98. Ischnura rufostigma Selys, 1876

No: 98 / Family: Coenagrionidae / Genus: Ischnura

Name: Ischnura rufostigma / Orange Bluetail* 

Habitat: Uplands ponds with lots of grasses

Province(s): Chiang Mai
In flight: April-July / Sightings (by me): Locally Common

Easily confused with: N/A

*As there is no common name I adapted it from 'Bluetail' from with I. senegalensis and other species in the genus, and orange being the predominant colour of the abdomen.

Ischnura rufostigma is a small species that I saw when I visited Doi Inthanon National Park, April 2010. However, where I first saw it, those lovely little ponds near HQ had been sadly destroyed. Fortunately, returning to a different place I had visited with Noppadon Makbun, I noticed several specimens. Furthermore, Noppadon took us to another place that very quiet as it was a misty still morning, but there were little orange streaks darting everywhere in the grasses.

The Male

The thorax is black with bright green stripes. S1 is also green and it has two small blue ocular spots. The abdomen is orange from S2-6, S7-10 are black. S8 has a distinctive blue dorsal patch.

The 'Andromorph' Female

The female is similar to the male, but paler. Also, it only has microscopic blue dorsal patch on S8. However, the second one may be not quite fully mature and the third one is old and lost the blue patch.

The 'Young' Female

I am not sure if this is andromorph (takes on male colours) or gynomorph (takes on females colours)... still, it looks amazing anyway!

The Teneral Female

I was fortunate to spot a teneral (newly emerged) female which glistened as t flew in the grass. Note it still has pale whitish eyes.

A Copula (Andromorph Female)

I was fortunate to spot and photograph a copula, with an 'andromorph' female, which is the only one I have ever seen!