi)
Sightings (by me): Uncommon
In flight (that I have seen): March (longer, I'm sure)

Three hyaline-winged (clear) species of the genus Vestalis are almost identical (V. amethystina, V. anne and V. amoena) and the only way to tell them apart is through the anal appendages (which is very difficult to do through photography). I had no idea how to tell from looking at the photos so made sure I took a clear photo of the terminal segments. I sent photos to Noppadon Makbun and he told me that it was Vestalis amoena. Since then, Noppadon has re-looked at my photos and now believes it to be Vestalis anne. (Proves just how difficult it is to tell them apart!) Still, another species for me! 

Patience is key to photographing this genus. Not only do they like dark areas of forest, they are also green. I often first spot this genus (mainly V. gracilis, which has brown tinted wings and is very common) by noticing the leaves or branches moving as though something has just dropped on it. Sometimes it's a damselfly! The other problem is that they are very cautious creatures and often fly away at the first sight of you. If you can stay near them without scaring them, you can slowly inch forward until you are close enough to take good photos. I believe in a way that they begin to trust you, or realise that you are not a threat. Or maybe I'm just becoming crazy!

The male

The male is less cautious than the female, but still a very wary creature. Unlike V. gracilis, the wings are clear.

The male appendages

In order to identify the species, you must get a decent photo of the appendages for accurate identification. I always use flash (with a large home-made bubble-wrap diffuser) for this purpose.

The female

The female was harder to spot than the male and tended to hide higher up in the bushes. This lady was kind enough to let me get close to her.

I think this species ranges from western Thailand moving southwards and is found along slow moving streams in good forested areas. If you find one, you should find several. 

112. Philoganga montana (Hagen in Selys, 1859)

Number: 112

Family: Philogangidae

Genus: Philoganga

Species: Philoganga montana
Common name(s): N/A
Thai name(s): แมลงปอเข็มตาปีกยาวภูเขา 

Habitat: Heavily forested upland streams
Province(s) sighted: Lamklong Ngu NP (Kanchanaburi).
Sightings (by me): Rare
In flight (that I have seen): March (longer, I'm sure)

My first ever species from the Lestoideidae family! There are two species of Philoganga, one being Philoganga loringae and the second being Philoganga montana, which is the one I have found. I think it's a rare species, and was identified by Noppadon Makbun, once again! Looking through the Internet, there is little information about this species and it has only been seen at a tiny number of places in Thailand, so I am lucky to find it!

When I saw this specimen, I approached it with extreme caution not wanting to frighten it away before I photographed it (I had to clamber up an old log to get near to it and nearly fell into the stream on several occasions) I snapped away and then left it alone. When I returned, it was in the exact same place. I took more photos and then was even able to catch her easily with my hand. When I released her she flew onto my foot and then crawled onto my hand where she seemed happy enough. Eventually she flew high up into the trees and back to safety.

The female

This has to be the biggest damselfly I have seen. About the same size as Megalestes kurahashii (see earlier post), but was really robust, with an extremely stout abdomen and enormous end segments. It was bigger than many dragonflies I have photographed.

Here, she is in her natural position, amongst bamboo above the stream.

Once I released her she landed on a rotting log.

With the eye colour, maybe she is still young.

Here, she was happy to rest on my hand and gives a good idea of size.

She then flew onto my trusty walking shoes.

A close-up shot of her enormous appendages.

I will return to Lamklong Ngu National Park, as it is such a wonderful place and I hope to spot her other half!

111. Orthetrum testaceum testaceum (Burmeister, 1839)

Number: 111

Family: Libellulidae

Genus: Orthetrum

Species: Orthetrum testaceum testaceum
Common name(s): Orange Skimmer, Scarlet Skimmer
Thai name(s): แมลงปอบ้านเสือวงลาย, แมลงปอบ้านเสือป้อม
Habitat: Tree-lined upland ponds

Province(s) sighted: Sai Yok Yai waterfall (Kanchanaburi)
Sightings (by me): Rare
In flight (that I have seen): March (longer, I'm sure)

There are 9 species of the Orthetrum genus, and I have now added 7 to my blog, with the most recent addition being Orthetrum testaceum testaceum. I just need to find O. t. malaccense and O. japonicum internum. Hopefully I will find them one day! 

