239: Burmagomphus w. williamsoni Förster, 1914

    Number: 239 / Family: Gomphidae / Genus: Burmagomphus

Species: Burmagomhpus w. williamsoni / Williamson's Clubtail*

Province(s) sighted: Prachuap Khiri Khan

Habitat: Open Streams on the Edge of Forest

In flight: May / Sightings (by me): Rare

Species easily confused with: All Burmagomhpus species

*No common name so named 'Williamson' after Edward Bruce Williamson and 'Clubtail' which is linked to Burmagomphus.

This was a photo that sat on my hard drive for quite a few years as it is, well, terrible. However, according to Noppadon Makbun, it is actually a female of the species Burmagomphus williamsoni, which I have simply named Williamson's Clubtail. I saw the species literally for about 2 seconds... one photo, gone. I was at a stream outside the entrance to Pa La-U Waterfall. There isn't much else to say about it really as it is such a poor photo, but I will add it until I can get better photos of the female and of the male. 

The Female

As you can see, not exactly an award-winning photo but at least I have seen it!

238: Burmargiolestes melanothorax (Selys, 1891)

            Number: 238 / Family: Rhipidolestidae / Genus: Burmargiolestes

Species: Burmargiolestes melanothorax / Orange-faced Burmese Damselfly*

Province(s) sighted: Chiang Mai

Habitat: Uplands Shaded Streams/Ponds

In flight: August / Sightings (by me): Locally Common

Species easily confused with: N/A

*As there is no common name, I have based in on the Thai name, with the fact that it has an orange face and was first described from Burma. Can you think of better?

Almost 15 years past from my first visit to Chiang Mai searching for dragonflies when I found 40 new species for my records... I was over the moon. But in all the times I had been since, I never ever saw one I was desperate to see: Burmargiolestes melanothorax, which am now giving the common name, the Orange-faced Burmese Damselfly for now at least. Anyway, it took another trip, along with Noppadon Makbun and a lot of searching and then, in an instant, I saw a female... and then a male... and then more. In fact, there were lots of them in the gloom. Hard to photograph, but there, all thanks to Noppadon! I was so happy to finally put it to bed and got decent shots of the male and the female.

The Male

I can't show you this species without showing his face first. Is there anything better? Rather a plain-looking species but that orange face changes everything. It was worth the 15-years wait!

And a more traditional shot of him...

The Female

The female is very much like the male minus the orange face but is much more robust. She does have nice orange legs, though.

237: Sundacypha petiolata (Selys, 1859)

           Number: 237 / Family: Chlorocyphidae / Genus: Sundacypha

Species: Sundacypha petiolata / Stream Sapphire

Province(s) sighted: Yala

Habitat: Shaded and Shallow Forest Stream

In flight: August / Sightings (by me): Rare

Species easily confused with: N/A 

Easily one of the highlights of the trip was specifically looking for, and finding, Sundacypha petiolata, commonly known as the Stream Sapphire. It is an incredibly rare species that has only been recently discovered for Thailand and we were kindly told about the location by a couple of birders who are close friends of Noppadon Makbun and in the Facebook group, Dragonflies of Thailand. However, for the first hour or so, it was a no show... just a few common species popping up. As the day warmed, more species showed, typical of forest streams. Eventually, I got the call: "Dennis!!!" I was further down the stream and I could hear Noppadon firing away. I reached him and there it was: a female. We both got plenty of shots in, though it was still a little dull. Then eventually, I spotted a male. Not too skittish, but not that easy. Anyway, we carried on along the stream and saw a few more individuals and some other more common species too. Many thanks to the friends of Noppadon (and Noppadon) for guiding us to the stream. There is no way I would have found it otherwise.

The Male

For me, one of the most beautiful little species known in Thailand. Very small and a little bit skittish, but you can get photos if you see him. Stunning colours with yellow markings on the thorax and orange dorsally on the abdomen. That's before we see the black wingtips that shine iridescent blue in the right light.

