126: Ceriagrion cerinorubellum (Brauer, 1865)

Number: 126 / Family: Coenagrionidae / Genus: Ceriagrion

Species: Ceriagrion cerinorubellum / Orange-tailed Marsh Dart

Habitat: Exposed Upland and Lowland Ponds and Lakes
Province(s) sighted: Widespread
Sightings (by me): Common
In flight (that I have seen): April-November 

Number 8! Yes, number 8 of 12 from the genus Ceriagrion... this time in the shape of the beautiful Ceriagrion cerinorubellum. This is a species that I have wanted to see for a long time and only had a very short time to see it. Just one photo, and it was gone. Confident I would see more, including the female, I searched the area, but to no avail. That really was it. Just one specimen. No idea why. Maybe it was a bit of a vagrant and was just being nosey. Maybe I am too early in the season. I will hopefully find out as I am to return to the area again on Saturday. I want to take photos from different angles and also would like to see the female. I can only hope! I now only need to add the following to my blog: C. azureum, C. calamineum, C. nigroflavum, C. pallidum and possibly C. malaisei (though this could be the one I have already found - the photos are not the best for identification). If anyone knows where I can find these species (or even has photos of them for ID purposes), please let me know... I will travel anywhere to see them. Since then, I have seen all of those I was desperate to see, except C. nigroflavum, which is possibly a misidentification or it is extirpated... or simply just really rare and no-one has found it! Hopefully the latter and it is found one day. Furthermore, I have now seen this species many times throughout Thailand and it is rather common.

The Male

The male really is stunning and I saw it at the water's edge at the Helicopter Pad lake 2 kms from the entrance of Nam Nao National Park. I don't think that it can be mistaken for any other species. The caudal appendages are very long for this genus too. It's eyes and thorax are bright green (and can go more of a blue I think). S1-3 are orange, as well as part of S7-10. The caudal appendages are also orange.

... and a close-up of the first 'blue' male, I saw at Khao Kitchacut NP. This, I believe, is a fully mature male.

The female ...

I saw the female for the first time at Nam Nao NP. However, I have since spotted a number of females at Khao Kitchacut NP. Finally, I have some decent photos.

Here is a more greenish specimen.

The 'Teneral' Female

The newly emerged female looks similar to the older females, but you can tell she is fresh due to her wings.