The male

I spotted this male at a muddy puddle at Sai Yok Yai waterfall, where it was annoying female Cratilla lineata which were oviopsiting into the muddy ditch on a pathway. Unfortunately, the females were too fast to photograph, but I spotted a male above them in a tree. The male is similar to O. chrysis, but is red on the thorax dorsally and the colour at the base of the wings is more prominent. It didn't get the best photos in the world as it was too busy upsetting other dragonflies and only landed momentarily. I will post better photos when I spot another.

110. Echo modesta (Laidlaw, 1902)

Number: 110

Family: Calopterygidae

Genus: Echo 

Species: Echo modesta
Common name(s): N/A
Thai name(s): แมลงปอเข็มน้ำตกใหญ่หน้าขาว, แมลงปอเข็มน้ำตกใหญ่อีโค
Habitat: Heavily forested upland streams
Province(s) sighted: Lamklong Ngu NP (Kanchanaburi).
Sightings (by me): Rare
In flight (that I have seen): March (longer, I'm sure)

Another member of the Calopterygidae family and the 6th I have now seen, is Echo modesta. It's a stunning damselfly and is easily recognizable with its white face. 

The male

It's similar to other species in the family, but has a kind of 'box-shaped' thorax. The wings are also hyaline. The easy way to spot this species, however, is the mature male's white face. 

The sub-adult male

I was fortunate to spot a young male, which is the same as the adult, but hasn't yet developed a white square on its face.

It likes particularly dark, shaded areas under tree canopy and the species can be seen in upland forested areas along the west of Thailand, all year round.  I saw 2 adult males and a young male. Unfortunately, I didn't see a female.

109. Prodasineura laidlawii (Förster in Laidlaw, 1907)

Number: 109

Family: Platycnemididae

Genus: Prodasineura
Species: Prodasineura laidlawii
Common name(s): N/A
Thai name: แมลงปอเข็มหางเข็มเอราวัณ

Habitat: Slow, uplands rivers and streams, generally where under tree cover

Province(s) sighted: Erawan and Sai Yok Yai waterfalls and environs (Kanchanaburi)
Sightings (by me): Common at several places around Kanchanaburi
In flight (that I have seen): March (though longer, I'm sure)

My recent trip to Kanchanaburi proved to be fairly successful, even though it is early in the 'flight' season. I will post all my findings as they are identified by Noppadon Makbun. Some, though, are easy to identify, even by me!

The first species I found and one I expected to see was Prodasineura laidlawi, my 6th species from the Prodasineura genus. I now just need to find, P. humeralis and P. collaris to complete the set. Hopefully I will find these species when I travel south in October. 

The male

The male is easy to identify and perches on twigs and leaves at the edge of the river. They are easy to spot with their blue stripes on the thorax. Segments 9-10 are blue dorsally and the caudal appendages are also blue. S8 also has a blue mark which changes as it ages. See photos below.

Prodasineura laidlawii, male - See how the marking on S8 has become more prominent as it ages.

A copula

I wasn't able to spot an individual female in the short time I visited Kanchanaburi, but I did manage to see a copula. You can see that the female is similar to the male, but much duller.

You can see this species in Kanchanaburi all year, especially at Erawan waterfall (if you can handle photographing nature amongst thousands of tourists in speedos). 