The Female

The female isn't as colourful as the male but still beautiful in her own way.

I also got a brief glimpse of a second female (feint wingtips) ovipositing on a twig on the stream, closely guarded by a male.

236: Ictinogomphus acutus Laidlaw, 1914

           Number: 236 / Family: Gomphidae / Genus: Ictinogomphus

Species: Ictinogomphus acutus / Rusty Clubtail*

Province(s) sighted: Narathiwat

Habitat: Peat Swamp Forest

In flight: August / Sightings (by me): Rare

Species easily confused with: N/A

*As there is currently no common name, I have based the name on the genus being known as 'Clubtails' and the appendages of the species having a unique 'rusty' colour. 

Like many species at Sirindhorn Peat Swamp Forest, Ictinogomphus acutus eluded us 'til the last. My brother saw this species a year or so earlier and managed to get a decent shot of it, which we quickly named it the Rusty Clubtail, due to its abdomen end segments. When we arrived, it was nowhere to be seen... except it was! Paul's missus, Suu, saw it perching in the trees and took some nice photos which I will add when I get them processed. Paul even sent images of where it was! Bur the dragonfly guys (me and Noppadon Makbun) missed it again. 2-0 to the birders! As we searched for it, the birders returned and explained where it was... we could see it. The guys wandered off looking for birds. Suddenly, there it was... massive... it WAS still in that tree but it shot off and we watched it disappear over the over side of the lake. It returned shortly afterwards, circled the lake and then, instead of landing in the same tree, it decided it had had enough and lofted off high and far into the distance. It was a beautiful, of not fleeting, glimpse of it, but enough to count it for my records. Until I return, I am using Paul's shot of it from his previous trip.

The Male

The male is very easy to recognise and is found in Mainland Malaysia just over the border so it isn't a surprise to find it here. Check out the 'rusty' end of its abdomen... definitely a beast of a dragonfly and hope to get my own photos next trip!

Photo courtesy of my brother, Paul, as a placement photo until I can get my own. Many thanks, r kid!

235: Risiophlebia dohrni (Krüger, 1902)

           Number: 235 / Family: Libellulidae / Genus: Risiophlebia

Species: Risiophlebia dohrni / Potbellied Elf

Province(s) sighted: Narathiwat

Habitat: Shady Swampy Forest

In flight: August / Sightings (by me): Rare

Species easily confused with: Risiophlebia guentheri

Back in 2018, I saw the amazing Risioplebia guentheri in Chantaburi, thanks to Noppadon Makbun's earlier finding of it. And it was such an amazing and unique species. I couldn't get over how small it was, and it's arced and bulbous abdomen. I was so excited to see such an incredible species. Roll on seven years and, while at another heavily shaded swampy area in Narathiwat province, Noppadon shouted me over once more... he had found the other known species in the genus for Thailand.... Risioplebia dohrni, commonly known as the Potbellied Elf. I was so happy to see it but had forgotten just how small it was. Worse still, it preferred to sit really low down near the ground making photography very difficult. Noppadon has already seen this species so he went off in search of others leaving me to fire away. Once I returned I wasn't overly happy with the shot but it was just such a difficult angle. 

The Male

Check out that bulbous section of its abdomen followed by an amazing arc. Such a cool little species, but so small that it is difficult to find and photograph. 

234: Rhyothemis aterrima Selys, 1891

          Number: 234 / Family: Libellulidae / Genus: Rhyothemis

Species: Rhyothemis aterrima / Black Jewel Flutter

Province(s) sighted: Narathiwat

Habitat: Peat Swamp Forest

In flight: August / Sightings (by me): Rare

Species easily confused with: Rhyothemis plutonia 

One species that had been reported from Thailand fairly recently but again from the deepest of deep south at Sirindhorn Peat Forest in Narathiwat, was Rhyothemis aterrima, commonly known as the Black Jewel Flutterer. It is well-known in Malaysia so it isn't that much of a surprise to be found here too. However, as with many species, this one also eluded myself and Noppadon Makbun. Frustrated, we gave up on the place and searched other areas in the locality for different species. On the last day in Narathiwat, we decided to take one last look at the place before heading to Yala and see if we could find it as the weather was much hotter and brighter than the previous visit. Opposite the entrance to Sirindhorn, there is a large open area with peat swamp. My brother, Paul, peering through his massive scope for birding saw something interesting... it was bloody R. aterrima but about 100 kilometres away! Maybe I am exaggerating a little but it was way too far out for my 180mm lens, let alone Noppadon's 100mm one. I switched up to 400mm and got a couple of very poor record shots, but at least we had now seen it! We couldn't understand how a few people had decent shots of it if it was so far out, but at the back my mind, one photo that had been taken of it was on wood... the boardwalk? Anyway, we decided to have one last scout around the boardwalks with fading embers of seeing it - and possibly see anything else. Amazingly, we saw another male on the first part of the peat forest but was really, really high up but kept on landing every 30-45 seconds or so. Sadly, this one was also way too high up. So we carried on and went to the second section. Here we saw one straightaway perched rather high on a branch but much lower. We got much better record shots but we were still a little unhappy with them. Finally, another male swooped down from somewhere and started doing the dance around the ponds but much lower, though faster. It then landed straight on the boardwalk... it stayed briefly and then took off... we were gutted. But then, 30-45 seconds later, it landed again on the boardwalk... and again... and again... we edged closer and closer to it as it was incredibly skittish but eventually we got into a decent position and fired off some nice shots as it perched on the bannister of the boardwalk. We couldn't have been happier and the shots really brings out the beautiful colours of this species... when in flight it just looks black.

The Male

From a distance, it just looks black. But on closer inspection (depending on the angle of the light), it's green, copper, reddish, black and even clear segments. It really is a truly stunning species and a fitting species for the last in Narathiwat ... until I return!

Another male OR...

Now, this is specimen I saw a few years back at the lower reaches of Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary in Chaiyaphum. It's about 20 hours' drive from where it is now know in Thailand (Narathiwat - see above). However, this could either be R. aterrima, extending its range massively north or it is something else. There were 2-3 of them at a lowlands pond surrounded by forest. I initially (without thinking) put it down as R. plutonia, but it is clearly not that species. Both Noppadon Makbun and Chee Yen Choong (Malaysian species expert) believe there is no reason for it not to be R. aterrima, which would be an amazing find! Any thoughts?

233: Podolestes orientalis Selys, 1862

         Number: 233 / Family: Argiolestidae / Genus: Podolestes

Species: Podolestes orientalis/ Blue-spotted Flatwing

Province(s) sighted: Narathiwat

Habitat: Swampy ponds, Streams

In flight: August / Sightings (by me): Rare

Species easily confused with: Podolestes coomansi  

A few days after spotting Podolestes coomasni for the first time, Noppadon Makbun and I were slowly wading through a swampy pond that was heavily shaded form trees and shallow in areas but very deep in other parts, making it somewhat treacherous to walk through. Eventually, a few more common species started to show and then a large damselfly landed right in front of me... it was Podolestes... coomansi again? The area was quite dark and the damselfly was difficult to see. Worse still, as I went to take a photo, it lifted up and flew. Fortunately, it flew right near to Noppadon who had more light and he said straight away... it's orientalis! So, Podolestes orientalis, commonly known as the Blue-spotted Flatwing, was a new addition to both our records and we were both incredibly happy! Better still, I got a decent shot of it and we managed to spot 3-4 males that morning. I also saw a female but it was far too skittish and eluded the lens. Interestingly, Podolestes coomansi was also present. 

The male

Very similar in appearance to Podolestes coomansi, the easiest way to separate the species is by looking at the markings on the thorax. They are quite different and quite easy to separate... IF you can see them in the gloom.

This was the first one I saw in the gloom...