105. Rhinagrion viridatum Fraser, 1938

Number: 105

Family: Philosinidae

Genus: Rhinagrion

Species: Rhinagrion viridatum
Common name(s): N/A
Thai name(s): N/A
Habitat: Heavily forested streams, lowlands & uplands
Province(s) sighted: Sai Thong NP (Chaiyaphum); Nam Nao NP (Petchabun); Phu Kradueng NP (Loei); Khao Yai (Nakhorn Ratchasima); Khao Kitchakut NP (Chantaburi); Koh Chang (Trat).
Sightings (by me): Fairly common, but small numbers
In flight (that I have seen): April-December

In my opinion, Rhinagrion viridatum is one of most stunning damselflies that I have ever seen. Firstly, I saw a male at Khao Kitchakut NP. I also saw 2 males and a female at two different stream locations on Koh Chang. Most recently was at Khao Yai NP (more since then). The ones I have seen, all like deep, dark alcoves (some with almost no light) above a deep cut out of the river that is almost still (probably to make it hard for idiots like me to get near them). I originally thought this was R. mima. However, it is now confirmed as R. viridatum. Primarily because of the location (R. mima is only found in a small number of places in the west of Thailand). R. viridatum is found elsewhere. Secondly, The prominent greenish-blue marks on the abdomen differ to that of R. mima.

Since then, I have spotted another solitary male at Phu Kradueng NP. Oddly, this male was basking in glorious sunshine, unlike the other specimens I have seen which seem to like darkened areas.

The male

The male is a medium-sized damselfly but instantly recognisable. Its thorax boasts vivid greenish-blue stripes on black. The abdomen also has greenish-blue dorsal markings and it also has amazingly colourful orange end segments, which you can see from a good distance. 

Since I wrote this, I recently spotted several males at a very quiet stream at Sai Thong NP, Chaiyaphum province [24.v.14]. Though it is nothing new for me to spot this species, I was suprised to see 4-5 males in one short trip (usually solitary sightings) and they rested around 6 inches above the water, along the steep banking and in close proximity to each other, instead of perching around 1 1/2 metres above the water in the trees (and then higher as soon as you approach them). They were also fairly easy to approach, unlike earlier specimens which fly away at the slightest movement (though I did have to sit fully in the stream up to my chest in order to get good shots). Worth every squelching sound from my boots and underpants as I walked afterwards! Anyway, I think it is impossible not to fall in love with this species.

Here's the male I spotted at Nam Nao (and the only male that loved the brightest sunshine in the world).

Here's a close-up in the brightest sunshine in the world. Still, makes a nice backdrop, I think.

Appendages (lateral view). Note the tuft of hair at the end of the superior appendages.

Appendages (dorsal view). Note the two orange dots which are characteristic of this species. It also has whitish tips to the superior appendages.

Teneral male

This is a newly emerged male, which I saw at a heavily tree-covered pond, Khao Yai National Park. Note how the wings are parallel to the abdomen. They will open out in time. Also... look how S7-10 segments are crushed flat.... er... that was me! It landed in front of me and a spider pounced on it... I pulled it away just in time, but damaged its abdomen in the process. I hope he survives!

Here, you can see where the spider had him by the abdomen (S1-2), dorsally. It's wings were also damaged. I suppose me squashing its abdomen trying to save it didn't help matters... still, I tried!

The female

When I visited a number of waterfalls in Koh Chang (13/04/2011), I was surprised to see this species. I saw 2 males and, in a deep, dark alcove which contained a tiny bit of water at the bottom, I saw my first female. I couldn't even hardly see her it was that dark and I had to take a photo to ID her (using flash of course). I managed to get a few shots of her, before she flew straight up and out of the alcove through a tiny hole at the top.

Ovipositing

I also observed her ovipositing into slightly damp, mossy vegetation, which was growing on a vertical bank, about 1.5 metres above a tiny pool at the edge of the stream.

... and if you look closely, I think that is an egg, but I could be wrong.

The teneral female ...

Here is a young female I saw at Khao Yai, Nakhorn Ratchasima

Although they always seem to be in small numbers, I think this species may be more common than first thought, because they are easily missed... not many people look into dark holes along riverbanks. Other people may think they are crazy!
Many thanks to Noppadon Makbun for the information and confirmation of ID.